Benchmark II
Cycle Menu Assignment
For this assignment, I created my own cycle menu that follows the criteria for school nutrition. It follows the requirements for the amount of whole grains, starchy and non-starchy vegetables, fruit, meat/meat alternative, and milk components. It consists of a cycle menu for the month of October for high school students.
Benchmark II Reflection
After completing my junior year in the dietetics program at University of Wisconsin Stout, I feel that I have focused my education and field experience towards my interest in clinical dietetics. For my field experience hours, I have chosen to complete them with clinical dietitians. I gained knowledge and experience by shadowing a dietitian at the Red Cedar Mayo Clinic in Menomonie. She was an outpatient dietitian that worked mainly with individuals who had diabetes. I enjoyed the outpatient side of clinical dietetics because I was able to see how the dietitian was able to create close relationships with her patients and how her nutrition counseling made an impact on her patient’s health. In addition to working with a dietitian at Mayo Clinic, during the summer after my junior year, I was able to finish up my hours at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. I am thankful I had this experience because I was able to shadow a handful of dietitians in specialties that included gastroenterology, diabetes/endocrine, cystic fibrosis, neonatology, oncology, and genetics. I enjoyed learning about the various specialties that are out there for dietitians in the clinical setting. I have always had a passion for working with kids and after my experiences at Children’s Hospital, I learned that I would love to be a pediatric dietitian.
In addition to my field experience in clinical dietetics, during my junior year I also declared a minor in human physiology. I found that I am interested in learning about physiology and how nutrition affects various processes in our body. I am hoping that this will help me stand out when applying to internships next semester. This year I was inducted into Phi Upsilon Omicron. I was able to be more involved with this organization through various projects and volunteer opportunities. I continue to be involved with the Stout Student Dietetic Association. I also began to write bi-weekly articles for SSDA’s blog that was just launched this year. I was excited to be a part of writing for the blog because it is a great way to share my nutrition knowledge with family and friends through social media. I am looking forward to continue writing for the blog. My goal this coming year is to become more involved in taking a leadership role in either of the clubs I am a part of.
Overall, I feel that during my junior year I was able to find what I am truly passionate about in the field of dietetics. I had great learning experiences and opportunities to get to know some dietitians in the world of clinical dietetics, and I will continue to focus my education in this direction. I am excited to see what is in store for me during my senior year.