My career path for dietetics is led by my passion for disease prevention at one of the most crucial stages of human development - childhood. My curiosity with chronic non-communicable diseases began the years following the death of both my grandmothers who both passed away due to type 2 diabetes and stomach cancer. At a young age, I began to incline myself to health sciences in which my interest further peaked for nutrition, epidemiology, nutrigenetics, and nutrigenomics. The notion that our diet interacts with our genes has been an astonishing realization for me that opened my eyes to believe that disease prevention is possible. Today, my goal is to diminish the number of new prevalent cases of chronic diseases through education as a health …show more content…
As a volunteer at California Hospital Medical Center, I reestablished a better relationship between dietary personnel, and nurses to increase the Hospital Consumer Assessment Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey scores. I began assessing postpartum mothers with Tracy Nordbak, the volunteer coordinator, to help increase low HCAHPS hospital survey scores. After a few months, we had established a system in which volunteers could evaluate individual patients to explain the menu selection process, record food allergies, preferences, and comments on food quality. As a result, survey scores have risen and maintained at a score of 90 out of 100 point scale compared to the previous mid 50 point range. Due to the success of these surveys, we are currently working to provide this new system at other floors of the …show more content…
For instance, in 2011, I became a kitchen volunteer at Project Angel Food, a non-profit organization that provides nutritious meals for the terminally ill community. Seeing clients with illnesses such as breast cancer, type 2 diabetes and HIV broadened my perspective to realize that any illness no matter at what age can undermine quality of life. In the summer of 2015, I decided to return and volunteer with the dietitian Eve Hou MS, RD for a more food service managerial experience with clients. I witnessed clients that had a life expectancy of six months or less and thanks to this non profit organization, they were now surpassing that life expectancy. This reminded me of the position that I was in many years ago with my grandmothers and impacted me the most was after reading the daily thank you card that the organization receives from clients and their caregivers. They are grateful for the gift that they are receiving-the gift of life. With my profession, I am ready to assist our nation’s healthcare system in implementing a better preventative health
While maintaining environmental awareness, Medshare truly strives to provide healthcare to developing communities in need around the world. In addition to providing tools and equipment, Medshare strives to educate and send Medical Mission Teams to the countries that they work with in order to maintain consistent medical care for the people of that region. Alone, knowing that the work that we were doing held true significance behind the health of an individual I will never meet was incredible. The experience of working at Medshare was quite humbling, I am currently less than an hour away from the nearest hospital and have access to immediate care when necessary whereas the people that Medshare serves have limited if any access to medical assistance. As cliche as it may sound, I often overlook how fortunate I am to have access to educated healthcare professionals within the United States. Volunteering at Medshare simply furthered my longing to work in the medical field, while also opening my eyes to the work that I could potentially do internationally. Although the work that we did seemed so insignificant, but the impact that it will have on others lives is quite
I also walked with the Purplestride.org fund raising to end Cancer. I volunteered my free time cooking and feeding the homeless around San Diego with friends and classmates while attending San Diego Continuous Education Program. After completing my nursing degree, I am looking forward to the opportunity to reach out to the multitude in the underserved community.
My community service has inspired me to help others through the field of nursing. I volunteer after school with my high school's Athletic Trainer at games, practices and other sporting events to help prevent and diagnose injuries for student athletes so there is less need to spend money on an E.R. or doctor visit for a simple sprain.
It was so fun when I am being a volunteer. In that time, we would went to a charity every week. We would designed some activity to the elderly; or, we would tell them what should they eat to being healthy. Also we would do some exerciser together. Just to make them happy and feel like there still have a lot of people care about them, they are not alone. Besides, I have been to Sichuan to teach the children whose family can not support them to go to school. After this trip, it made me more and more desirous to be a nutrition because they are obliviously malnutrition.In my country we always said that “it’s more blessed to give than to receive” so I do like to help them.
Since 1916, the United States Department of Agriculture (the government agency responsible for all U.S. policy regarding agriculture, food, and farming) has revised their recommendations several times. Unfortunately, money talks and the USDA’s recommendations are based on outdated science and are influenced by people with business interest. Even so, its recommendations are considered almost “holy” by physicians, nutritionists, and dieters, but in reality, they are the root cause of the problem. A single visit to our local public school cafeteria and it will become clear that they do not have the best interests of the children at heart. What they are feeding our innocent children is preposterous. Doctors, the people we trust and expect to be “the experts”, do not know much about the subject of nutrition. A vast majority of medical schools in the U.S. require just 25-30 hours or less of nutrition training, and some do not require at all. So doctors must rely on the ...
