BCM: Doctors in training are also chefs in training
Second-year medical students at Baylor College of Medicine are taking
a break from their white coats to don aprons as a part of a new cooking
elective.
Inspired by a national news story on the importance of medical students
and physicians knowing how to make healthy eating choices and passing
this knowledge on to their patients, BCM medical students Jasdeep Mangat
and Amy Cobb established the CHEF (Choosing Healthy, Eating Fresh)
organization.
The first goal of the organization was to promote healthy eating and
living among second-year medical students. “Because second-year medical
students at BCM are about to enter their clinical training, it’s
important for them to know about self care. This will also help them
when they are counseling patients,” said Mangat.
Mangat’s regular trips to the Urban Harvest Farmers Market in the
Houston area led to his introduction to the executive chef of Ruggles
Green, German Mosquera, who does cooking demonstrations at the market.
Mosquera agreed to teach a cooking class once a month at BCM for
students. With a grant through the local chapter of the American Medical
Association, they are able to purchase the supplies and groceries needed
for the class.
Each month, the student lounge at BCM is transformed into a kitchen with
tables full of vegetables, spices, pots, pans and even portable gas
stoves. Each class begins with a lesson from a BCM faculty member, with
topics ranging from cardiovascular disease to diabetes. Mosquera tries
to use as many organic, plant based ingredients as possible and teaches
students recipes specific to the topic the faculty member addresses on
that day.
“This is a very unique opportunity for me,” said Mosquera. “There is a
true nutrition aspect behind each recipe and everyone can get what they
want out of the class.”
Dr. Mary Brandt, associate dean of student affairs, said learning to
cook is important for students – for more than one reason. “It’s an
important skill to have during the stressful time of residency and
beyond. In addition, it makes it much easier to counsel patients on
nutrition and healthy eating. If you don’t eat well yourself, it’s hard
to convince a patient to do otherwise,” Brandt said.
The next goal for the organization is to establish farmers markets at
Harris County Hospital District clinics around the city to provide
patients access to fresh, healthy foods. “In the Houston area, we have
something called food deserts, where there is no access to grocery
stores for people to get fresh foods, so we want to bring the food to
our patients where they can easily access it,” said Mangat. “We also
hope that health care professionals in the clinics can set an example by
purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables from the markets as well.”
