The Class of 2011 / 2012 - Mount Sinai Hospital

MEET THE CLASS OFDIETETIC INTERNS2011-2012

MEET THE DIETETIC INTERNS2011-2012Intern ClassOf2011-2012 Lauren BakerKayla HamiltonJennifer LibmanEmily OppermanShira BeckerMaarkia HiisDorothy LyonsJennifer SoguelReview below to learn more about theprevious experiences of our interns, why theychose to intern at Mount Sinai Hospital, andhow they have enjoyed the first three monthsof our program…

LAUREN BAKERMEET THE DIETETIC INTERNSCLASS OF 2011-2012Previous Experience:While studying at Guelph, she completed an undergraduate thesis reviewing the methodsused in the development of the Toddler NutriSTEP nutrition screening tool and acted as aresearch assistant conducting interviews and piloting a questionnaire for the study. As well,she reviewed and organized data for a research project through qualitative analysis thatexamined the influence of social experiences during meal times for the elderly. Lauren hasworked as a food service representative at Credit Valley Hospital and has extensive volunteerexperience with Transition Health and LMC Endocrinology Center in Oakville.Education: Bachelor of Applied Science: Applied Human Nutrition; University of GuelphMy Interests In Nutrition:“I became interested in the nutrition profession as I want a career where I am able to educate others to make a different in their health andoverall quality of life. My main interest in nutrition is diabetes, and I am looking forward to learning more about other areas of practiceduring my internship.”Why did you choose the MSH Internship?“The program offered placement areas that I felt would play to my current strengths, and the collaborative networks provide ample roomfor my abilities and experience in the dietetic field to grow. The program has a strong sense of teamwork and community, and knew thatthis internship program was the best one for me.”How have you enjoyed the first three months?“I have completed a rotation in an industry setting and have enjoyed learning about different dietitian roles and opportunities. My clinicalrotations have provided me with opportunity to apply my clinical knowledge to a variety of health conditions and develop assessmentskills. I look forward to the next year and expanding my horizons.”

SHIRA BECKERMEET THE DIETETIC INTERNSCLASS OF 2011-2012Previous Experience:Shira has a strong interest in children‟s health and education and has extensive experienceworking with children in multiple teaching contexts. She has worked as the School NutritionPolicy Advisor at the Hamilton Hebrew Academy to establish student guidelines that create asupportive nutrition environment for the adoption of healthy eating patterns in schools. As well,Shira has worked as a curriculum developer and educator at the Hamilton Hebrew Academyto design and deliver nutrition and health curriculum for grade 12 students. Shira is a vital rolemodel and leader for youth in her community and has shown her commitment and dedicationthrough numerous volunteer positions in Canada and the USA.Education: Bachelor of Applied Science: Applied Human Nutrition; University of Guelph Bachelor of Science: Human Health and Nutrition; University of Illinois Teachers Certificate; Hebrew Theological Collage, ChicagoMy Interests In Nutrition:“My interests at the beginning of the program included health education and pediatrics because these had been my experiences sofar. This internship has exposed me to so many different fascinating areas of nutrition. I am still interested in health education andpediatrics I just didn‟t expect to find so many areas of interest.”Why did you choose the MSH Internship?“I was impressed by MSH‟s affiliation with other hospitals, which would allow me to work with a diverse patient population as well asoffer me the opportunity to gain a variety of experiences and network with dieticians across the Toronto area. After meeting Roulaand the team, I knew that Mount Sinai was the ideal place for me to complete my internship. Everyone was so supportive, warm,and positive all of which made me feel that this would be the optimal place for me to grow and excel.”How have you enjoyed the first three months?“My experience so far has been great and has really reinforced my desire to practice nutrition. Everyone has been so supportiveand helpful and really cares about my learning and growth. I am excited to see what the rest of the year will bring!”

KAYLA HAMILTONMEET THE DIETETIC INTERNSCLASS OF 2011-2012Previous Experience:Kayla entered the internship program with experience in mental health awareness andcommunity support. Kayla has volunteered with multiple organizations including theWellington-Dufferin-Guelph Eating Disorder Awareness Coalition, Homewood Health Center,Wellington-Guelph-Dufferin Family Children Services and „Acceptance without Limits‟, theUniversity of Guelph eating disorder and body image awareness group. Kayla was employedas a youth support worker at Wyndham House, where she worked independently withhomeless youth. Kayla also worked as a research assistant in the social psychologydepartment and completed an undergraduate thesis looking at food security among homelessyoung adults within Guelph. Kayla received the H.H. Harshman Foundation Scholarship in2010.Education: Bachelor of Applied Science: Applied Human Nutrition; University of GuelphMy Interests In Nutrition:“Entering into my undergraduate degree, I was largely focused on learning about how nutrition relates to disease and chronic healthconditions. Since then, my various work and volunteer experiences have widened my interests around the social, psychological, andeconomical factors affecting individual food choices. Presently, I have a large interest in studying how chronic dieting & related mediapressures promote poor self image & disordered eating among at-risk individuals.”Why did you choose the MSH Internship?“There are several reasons why I chose to complete my internship at MSH. What „sealed the deal‟ for me, was the uplifting energy ofRoula, the program coordinator, and the other supervising RDs present during the interview process. I knew, from the wide smiles on theintern‟s faces, that MSH would be an excellent introduction to the world of dietetics”.How have you enjoyed the first three months?“So far, each of my rotations has been a completely different experience! To date, I have completed rotations in surgical oncology, mentalhealth/eating disorders, and food administration-- all of which have provided me with a completely different view into what working indietetics might be like.”

