Diagnosed in Med School, Columbia GI Researches the Experience of College Students with Celiac Disease
- Delia M. O'Shea
- Jun 14
- 4 min read
By Delia O’Shea, MD, Columbia University
Navigating college life with celiac disease comes with unique challenges that aren't always addressed in medical journals. I am conducting a research study focused on the quality of life and psychosocial well-being of college students with celiac disease, and I need your help increasing its impact!
I grew up in a small, rural town in southern New Hampshire and stayed in my home state after high school to attend Dartmouth College. After graduating, I moved to New York City to start medical school at Columbia University. Adjusting to big city life was followed by a celiac diagnosis during my second year of medical school. I felt lucky to be cared for by my gastroenterologist, Dr. Benjamin Lebwohl, in the renowned Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and to have access to one of the center’s dedicated celiac dietitians, Anne Lee.
Now, nearly 10 years later, I have come full circle and am completing my medical training with a fellowship in pediatric gastroenterology at Columbia, where I have the privilege of collaborating clinically and academically with my original celiac care team and my mentor, Dr. Jacqueline Jossen. It is wonderful working every day with the same kind, brilliant people who helped me so much when I was newly diagnosed!
I am grateful to live in New York City, where I have many gluten-free grocery and restaurant options to explore. I can only imagine how much more challenging it would have been if I had known about my celiac disease in college, with the added challenges of dining halls, meal plans, limited access to off-campus grocery stores, roommates, parties, studying abroad, and more. One of the hallmarks of nearly every weekend was indulging in fried mac and cheese bites and chicken fingers at the “late-night snack bar” with friends, something I would have been sorely excluded from.
There is a lot published about the challenges teenagers face in following the gluten-free diet, but relatively little on college students specifically.
This inspired my research on navigating the gluten-free diet in college. Students with celiac disease are entitled to reasonable dietary accommodations at school under the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, previous medical research studies, lay publications, and personal anecdotes from many of my patients have shown me that there is significant variability in how these dietary accommodations are implemented at each school. In the medical literature on celiac disease, there is a lot published about the challenges teenagers face in following the gluten-free diet, but relatively little on college students specifically.
A lot has changed in the last decade since I was in college, with increasing public awareness of celiac disease and rising popularity of the gluten-free diet. How have colleges and universities responded, and how do the accommodations they provide impact the quality of life and psychosocial well-being of college students with celiac disease? My study focuses on social experiences unique to the college environment, such as studying abroad, attending parties and athletic events, and dating. These are real-life factors that matter to teenagers and young adults, and yet they are not well represented in the college celiac research. I want to ensure that doctors, dietitians, colleges, universities, and advocacy groups can understand and take these topics seriously when providing counseling and designing accommodations.
My study focuses on social experiences unique to the college environment, such as studying abroad, attending parties and athletic events, and dating.
Organizations like GFreeFriends do a phenomenal job of creating and curating information for college students with dietary restrictions, including school-specific feedback and tips. I hope to bolster their findings by publishing about these topics in the medical literature as well. My goals are to help healthcare providers provide practical, accurate, and candid counseling and education to their patients who are preparing to start college, and to inform patient advocacy groups in their efforts to create best-practice guidelines for accommodations for college students with celiac disease.
Our anonymous and confidential online survey only takes about 15 minutes to complete. Any current or recently graduated (within the past 5 years) college student with celiac disease who is 18 or older and follows/followed a gluten-free diet while at college is eligible to participate. If you have any questions or concerns about the study, reach out to me and/or the principal investigator, Dr. Jacqueline Jossen, at (212) 305-5903.
Please help spread the survey throughout the celiac community - the more voices represented, the stronger the data will be. I look forward to learning from your invaluable experiences and insight on this important topic!
Delia O’Shea, MD
Clinical Fellow in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital
Delia O’Shea is a pediatric gastroenterologist in her final year of fellowship training at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Her clinical interests include celiac disease and disorders of the nervous system of the gastrointestinal tract. She loves exploring gluten-free restaurants around New York City so that she can provide top-notch recommendations to her patients and their families.
Study Information:
Dr. Delia O’Shea and Dr. Jacqueline Jossen, pediatric gastroenterologists at Columbia University, are conducting a study about the current landscape of gluten-free dining accommodations at colleges and universities in the United States and the impact on the day-to-day life and well-being of students with celiac disease. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Columbia University. You are invited to take this 15-minute survey if you are a current or recently graduated college student with celiac disease. You must be at least 18 years old to participate. Participation is completely voluntary, and your responses will be anonymous.
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