Credentialing for Physician Nutrition Specialist

Definition of Physician Nutrition Specialist® (PNS)

A Physician Nutrition Specialist® (PNS) is a physician with training in nutrition who devotes a substantial career effort to nutrition and who can assume a leadership role in coordinating interdisciplinary clinical nutrition services and education in academic health centers, other medical centers, private practice, and other health care settings. PNSs generally have backgrounds in the specialties of internal medicine, pediatrics, family medicine, or general surgery, and sometimes in subspecialties such as adult or pediatric gastroenterology, endocrinology, critical care, nephrology, cardiology, or others. They have completed a period of defined nutrition training, in addition to categorical residency training, that includes mastery of a defined core of knowledge and completion of a period of mentored clinical nutrition experience, which may be obtained in a nutrition fellowship or as part of training in another subspecialty. They have satisfied all requirements of, and are certified by, the National Board of Physician Nutrition Specialists.

Training Standards for Pysician Nutrition Specialist® (PNS) / Eligibiity for Physician Nutrition Specialist® (PNS) Training

  1. All candidates for certification and recertification must be licensed to practice medicine in the country in which they reside (note that NBPNS certification is not creditable toward licensure to practice medicine in the United States).
  2. They must be certified by a member board of the American Board of Medical Specialties or the equivalent in other countries.
  3. Completion of at least 6 months (1000 hours) of mentored clinical nutrition experience and formal instruction in inpatient and outpatient settings must also be documented. This may be obtained in a fellowship in clinical nutrition or as part of training in a related subspecialty such as adult or pediatric gastroenterology, endocrinology, critical care, nephrology, cardiology, or others.

 NBPNS Examination Content Outline