2017–18 PRECEPTOR ORGANIZATIONS: Credit Valley Hospital Jane Oulton and Associates Niagara Health Systems Niagara North Family Health Team
The Master of Applied Nutrition (MAN) program is the only 1 year master practicum program in Ontario. MAN is an accredited program recognized by the Partnership for Dietetic Education and Practice (PDEP).
MAN is a 3-semester program, based on a 7 graduate course model with 4 applied education courses and 3 practicum courses: • Advances in Clinical Nutrition/Assessment I • Nutrition in the Community • Foodservice Management in Healthcare • Final Project in Applied Human Nutrition • Practicum in Applied Nutrition I, II, & III Students will also complete a business case and a research project. For the research component, students work towards completing a practice-based project throughout the year. While not a typical thesis, it is an opportunity to enhance research skills and write on a focused topic that is applicable to practice. Practicum placements are diverse and provide students with experience in traditional and emerging employment sectors. A 40-day placement is completed in each semester which is designed to provide experience in one of the competency areas of the ICDEP’s, namely Nutrition Care, Population and Public Health, and Management/Food Service. In most cases, the MAN student is in the same placement organization for the entire semester which provides the student with adequate time to become comfortable in this environment and have sufficient experience to hone their skills to a competent level.
Guelph Community Health Centre Guelph Family Health Team Guelph General Hospital World Vision Canada St Joseph’s Hospital (Guelph) Nutrition Management Services Grandview Medical Centre Family Health Team ERB Transportation Cambridge Memorial Hospital Oxford County Public Health Revera Nutrition Resource Centre (Ontario Public Health) Eileen Freeman Region of Peel – Long Term Care Diabetes Canada (Kitchener and Toronto) Barker, Blagrave, and Associates
ADVICE FOR FUTURE STUDENTS:
ADVICE FOR FUTURE STUDENTS:
“The person next to you (in class) probably does not know the answer, so it is ok.”
“Stop doubting yourself. Never be scared to ask faculty, preceptors, or peers for help.”
Jessica Bertrand | MAN (U of G)
Katherine Sutherland | MAN (U of G)
with food allergies or sensitivities to those who follow vegetarian or vegan diets.
In addition to her research project, Sutherland also explored her interest in type 2 diabetes prevention, intervention and management. As an undergrad, she worked at a diabetes clinic and learned how to manage diabetes through lifestyle changes.
Being able to help students stay healthy is one of the most rewarding parts of her job. Doctors may refer their patients to a registered dietitian to help manage their pre-existing health conditions, but working with students allows Bertrand to play a preventive role in their lifestyle choices, such as helping them avoid unwanted weight gain known as the “freshman 15.”
Whether she’s working with university students or hospital patients, Jessica Bertrand uses the skills she developed in the master of applied nutrition (MAN) program at the University of Guelph to provide nutritional counselling to diverse groups of people. Since October 2017, she has been working as a registered dietitian and wellness manager at Queen’s University, where she helps students with unique nutritional requirements. “I am the go-to person for allergy management,” says Bertrand. “I work with students to help them navigate what they can and can’t eat to keep them safe.” She works closely with campus chefs and hospitality staff to provide healthy meals for students and cater to their diverse dietary needs, which range from students
“I like that it’s different every day,” she says of her role. “It’s a nice balance of nutritional counselling and an administrative role. It’s both challenging and exciting.” Bertrand also leads “lunch and learn” sessions about health issues that affect students and has been invited as a guest lecturer in “health 101” classes. Having attended college and then earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Guelph, she feels that she can empathize with students, even when she’s giving a talk in front of a class of 400. “I can definitely relate to what they’re going through,” she says.
