Uncovering Gaps in Obesity Medicine Competencies: Insights from Ten U.S. Medical Schools

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Authors: Magdalena Pasarica, Robert F. Kushner, Angelina V. Leary, Monica Agarwal, Dee-Ann Carpenter, Colleen M. Croniger, Ricardo Correa, Eduardo Grunvald, Mark S. Johnson, Julie K. Loza, Andrew J. Mock, Amber Olson
+6 more Jonathan Q. Purnell, Kim Pfotenhauer, Virginia Uhley, Sadie Trammell Velásquez, Amanda Velazquez, B. Gabriel Smolarz
Cited by: 3
References: 13

Abstract

Competency-based obesity medicine education is critically needed in undergraduate medical training, as emphasized by the Association of American Medical Colleges. Using a competency-based framework, we identified key gaps in obesity education across ten diverse U.S. medical schools. Each institution formed a working group to conduct a gap analysis of the curriculum based on 32 obesity medicine competencies recognized by the obesity medicine fellowship council. The least-addressed domains were Practice-Based Learning and Improvement and Systems-Based Practice, accounting for nine of the ten least-covered competencies. Additional gaps were noted in clinical skills and bias awareness. Most schools were relying on passive teaching methods and limited assessment. Findings highlight opportunities to develop shared, scalable resources to strengthen and standardize obesity medicine education nationwide. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-026-02646-2.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Obesity and Health Practices Bariatric Surgery and Outcomes Innovations in Medical Education

Publication details

Journal / source
Medical Science Educator
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Volume
36
Issue
2
Pages
539–544
Publication date
24 January 2026
Language
EN