Hello friends!
I hope you’ve been well. If you’ve been experiencing the “Polar Vortex” like we have been here, I hope you’re keeping warm.
I’m now a few weeks into my second semester in the coordinated dietetics program. The first semester was indeed as busy and hectic as we were promised by the senior students, but I’ve survived and so far this semester is feeling like a breeze. I’m sure that will change once exams come up in nutrient metabolism and nutrition therapy II and projects and presentation due dates creep up, but for now I’m enjoying it!
Some of what I learned my first semester in the program:
- Many different disease processes and the medical nutrition therapy used to treat them or ease symptoms.
- Medication side effects and nutrient interactions.
- How to write ADIME (assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation) notes using the appropriate International Dietetics & Nutrition Terminology (IDNT).
- Foodservice management basics, including passing the ServSafe exam.
- Counseling skills, motivational interviewing, and the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change.
And much more…
For my supervised practice experiences that coincide with my coursework I:
- Worked in a hospital kitchen with the food service manager. Along with another student, developed a theme menu (Fall superfoods) to serve in the retail area of the cafeteria, as well as other assorted projects for the facility.
- Worked with a preceptor at a different local hospital to develop clinical skills in acute care. Began assessing patients and using the electronic medical record system.
- Worked at my college’s office of dining services and learned the behind-the-scenes of feeding thousands of students with different preferences, needs, and allergies.
This semester I’m spending the first half working at a nursing care center and the second half at my college’s Office of Nutrition Services, where I can learn more about running a private practice (my main interest in dietetics and goal). I think we’ll be doing more food demonstrations at nursing homes and schools, as well as some presentations. One is on fad diets, which should be fun. I already have my fad diet in mind, especially in light of new research debunking it (again). An assignment for my Food and Culture class that I’m looking forward to is shopping at an ethnic grocer and choosing five products/ingredients to write about. I plan to purchase them, though it’s not required, and post about what I make. I already shop at Indian and Asian markets periodically, but it will be fun to challenge myself to work with some new ingredients.
I think I’ll have more interesting things to share with you this semester and intend to post more!
thespeckledbean 