The Culinary Medicine Program at the University of Central Florida
Leadership and Faculty
Robert D. Karch, MD, MPH, FAAP
Division of General Pediatrics
Nemours Children’s Hospital
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
University of Central Florida College of Medicine
Dr. Karch earned his Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Biology from the University of Delaware, a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree with special emphasis in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention from the Columbia University School of Public Health and a Master of Science degree (MS) in Health Policy Research from the University of Pennsylvania. He earned his Medical Degree (MD) from the Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Karch completed his pediatric internship and residency training at the Miami Children’s Hospital, where he also served as Chief Pediatric Resident. Following residency, he served in the National Health Service Corp (NHSC) as a general pediatrician in rural northern Arizona at the Canyonlands Community Health Care Center in Page, AZ. After his NHSC service, Dr. Karch completed a fellowship in Pediatric Nutrition within the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He also completed a Health Services and Health Policy research fellowship in the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Karch joined The Nemours Foundation in 2011. He is currently the President of the Medical Staff at Nemours Children’s Hospital and is the Chairman of the Medical Executive Committee. He is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and the American Board of Physician Nutrition Specialists. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He is a member of the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) and the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN). Dr. Karch is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Central Florida (UCF) College of Medicine, where he serves as the Director of the Medical Nutrition Longitudinal Curricular Theme (LCT) and directs the Culinary Medicine 4th Year elective. He is also the Pediatric Clinical Clerkship Site Director for UCF College of Medicine at Nemours Children’s Hospital.
Rob Seltzer
Chef Seltzer joined the Rosen College of Hospitality Management in June of 2016. His responsibilities include the management of the food labs and Rosen campus catering events. Chef Seltzer also teaches the FSS2221 Food Preparation course. His interests include any topic pertaining to food or beverage, sustainability, and fighting poverty.
Chef Seltzer has over 30 years of experience managing food service operations including: restaurants, convention centers, stadiums and racetracks; food service distribution and importing; culinary education.
Chef Seltzer received his MEd from American Intercontinental University and his BA in Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management from Michigan State University.
The Culinary Medicine Program for Medical Students at the University of Central Florida
Hands-on Health meets Food cooking programs are offered at the teaching kitchens at the Rosen College of Hospitality.
1. 2017 – 2018 Academic Year
An elective offered over 4 weeks with a single cohort of 24 medical students. The primary community partner was YMCA of Central Florida.
2. 2018 – 2019 Academic Year
The elective was offered over 8 weeks with two cohorts of 24 students. There was an expansion of community partners to include:
• Veterans Administration Hospital – Homeless population
• Second Harvest Food Bank – Programming was offered at their kitchen doing the Health meets Food Family Series
• Courseware offered to patients from the Grace Medical Home a clinic in Downtown Orlando serving vulnerable community members without insurance. They attend programing at Second Harvest Food Bank using the Health meets Food Adult Community Courseware.
• Advent Health Diabetes Institute:Programming offered on Thursday nights in the teaching kitchen at Winter Park Health and Wellness Center.
• Rosen Medical Clinic – Offered hospitality employees Culinary Medicine counseling.
• Hebni Nutrition – Paramour
• Publix – Aprons Cooking School
3. 2019 – 2020 Academic Year
Returned to a 4 week curriculum with 1 group of 24 Students. The programming for the medical students now includes the 8-module elective along with Module 10 – Cancer Nutrition, Module 20 – Geriatric Nutrition and Module 33 – Systemic Approach to Obesity. There is continued expansion of community partners to include:
• Second Harvest Food Bank – Programming was offered at their kitchen doing the Health meets Food Family Series
• Courseware offered to patients from the Grace Medical Home, a clinic in Downtown Orlando serving vulnerable community members without insurance. They attend programing at Second Harvest Food Bank using the Health meets Food Adult Community Courseware.
• Advent Health Diabetes Institute: Programming offered on Thursday nights in the teaching kitchen at Winter Park Health and Wellness Center
• YMCA of Central Florida
• Hebni Nutrition – Paramour
• Publix – Aprons Cooking School
• Orange Co. Public Schools – 1 site
The Culinary Medicine Program for Residents at the University of Central Florida
No programming at this time.
The Culinary Medicine Program for the Community at the University of Central Florida
See above.
Media Coverage of the Culinary Medicine Program at the University of Central Florida
UCF medical school starts culinary medicine course
Funding
2018 – 2019: Funded by Florida Blue Cross Blue Shield
2017 – 2018: Funded in part by Florida Cattleman’s Association
