Managing LCME 7.3 Standard on Nutrition with Aquifer Cases

Aquifer cases embed nutrition mechanisms where learners make decisions, not in silos.

Pediatrics 03: 3-year-old well-child visit. Links excess milk/juice and bottle use to iron-deficiency anemia and early childhood caries; emphasizes calcium/vitamin D, fluoride varnish cadence, and AAP beverage guidance.
Pediatrics 04: 8-year-old well-child check. Builds epidemiology and pathophysiology for obesity; clarifies ADA diagnostic thresholds; traces diet to dyslipidemia, hypertension, NAFLD, and sleep apnea.
Family Medicine 08: 54-year-old with elevated blood pressure. Quantifies lifestyle effects (e.g., DASH ~11 mmHg systolic); details sodium/potassium physiology and practical reduction ranges.
Internal Medicine 16: 45-year-old who struggles with excess weight. Summarizes metabolic effects (insulin resistance, lipids, VLDL/TG); distinguishes diet patterns with cardiovascular outcomes, highlighting the Mediterranean diet.
Family Medicine 02: 55-year-old wellness visit. Teaches validated dietary assessment (24-hour recall, REAP‑S, food diaries, usual intake) and ties findings to ASCVD risk.

Cases provide scripts, targets, and sequencing that faculty can deploy consistently.

Family Medicine 02. Runs dietary recalls; offers specific swaps (protein-forward breakfasts, soda to sparkling water), and exercise prescriptions with target heart rates.
Pediatrics 04. Models motivational interviewing and the 5 A’s; sets screen-time goals; resolves safety barriers with recreation referrals.
Internal Medicine 16. Demonstrates meal substitutions, calorie logging, realistic 3–5% weight-loss targets, pharmacotherapy indications (GLP‑1/GIP), and bariatric pathways.
Family Medicine 08. Delivers DASH and sodium counseling with expected magnitudes; frames alcohol moderation and activity effects.
Pediatrics 03. Implements stepwise feeding strategies: stop bottle, end grazing, cap juice to 4–6 oz/day; pair oral iron with vitamin C; schedule fluoride varnish.

Nutrition instruction surfaces family, cost, environment, and preference—then adapts care.

Pediatrics 04. Addresses stigma, impulsivity, outdoor safety constraints; co-creates media plans and goals.
Pediatrics 03. Engages caregivers, reduces food battles, and navigates dental access with culturally flexible guidance.
Internal Medicine 16. Solves barriers (cooking skills, cost, social norms); emphasizes non‑exercise activity thermogenesis for home/work contexts; coordinates multidisciplinary support.
Family Medicine 02. Prioritizes feasible beverage/snack changes; aligns decisions with readiness for dietitian involvement.
Family Medicine 08. Balances multiple lifestyle changes around BP targets without mandates that erode adherence.

Aquifer equips teams to teach nutrition reliably across sites with trackable outcomes.

Internal Medicine 16. Normalizes longitudinal follow‑up; explains metabolic adaptation near 10% loss; streamlines lab, referral, and after‑visit workflows.
Family Medicine 02. Standardizes exercise prescriptions and leverages AIM‑HI style resources to embed counseling in preventive care.
Family Medicine 08. Uses effect sizes (mmHg per kg lost, DASH ranges) to set measurable goals and monitor impact.
Pediatrics 04 and 03. Provide reusable MI/5 A’s templates and caregiver education strategies for consistent documentation and expectations.

Map LCME 7.3 outcomes to these cases; assign across phases (preclinical mechanisms; clinical skills; clerkships).
Assess with embedded questions, brief case analyses, and mini‑OSCEs using Aquifer’s counseling prompts.
Use Aquifer reports to verify completion, identify gaps, and support CQI narratives for accreditation.
Integrate SDOH by pairing cases with local food access, cost-aware choices, and community activity options.

Use the following as a case-to-objective mapping to address nutrition.