“There are so many people who are affected by type 2 diabetes,” she says. “I know many people personally. When I was working at the diabetes clinic, I saw so many people who were able to change their health for the better through diet and exercise. Seeing how powerful that is really got me interested.” For students in the master of applied nutrition (MAN) program, research opportunities take their learning beyond the classroom and into the real world. Recent graduate Katherine Sutherland worked with Professors Janis Randall-Simpson and Heather Keller on a study that looked at the use of malnutrition screening tools in primary practice settings such as family health teams and community health centres across Ontario. Together, they discovered that malnutrition screening was not standardized. “A lot of dietitians expressed that they were frustrated by that,” says Sutherland. The lack of standardized screening means that “a lot of people who are malnourished are probably being missed for that reason,” she adds.
Working with diabetes patients in her placement further solidified her interest in helping those with the disease. She credits the MAN program for helping her develop her critical thinking skills, which allow her to help patients decipher the vast amount of health information available online and in the media using evidence-based information. Sutherland was recently hired as a registered dietitian by Loblaw Companies Limited, where she will counsel patients with chronic health conditions. She will also lead grocery store tours and classes that focus on healthy eating habits for staff and the public. “Growing up, I always had an interest in health,” she says. “I’ve always wanted to help people and to help people be healthier.”
Meet Melissa Tambeau’s Preceptor ADVICE FOR FUTURE STUDENTS:
“Hang in there, do your best, you’ll make it through.”
Darlene Mantione | Preceptor
When Darlene Mantione and Melissa Tambeau began working together during Tambeau’s placement at Saint Elizabeth, an organization that provides home-care services, neither of them knew they would soon become colleagues.
Melissa Tambeau | MAN (U of G)
environment for them,” says Tambeau. Home visits also allow her to see what barriers may affect a patient’s ability to implement her nutrition plan. She has visited patients with mobility issues or who don’t have access to the right appliances to prepare certain meals. “It really does change my nutrition care plan,” she says. “I try to figure out how I can be the best help to them based on their situation and their needs.”
The transition from student to employee was easy for Melissa Tambeau. As a graduate student in the master of applied nutrition (MAN) program, she completed a placement at Saint Elizabeth Health Care and now works there as a registered dietitian. And her preceptor, Darlene Mantione, also a registered dietitian at Saint Elizabeth, is one of her colleagues. Tambeau conducts homecare visits with elderly, adult and pediatric patients who may be experiencing nutritional challenges, such as dysphasia (difficulty swallowing), malnutrition or weight loss. These difficulties may be due to disease, developmental disorders or surgical complications. “I already knew that I enjoyed the work of homecare and I enjoyed being able to go into patients’ homes and meet with them one-on-one in a really comfortable
When Tambeau meets with patients for the first time, she begins her assessment by asking questions about their medical history, lifestyle and eating habits. She typically meets with each patient twice: the first time to gather information and the second time to find out how her recommendations are working. Tambeau was drawn to the MAN program because it combined her love for food and science. As a MAN student, she worked together with Mantione on a research project to develop an assessment and intervention tool for dietitians working with pediatric patients transitioning from enteral to oral nutrition. Saint Elizabeth benefitted from Tambeau’s research project that resulted in the creation of a pediatric care path that the organization has since adopted.
Mantione, a registered dietitian at Saint Elizabeth, has been a preceptor with the master of applied nutrition (MAN) program since 2014. She works with one MANstudent per year for a three-month period. One of those students was Tambeau. “Once we had taken one MAN student — very successfully — we were contacted by the MAN program to continue to take students thereafter and we accepted,” says Mantione. Saint Elizabeth operates in three locations: Waterloo-Wellington, Halton Region and Hamilton. Learning takes many forms in the MAN program, but placements in health-care settings are among the most impactful for both students and their preceptors. During their placements, students have the opportunity to apply the latest evidence-based approaches to nutrition care while working with real patients and experienced registered dietitians. At Saint Elizabeth, students accompany registered dietitians on home visits, which also serve as a learning opportunity to help students develop their assessment and counselling skills. Tambeau’s practicum led to a job at Saint Elizabeth, thanks to her eagerness to learn, problem solve and ask questions. “She was demonstrating the attributes of a good colleague while she was a student, so the transition to coworker was easy,” says Mantione. “She was very professional as a student and behaved as a colleague from day one.”
