Focus Group Meeting

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Nutrition Focus Group Meeting

October 9, 2001
Summary
Participants: MS I, III, IV

Questions for students to respond to during the focus group meeting:

1. In general, is most of the material in the Handbook new to you?

YES, especially:

  • Hyperlipidemia/diabetes
  • The how-to for applying information is helpful
  • Helpful in a clinical setting
  • Too bulky as-is - needs to be portable

2. In general, do you feel that you would use the information in this Handbook for your patients?
Would you keep this Handbook with you in the clinic as a reference?

  • Not until 3rd year
  • 1st and 2nd year maybe online as a resource for PBL

3. Do you feel that all our medical students would benefit from having a copy of the Handbook?
If the information from the Handbook were on the Web, would it be as useful to you?

  • No / no / maybe as a 1st or 2nd year
  • As a reference
  • More useful as a paper handbook or as a Palm application
  • Online only useful for presentations
  • Links to other websites for nutrition-related content

4. Do you feel that your knowledge of nutrition (from your basic science courses) is sufficient to allow you to understand the information contained in the Handbook?

YES

In your opinion, is it necessary to have some background in nutrition in order to use the information in the Handbook?

NO

If yes, can you suggest specific nutrition principles that are needed?

5. At what level in your medical education and training do you feel the information in the Handbook would be most meaningful and clinically applicable?

  • Clinics (3rd and 4th years)
  • Family practice preceptorship

6. What is your opinion about the usefulness of a clinical nutrition handbook (would contain TPN calculations, tube feeding formulas, renal diets, and other clinical material) and a pediatric nutrition handbook (would contain guidelines for feeding infants, toddlers, and older children, etc.)?

  • We already have a Palm application called MedCalc that does that
  • Pedi feeding might be helpful
  • Wouldn't use them enough
  • Maybe put them online as a resource

OTHER NOTES:

  • Blank lined pages at the end of each section
  • Index
  • Reasonable cost would be $5-$15
  • Make this a requirement for first-year students to get from the copy store
  • Need to see usability
  • MISSING:
    • It is very important to consult a Registered Dietitian (follow-up) &/or diabetes educator
    • What labs do you look at?
    • Content re. herbal supplements (mechanism of action; contraindications)
    • Daily requirements - focus just on big ones
  • REMOVE:
    • Heat index / environmental chart
    • Tufts content - maybe put online instead - but keep specific charts (Ca, K, omega 3 fatty acids, fiber, etc.)

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