Benchmark III
Advanced Nutrition Research Poster
My research poster reviews studies that have been done to compare the glycemic index and glycemic load in association with triglyceride levels in children with phenylketonuria (PKU). This study compared PKU children with healthy children, in order to determine if PKU diets are associated with abnormal lipid panel levels.
Benchmark III Reflection
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As I finish my undergraduate degree in dietetics, I feel that I have learned a great amount and I have begun to figure out where I want to focus my path for my future career. As I have been more involved in some clinical field experience and learned more about medical nutrition therapy, I have learned that I am passionate about clinical dietetics. I have recently done field experience with Registered Dietitians at Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Through this experience, I was able to provide nutrition education to groups of children of various ages, and I realized that I had a passion for working with children in a clinical setting. Through Children’s Hospital, I had the opportunity to plan and present a nutrition education lesson to a group of visually impaired and blind children at a summer camp. I thoroughly enjoyed this experience and felt that I had made an impact in way they perceive a healthy diet.
As for my short term goals, I plan to apply for internships that have an emphasis in medical nutrition therapy, and I hope to get my Master’s degree in clinical dietetics along with completing the dietetic internship. After taking medical nutrition therapy and advanced nutrition with my undergraduate degree, I have taken interest in how diet can be used as a method of treatment for various medical conditions. This aligns with my Human Physiology minor as I continue to learn about the human body and how nutrition plays an impact at the cellular level in human metabolism.
I also feel that I have grown in my leadership responsibilities this past year. For the Stout Student Dietetic Association (SSDA), I have taken the position of the Facebook social media coordinator. This consists of creating a presence of our organization on campus. In addition, I also continue to write bi-weekly blogs for the SSDA Foodies blog. I continue to enjoy sharing my nutrition knowledge with friends and family through social media. I have also taken the position of Public Relations/Social Media Coordinator for UW-Stout’s Academic Honor Society. As a part of this position, I communicate to all members through emails and social media posts about meetings, events, and membership information. I also post pictures and information on the social media accounts to promote our organization throughout campus. I look forward to gaining more leadership skills through holding these positions.