About
Program Overview
Culinary Medicine is a signature program at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville (USC SOMG), complementing the school’s nationally recognized Lifestyle Medicine curriculum. While all students complete more than 100 hours of Lifestyle Medicine training, Culinary Medicine provides the practical, hands-on component that brings nutrition science to life.
The program is offered through both first-year and fourth-year electives, with active plans for expansion into clerkships and residency training.
- First-Year Elective – A non-credit course at Greenville Technical College reaching up to 20 students per year. Students complete ten Culinary Medicine modules plus a capstone project module that applies chronic disease content and food-security principles, including pricing meals under $2.50 per portion. Group work emphasizes recipe design and implementation, patient perspectives, and the realities of food insecurity. .
- Fourth-Year Elective – A credit-bearing, month-long course for up to 20 students. Students complete two hands-on modules per week, one online module weekly (≈12 total), and reflective assignments. A community-focused capstone project module pairs students with participants to co-create meals tailored to patient needs, linking culinary skills directly to clinical application.
The program is also developing a mobile teaching kitchen and medical student-authored cookbook to expand community reach. Long-term, they strive to implement culinary medicine across the curriculum for all medical students.
Faculty Leadership
Krista Blackwell, PhD
Physiology Educator and Administrative Lead
Dr. Blackwell coordinates the Culinary Medicine electives for first- and fourth-year students. As a foundational physiology educator, she is dedicated to integrating biomedical science with practical nutrition and culinary training. Her leadership reflects a commitment to preparing future physicians to use food as a tool for patient care and community health.
Annie Anderson, MS, RD, CSOWM, LD
Culinary Medicine Instructor and Registered Dietitian
A board-certified specialist in obesity and weight management with Prisma Health, Annie brings expertise in nutrition counseling across prevention and chronic disease management. With a master’s degree in food, nutrition, and culinary science, she integrates evidence-based nutrition with hands-on cooking instruction, helping students and patients translate knowledge into real world practice.
Casey Wiley, M.Ed.
Culinary Medicine Instructor
Casey co-leads Culinary Medicine electives and has been instrumental in building the program since its inception. Known for connecting food with both health and cultural identity, he emphasizes patient-centered cooking strategies and clinical application. His broader work at SOMG also spans student support, wellness, and financial literacy, reinforcing food as both medicine and community connection.
Jennifer L. Trilk, PhD, FACSM, DipACLM
Founder & Director of Lifestyle Medicine Programs
Dr. Trilk founded Culinary Medicine at University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville in 2017 with the belief that increasing nutrition competencies in U.S. medical providers is at the heart of health care for chronic disease prevention and treatment. Dr. Trilk understood that training future doctors in the biomedical science mechanisms and the behavior change skills in the classroom, and then reinforcing their training through experiential learning in Culinary Medicine classes would not only teach physicians that food is medicine, but also be able to talk to their patients how to prepare healthy, non-processed, disease-fighting meals.
Chef Scott Roark
Partner Chef, Greenville Technical College
Several faculty and staff are pursuing CCMS certification, strengthening program leadership and sustainability.
Spotlight & Media
- Students consistently rank Culinary Medicine among one of the most impactful elements of their training, often calling it “the most meaningful class of medical school.”
- Student capstone video (Mar 2025): Culinary Medicine Capstone – www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksF4WYZux0c.
- Partnerships with Root Cause, Greenville Technical College, and Prisma Health deepen community engagement and address food access.
Research & Publications
Formal research is in development. The team is tracking student evaluations and planning outcomes-focused work to assess how Culinary Medicine influences counseling skills and clinical practice; expansions include CME offerings and resident training.
Lessons Learned & Advice for Other Programs
Flexibility, creativity, and strong partnerships are critical. Dean-level champions have helped embed Culinary Medicine in core priorities and budgets. The team also advises programs to dream big: use the ACCM curriculum to its fullest, stay flexible with partners, and keep open lines of communication. Having a strong kitchen partner (or building your own) created the buy-in needed to sustain and grow the program.
