By learning about healthy diets and cooking techniques, PCOM South Georgia medical
students will be able to better advise their patients.
Homemade tacos, shrimp pasta and honey mustard tenderloin were on the syllabus for
PCOM South Georgia’s first Culinary Medicine course.
The second-year Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) students joined PCOM faculty members Joanne Kakaty-Monzo, DO ‘97, clinical associate professor and chair, obstetrics and gynecology, and Dennis Peffley, PhD, JD, assistant professor, physiology and pharmacology, to learn firsthand about special
diets, nutritional value, the makeup of food and how to advise future patients on
healthy lifestyles.
“It’s tremendously important that physicians teach their patients about lifestyle
modifications,” Dr. Kakaty-Monzo said. “What we eat is important to our overall health
because nutrition and eating habits help prevent chronic diseases throughout our lifetime.”
Because the course was hosted virtually, McKay Morrow (DO ‘23) enjoyed cooking at
home alongside his family and learning how to apply this knowledge to his future as
a physician.
“One of the biggest benefits was establishing a basic knowledge of nutrition,” he
said. “It’s not a huge part of the medical school curriculum, but it is a big part
of medicine, so it was nice to start to build that foundation.”
As a vegetarian, Allison Tresner (DO ‘23) said the course gave her new ideas and a
better understanding of how to adhere to a specific diet.
“I have always been interested in nutrition since I need to be more vigilant in maintaining
proper amounts of protein and balancing my diet,” she said. “I was so eager to take
this course to learn for myself and also to be able to relay nutritional information
to my patients in a way that is applicable and relatable. I feel far more confident
in my ability to educate my future patients and encourage them to take charge of their
own health through the ultimate form of medicine—food!”
The course was inspired by the “Health Meets Food” course offered by The Goldring
Center for Culinary Medicine at Tulane University. The primary goal is to teach future
physicians about how diet and nutrition play a part in the prevention and treatment
of diseases and how to discuss this important topic with their patients.
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) extended its commitment to the
Southeast by establishing PCOM South Georgia, an additional teaching location in Moultrie, Georgia. PCOM South Georgia offers both
a full, four-year medical program leading to the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO)
degree and a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences degree. PCOM is a private, not-for-profit
institution which trains professionals in the health and behavioral sciences fields.
Joining PCOM Georgia in Suwanee in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state,
PCOM South Georgia focuses on educating physicians for the South Georgia region. The
medical campus, which welcomed its inaugural class of medical students in August 2019,
has received accreditation from the American Osteopathic Association's Commission
on Osteopathic College Accreditation. For more information, visit pcom.edu/southgeorgia or call 229-668-3110.
For more information, contact: Jordan Roberts Public Relations and Social Media Manager Email: jordanro1@pcom.edu Office:229-668-3198 | Cell:229-873-2003