https://www.uky.edu/registrar/sites/www.uky.edu.registrar/files/diet_6.pdf I’m a dietetics student at the University of Kentucky with a great passion for nutrition. Various professional and volunteer experiences have helped cultivate this passion as well as give me numerous skills in related to health and wellness and customer service. At the age of nineteen, I started working for Proof Fitness doing promotional events. My team and I were well trained and educated by the managers about cardiovascular health, weight training, and sports nutrition. Additionally, I spent each work day at Whole Foods preparing food to be displayed at the prepared foods section of the grocery store. This exposed me to a variety of ways to make meals healthy but still delicious. This also motivated me to learn more about cooking; so I volunteered to assist a personal chef prepare meals. During this time, I was able to witness how the personal chef interacted and cooked food for families with specific conditions such as severe food allergies, diabetes, and celiac disease. This experience clarified my desire to use my knowledge of food and nutrition to help people. I have also volunteered at Midway Center for Integrative Medicine, where I learned about incorporating nutrition and other alternative therapies into the field of medicine. My short-term goals are to learn more about the field of dietetics, continue my record of strong academic preparation, and still have the time to prioritize my family, faith, and community. My long-term goals are to finish my degree in dietetics and complete a challenging internship upon entry into the field of dietetics. This will help give me the professionalism, critical thinking skills, and well-rounded knowledge in dietetics to have a successful career as a medical professional. I have worked various jobs since high school and, through that, have learned how to be punctual, self-motivated, and to pay attention to detail. Along with my strong work ethic, I am also an empathetic person, which is a quality that will be very beneficial upon entering into a profession in health care. Because of my weakness of low stress management, I have had to find creative ways to combat stress associated with school and work. I now incorporate fitness regularly into my schedule as a way to prioritize my own health and wellness. I have a strong belief that nutrition is one of the most important foundations to an individual’s health and well-being. I agree with Hippocrates when he said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” I want to gain more knowledge about nutrition so that I can provide quality nutritional care that is specific to each individual’s needs. |