The ACGME is pleased to announce Bonnie Nguyen, DO, a family medicine resident at Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa, as the winner of the ACGME's national nutrition essay contest, Fueling Better Health: Resident/Fellow Perspectives on Nutrition in Patient Care.
The contest invited residents and fellows from ACGME-accredited programs nationwide to share experiences and insights related to nutrition in health care. Through this initiative, the ACGME sought to elevate learner perspectives, learn from real-world clinical experiences, and identify opportunities to strengthen nutrition-related competencies across graduate medical education (GME).
A total of 230 essays were submitted by residents and fellows representing 39 specialties and a range of institutions. Entries were evaluated on their relevance to nutrition and patient care, educational value, and narrative quality.
Dr. Nguyen’s essay reflects on how her Vietnamese American heritage shaped a lifelong appreciation for food as both cultural tradition and a foundation for health, ultimately inspiring a passion for culinary medicine. Through innovative residency-led culinary medicine programs, Dr. Nguyen demonstrated how culturally informed, hands-on nutrition education can equip physicians to translate evidence-based nutrition into practical, patient-centered care.
In addition to Dr. Nguyen's winning essay, the ACGME recognizes the essays of runners-up Uzair Hamid, MD of the University of Toledo, and Joy Chen, MD of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
“Nutrition is a critical component of health and well-being, and physicians play an important role in helping patients understand its impact. Dr. Nguyen's essay thoughtfully explores that connection and stood out for its depth of reflection and practical relevance,” said ACGME President and Chief Executive Officer Debra F. Weinstein, MD, adding, “we were highly impressed by the quality of the submissions we received, which reflects a strong commitment to advancing nutrition education and its impact on patient care.”
As the contest winner, Dr. Nguyen will receive complimentary registration for the 2027 ACGME Annual Educational Conference in San Antonio, Texas, as well as the choice of conference travel support or a $3,000 cash prize. Her full essay will be published in an upcoming open-access issue of The Journal of Graduate Medical Education.
The ACGME extends its appreciation to all residents and fellows who participated and shared their perspectives. Insights from the submitted essays will help inform ongoing efforts to strengthen nutrition-related education and training across graduate medical education.
The ACGME also thanks the selection committee, comprised of members of the ACGME Board of Directors and experts in nutrition education and policy, for their deliberative process and careful review of the submissions for this competition.
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