Beyond the Classroom: A Food Security–Focused Experiential Learning Program for Developing Health Equity–Minded Medical Students

Date of Review: July, 2026

This innovative experiential curriculum from MedEd Portal introduces medical students to the intersection of food insecurity and chronic illness by training them to be volunteer patient navigators. The curriculum is fully integrated with practical application as students act first as resource navigators, engaging regularly with community partners to update a directory of local food resources, and then as patient navigators, providing families with tailored resource referrals related to food access, nutrition, and physical activity. The training for resource navigators is a virtual interactive webinar that addresses definitions of food insecurity, cultural humility, trauma-informed care principles, and relevant local and federal resources. The training for patient navigators is a virtual case-based session that includes facilitated role-play to build skills for SDOH screening and resource referral. Patient navigators also receive quarterly continuing education sessions on additional topics relevant to supporting families with food insecurity. This curriculum presents a unique model for building medical student competencies in the SDOH through experiential learning while also addressing patient needs and improving patient health. It would require significant institutional buy-in to fully replicate, including support for faculty leadership, administrative assistance, and HIPPA-compliant technology. Medical students also volunteer to participate in this program, which limits the reach of this important content. However, certain aspects of the curriculum could be adapted as curricular tools for teaching medical students or even residents practical skills for addressing the SDOH. The didactic session for resource navigators includes a nice overview of key principles relevant to addressing social needs with a trauma-informed approach. The role-play training for patient navigators addresses key skills for respectful communication with families experiencing social needs, and includes a thorough facilitation guide and accompanying slide deck with excellent discussion prompts. Institutions could also explore using this curriculum to support trainees to act as a resource navigator or patient navigator for a short period of time as part of a clinical rotation or broader health equity curriculum, which might be more feasible while still providing a meaningful learning experience. –Emma Anselin, MD, NCEAS

Corresponding Author’s Email:

kstumbras@gmail.com

Institution:

Children’s National Hospital

Where was the Curriculum Implemented:

Washington D.C

Relevant Specialty:

Pediatrics

Outcomes that Have Been Reported for the Curriculum:

Self-reported learner attitude

Self-reported learner knowledge

Self-reported learner behavior in a real patient setting

Outcome and Study Design:

Pre/Post