A nutrition curriculum based on principles of adult education has been developed and implemented. Through use of joint counseling as the main educational process, patient education remains the resident's responsibility with the faculty dietitian acting as consultant. At any point the resident has the opportunity to apply nutrition knowledge and to give independent nutritional counseling. Videotapes of independent counseling sessions allow self-evaluation and also permit assessment of each resident's nutrition teaching competencies. Pre-testing of each resident entering the program, followed by post-testing one month prior to graduation, permits curricular evaluation.