I spent an early part of my life in a developing country called Bangladesh which was a stark contrast to my life in the United States. Despite living in the capital city of Dhaka, which has a busy urban landscape, what always struck me was the sad state of the people struggling with poverty. There were malnourished children and individuals suffering from diseases on the streets. These memories have stuck with me and inspired me to go into a profession that provides service to people in need. People in my family have a diverse range of profession, but my dentist aunt who has done extensive volunteer work through her profession has always been a great role model for me. Last year, my aunt went on a dental service trip to Ecuador and provided free dental care to people who don’t have access to proper healthcare. These
It is quite common these days knowing someone with type-2 diabetes, hypertension, obesity, or another type of cardiovascular-related disorders. The American Diabetic Association reported in 2012, “29.1 million Americans, or 9.3% of the population had diabetes with 86 million Americans from age 20 and older having prediabetes; up from 79 million in 2010.” This staggering increase each year is failure to consume the right foods or not understanding the implications of consuming all the wrong foods. While genetics may play a role on some people more than others. Controlling one’s diet with the right foods can significantly improve the chances of genetic predispositions and debilitating health disorders. My ultimate goal as a future dietitian is
Becoming more involved with my community has helped me persevere through my unexpected hardships and regain my focus, which in turn has molded me into a better human being and future physician. As I explored ways to become a better activist, I have volunteered more in my community. My experience with the Boys and Girls club has allowed me to interact with young children of low socioeconomic status like I once was. The time spent volunteering has further spurred my interest towards those that are consistently underrepresented and underserved. These opportunities have cultivated an impeccable drive towards becoming a physician that cares and understands where people are coming from with economical and emotional insecurities. This experience has served as an additional spark that ignited the flame within me to pursue a career as a
After graduation, I spent a year traveling to Mexico to volunteer with the Red Cross, and to Africa to volunteer at the Humansdorp Township with children who had been orphaned as a direct result of HIV/AIDs. I returned during medical school and completed a project that involved implementing an educational program for those children. During my time abroad I witnessed the circumstances of third world life first hand, and this further solidified the importance of primary care with a focus on preventative medicine. Furthermore, my interpersonal skills have allowed me to be an effective communicator with culturally diverse people, which I believe, will allow me to become a strong and compassionate
Proper nutrition is important in maintaining a long and healthy life. Most Americans are rushed due to their busy work schedules, and do not take the time to plan their diets properly. Like me, most Americans are unaware of the importance of eating a healthy diet and consume too many foods without the proper nutrients. Throughout my life I have been fortunate. I have not had any major health problems, and have been able to consume most foods without having to worry about gaining weight. These last two years, however, I started to gain weight and have become concerned with my diet. Changing my poor eating habits has been difficult for me, however, having this assignment has taught me that it is not as difficult as I previously imagined.
...the opportunity to act as a triage nurse taking weights and blood pressures of our 1600 patients and seeing first-hand how hard it must be to receive quality medical care in their country. Many walked for hours and then stood waiting to be seen in the rain. To them, medical care is more a privilege than a right. This also seems to be true in the United States where the uninsured are turned away from many hospitals to ones, which often lack the resources for expensive operations. This experience has inspired me to serve the underserved.
Based on a variety of personal experiences, I became very interested in the role of foods and nutrition. During my last year of highschool, my favorite who had a successful business succumbed to a strange alliment. He was tired all the time and was diagnosed to live only 1 year. While he didn't have cancer, his bloodwork had many abnormalites the doctors couldn't diagnose. He began to seek out other doctors who ultimately recommended that his see a dietitian. This changed his life. He started to eat low fat foods thats packed in vitamins, quit smoking and drinking and started to exercise regular bases. One year later, he could get out of bed, live as an full energetic person as he had before. This made him inspired to study nutrition in America. I was overwhelmed after I knew his history and never looked at food the same way again. It is clear to me now that how people eat and what people eat is an important factor in acheving optimum health, that just exercise isn't enough.
At the beginning of this volunteer experience, I walked in hopeful that I would gain some knowledge about the different careers that the medical field possesses, but I got so much more than that. I learned that community service is about making an impact in the lives of other members who share my community.
Volunteering enables a person to develop new skills that he or she would otherwise not have been able to develop. Unlike most other organizations, a charitable organization is happy to give positions to passionate, though inexperienced, individuals who desire to help others and benefit the community. Therefore, an individual with little experience in a field of work can gain meaningful skills that he or she can use in the future. For example, while I volunteered at the hospital this summer, I learned about the daily work lives and professional duties of doctors and nurses. Had I not volunteered, I would not have learned about these things. I was always interested in the medical field, but volunteering at the hospital let me explore my interests and en...
I also had the privilege of helping with the Meals on Wheels non profit organization. My grandfather used to be a Meals on Wheels recipient and he would share with me how he enjoyed looking forward to their company and a hot meal daily. I volunteered because I wanted to give back and help someone else’s loved one in the same way. It was very rewarding delivering hot meals to people who didn’t have the means of getting one as well as being there for them to talk to. Overall, it was a very humbling experience, it made me realize just how blessed I am and how much I take for granted daily.