Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a new initiative on Mar. 5, 2026, to encourage medical schools to expand their nutrition education programs in the upcoming fall as part of an agreement with the Trump administration.
Secretary Kennedy and Education Secretary Linda McMahon reached the agreement as part of the Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative.
Prior to the agreement, Secretary Kennedy spent months urging schools to expand their nutrition education programs, arguing that doctors are not well-versed in nutrition, which leads health professionals to treat chronic diseases with medication rather than preventing them through patients’ diets.
A senior official for the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed that 52 medical schools will voluntarily issue 40 hours of nutrition education or a 40-hour competency equivalent beginning in the fall of 2026.
The official also stated that the Trump administration will not prescribe a specific curriculum, instead providing a framework that schools can adjust from.
“Although groups might not agree with the specific characterizations we’re using, there’s wide agreement that doctors in medical school could have more curriculum in nutrition,” the official said.
When asked to list the schools participating in the initiative, the official declined to name any, instead telling reporters to expect statements from the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Medical Colleges. The latter oversees the MCAT exams used to grant admission to medical school.
The new deal advises medical schools to review the amount of nutrition training they offer, designate a faculty member to supervise nutrition education programs, and create a public page detailing how they plan to provide 40 hours of nutrition education for their students.
During a conference hosted by the National Association of Counties on Feb. 24, 2026, Secretary Kennedy shared that some schools hesitated to participate, believing the initiative was part of a partisan agenda.
"A lot of them didn't want to do it because they thought it was a Trump program," Kennedy said. "We've been able to convince them that there's no such thing as Republican children or Democratic children. We all want our kids to be healthy."