ADVICE FOR FUTURE STUDENTS: ADVICE FOR FUTURE STUDENTS:
“...as you progress through the program, you’ll become more competent and confident in your abilities.”
“Trust the process. It will be scary at times, but everything will work out.”
Sarah Kelly | MAN (U of G)
Sheree Gopie | MAN (U of G)
“I believe in giving people the tools to live healthier lives.”
new onset diabetes or high blood pressure, so you’re working with them and manage the nutrition part of that diagnosis.”
Gopie knew that she wanted to become a registered dietitian at an early age and began job-shadowing her cousin, also a registered dietitian, when she was 11.
The MAN program provides students with valuable work experience through placements in a variety of settings, such as primary care clinics and long-term care facilities.
Even before she entered the MAN program, she knew it was the right program for her because of its focus on experiential learning.
Sheree Gopie didn’t need to wait until she graduated to apply what she learned in the master of applied nutrition (MAN) program at the University of Guelph. The program combines current nutrition research with placements that allow students to apply their knowledge to real-world situations. “One thing I really enjoyed was being able to apply things I learned in class on Monday literally the next day on Tuesday,” she says. In each class, she would share her placement experiences with her classmates and preceptors to get feedback on her approach to working with clients. Gopie graduated from the MAN program in fall 2017 and is currently looking for a position in a community health centre or family medical clinic. “I always had a love for food, but I also wanted to help individuals because I have a passion for health,” she says.
During her placement at the Tim Hortons head office in Oakville, she learned about how fast-food companies work with nutritionists to meet federal and provincial guidelines regarding food safety and ingredients. She also did a placement in a family health clinic, where she worked with patients with diabetes, hypertension or weight issues. “I love interacting with different kinds of people and making that connection,” says Gopie. She credits her preceptors for helping her develop the professional and interpersonal skills she needs to become a successful registered dietitian. “It was great working with different dietitians to see how they interact with different clients, what their counselling style is like and how they convey information,” says Gopie. “It’s a challenging program, but the challenge comes with a huge reward.”
Finding a job after graduation didn’t take long for Sarah Kelly. She was hired by Dalewood Health and Wellness in Toronto just two weeks after graduating from the master of applied nutrition (MAN) program at the University of Guelph. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in the same program. “I would never choose any other program,” says Kelly. “It would definitely be my first choice, and I would do it again.” As a registered dietitian, she conducts initial assessments with clients to learn about their health concerns and develop a nutrition program for them. The MAN program taught her how to assess and counsel clients by asking about their eating habits and other lifestyle factors. “Sometimes they’re referred to you for
Kelly completed one of her placements at a family health team clinic in Niagara-on-the-Lake, where she worked with a team of doctors, nurses and other health-care professionals to provide individual and group counselling to patients. “Everyone worked together to give the client the best care,” she says. Kelly also helped develop a cooking program for seniors that addressed two major issues facing the elderly: loneliness and malnutrition. The guidance she received from her preceptors helped build her confidence, and she credits them for their approachability and willingness to answer questions. “All of them went above and beyond,” she says. “You can tell that they’re passionate about their job, and they just want to share that with you and make sure that you get the most out of it.”
Why Master of Applied Nutrition? • Master-practicum combined program completed in 3 semesters • Hands-on learning, both in and out of the classroom • Coursework that compliments practicum • Continuous reflection that develops transferable skill base • Creation of practicum pathways with individual career objectives in mind • Application of classroom learning to placement, all in the same week • Academic diversity with students from institutions across Canada • Networking opportunities to support career development
“Having several experiences to conduct nutrition education sessions in schools was another highlight of my placement. Providing health promotion information to the next generation, to support their lifestyle choices throughout the lifespan, made me feel I was pursuing the right career path.” FOR MORE INFORMATION EMAIL: FRAN.GRADUATE@UOGUELPH.CA