Future Physician Embraces Nutrition and One Health at International Conference
CCOM student Arjun Sharma brings lessons from Washington, D.C., back to èƵapp University
CCOM student Arjun Sharma (center) met several leaders in health and wellness at the 2025 International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine in Washington, D.C., including (top row, from left) Alisia Essig, a holistic plant-based nutritionist, Dr. Dean Ornish, preventive medicine expert and author; and (bottom row) Dr. Neal Barnard, physician, researcher, and advocate for plant-based nutrition, and Dr. Kristi Funk, board-certified breast surgeon and cofounder of the Pink Lotus Breast Center.
When Arjun Sharma walked into the 2025 International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine (ICNM) in Washington, D.C., it felt like stepping into a dream.
“I have dreamed of attending this conference since I was a freshman in college,” said Arjun, a third-year student at èƵapp University’s Chicago èƵapp of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM), Class of 2027. “This conference gathered the world’s leading experts on plant-based nutrition and medicine. I myself have been fully plant-based/vegan for almost nine years.”
Learning From the Best
For three days, August 14–16, hundreds of physicians, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, health coaches, and èƵapp filled the Grand Hyatt to hear the latest research on how nutrition and lifestyle changes affect chronic disease. Organized by the , the event featured top experts on topics ranging from cancer prevention to cardiovascular health.
Arjun was one of 17 scholarship winners invited to attend. “As an undergraduate, I read about how plant-based nutrition can be used to prevent, and in some cases reverse, many of the leading causes of death in our country, including heart disease, diabetes, and some forms of cancer,” Arjun said. “I was inspired by the doctors whose research I came across and made it my mission to pursue a career in medicine and emulate their work in using lifestyle medicine to treat patients. At the conference, I got to meet many of these doctors who inspired me as a teenager, and it was like a dream come true.”
Meeting a Mentor
Arjun’s journey with ICNM began long before he set foot in Washington. During his first two years at CCOM, he led the Integrative Medicine Club as president, partnering with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) to host Neal Barnard, M.D., a leading physician, researcher, and advocate for plant-based nutrition, for virtual lectures with èƵapp.
“My first two years at CCOM, I was part of our Integrative Medicine Club, and served as its president last year,” he said. “Each of those years, I worked with PCRM to have Dr. Barnard give lunch talks to our èƵapp on plant-based nutrition. When I got to the conference and met Dr. Barnard in person, it felt like a natural extension of the work I had already started at èƵapp.”
Insights to Guide His Career
The conference’s packed schedule included presentations on breast cancer, prostate cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and cardiovascular disease. These topics we all examined through the lens of lifestyle and nutrition. And, Arjun didn’t miss a single session.
“Even as someone who claims to know a fair deal about lifestyle medicine, I learned an immeasurable amount on disease prevention and reversal at ICNM,” he said. “Each one of the presentations will aid my clinical practice as a future physician.”
He added, “Nutrition is one of the cornerstones of one’s health, and it’s a shame it’s hardly touched on in our medical education. That’s why I think it’s so important to take advantage of learning opportunities such as these outside of our traditional curriculum.”
Expanding Knowledge Beyond the Classroom
Beyond the lectures, Arjun valued the connections he made. “The best part of this experience was getting to connect with so many like-minded individuals,” he said. “I got to meet èƵapp from around the world, and we had the opportunity to discuss how we can work together to advance the knowledge about lifestyle medicine in healthcare. I also got to speak with countless physicians who were more than happy to offer advice on my journey to becoming a physician, a few of whom happen to be in the Chicago area.”
Arjun says the conference also provided insights that build on what he is learning in medical school at èƵapp University. He encourages other èƵapp to consider applying for the scholarship and conference experience, noting that he is available to answer questions and share insights.
“As future physicians, we have a responsibility to do what is best for our patients; this should almost always include counseling our patients on lifestyle practices,” he said. “The ICNM conference is one of the best ways to expand our knowledge of lifestyle medicine and learn how it can be applied to help patients with chronic health conditions.”
Living the One Health Mission
For Arjun, èƵapp University’s One Health mission, which emphasizes the interconnection between human health, animal health, and the environment, was one of the reasons he chose CCOM.
“One of the main reasons I was drawn to èƵapp University was its One Health mission, as I am someone who is very passionate about animal rights and sustainability,” he said. “I can’t think of anything that encompasses One Health better than a plant-based diet; it is one of the best things one can do for their own health and the health of our planet. In addition, by following a plant-based diet, you are preventing the suffering of innocent beings, which is the most important factor in my mind.”
Looking Ahead
Arjun plans to integrate what he learned at ICNM into his future practice. “I can’t recommend this conference enough,” he said. “I had the experience of a lifetime and made a ton of close friendships. This knowledge will directly help me serve my patients better.”
For Arjun, medicine is more than diagnosing and prescribing. It’s about connecting lifestyle, nutrition, and compassion, the same principles that guide èƵapp’s One Health approach.
Conference on Nutrition in Medicine.