MAARIKA HIISMEET THE DIETETIC INTERNSCLASS OF 2011-2012Previous Experience:Maarika entered the internship program with a strong background in community nutrition andfoodservice. She was the coordinator of the Student Nutrition Awareness Program at theUniversity of Guelph, where she developed educational materials and workshops for students,while working closely with the foodservice department to encourage healthy eating. Maarikahas volunteered for numerous organizations, including Meals on Wheels and as a leader forthe Estonian Girl Guides in Canada, where she has helped with camp menu development.She is the recipient of several awards, including the Janet M. Wardlaw Medal, the DorothyBritton Memorial Scholarship and the National Estonian Foundation of Canada Scholarship.Education: Bachelor of Applied Science: Applied Human Nutrition; University of GuelphMy Interests In Nutrition:“I thought I knew what my specific nutrition interests were (and were not), but internship has expanded my horizons. I am stillinterested in GI disorders, public health and food security, but I did not expect to enjoy clinical inpatient rotations as much as Ihave.”Why did you choose the MSH Internship?“I chose the MSH internship for a number of reasons, but what made up my mind was the vibe I got at my interview from the RDsand interns. I was also attracted to MSH‟s excellent reputation and the variety of rotations available through the partnerships withHRRH and WOHS.”How have you enjoyed the first three months?“My experience so far has been great. All of my preceptors have been supportive and very knowledgeable. The inpatient bariatricsand surgery rotation at HRRH Finch site was really unique and rewarding. Getting to see how different hospitals operate and thedifferent roles dietitians have has enhanced my learning.”

JENNIFER LIBMANMEET THE DIETETIC INTERNSCLASS OF 2011-2012Previous Experience:Jennifer comes to the internship program with a variety of work experience in both clinical andcommunity settings. She has a strong interest in writing and has put her writing skills to workin many settings such as Centre for Science in Public Interest, Jamieson Laboratories andCanadian Jewish News. She has a keen interest in healthy eating and cooking and hascompleted her Healthy Culinary Arts Certificate at George Brown College.Education: Bachelor of Applied Science: Applied Human Nutrition; University of Guelph Masters of Health Science: Nutrition Communication; Ryerson UniversityMy Interests In Nutrition:“For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by the science of nutrition, and the power of food. It amazes me that whatwe put into our bodies can have such a profound effect on our overall well being. I love helping people learn how they can use foodto impact their health.”Why did you choose the MSH Internship?“I chose MSH because of its excellent reputation as an employer, and its commitment to outstanding patient care. In addition, theinternship program structure aligns well with my personal and professional goals. I am particularly interested in the endocrinologyrotation, as diabetes prevention has been a long-time passion of mine.”How have you enjoyed the first three months?“My experience so far has been both challenging and inspiring. In just three short months I have been exposed to so many differentsettings - from an inpatient floor, to the industry side of dietetics at Loblaws, and to an outpatient bariatric clinic. The hands-onnature of the internship really helps to enhance your learning, and all my preceptors have been fantastic teachers. I am lookingforward to seeing what the rest of the year will bring!”

DOROTHY LYONSMEET THE DIETETIC INTERNSCLASS OF 2011-2012Previous Experience:Dorothy has worked as an academic research assistant at U of T focusing on aging andcognition as well as at the Ryerson School of Nutrition focusing on diabetes education. Shewas also a dietetic research assistant in the adult metabolic genetics program jointly at theToronto General Hospital and Mount Sinai Hospital where she assisted a dietitian in clinicalpractice working with patients with inborn errors of metabolism. Dorothy has worked as anutrition advisor, guiding educational grocery store tours to help individuals make healthy dietchoices. She also writes blog articles and newsletters related to maintaining a healthy lifestyle,and interacts with clients using social media. Dorothy was the recipient of the May MaskowAward for Academic Excellence at Ryerson in 2009 and in 2010 received the Carol TaylorMemorial Award for Academic Excellence.Education: Bachelor of Applied Science: Nutrition and Food; Ryerson University HBSc: Psychology & Human Biology; University of TorontoMy Interests In Nutrition:“My clinical nutrition interests include nutritional management of GI diseases and surgeries, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Mycommunity nutrition interests include food industry resource development, education and health planning.I can guarantee these lists willgrow as I‟m exposed to new areas in my rotations because they already have!”Why did you choose the MSH Internship?“I love the idea of having a fast-paced learning environment in the heart of downtown Toronto combined with many partnerships in avariety of locations offering unique experiences. Most importantly, I found that the people at MSH are absolutely amazing; there is aprofound sense of family here, ample support, encouragement and open communication, which is very important and appealing to me.”How have you enjoyed the first three months?“The partnerships and people are amazing and the opportunities I have been given outmatch anything I ever thought I'd get to do. Thatsaid, I'm only in my 3rd rotation and there‟s so much more to come. I've so far been at Etobicoke General Hospital for 4 weeks for generalmedicine/neurology/cardiology, Canada Beef in Mississauga for my 4 week community rotation and now back at Sinai for surgery/surgicaloncology until Christmas.“

EMILY OPPERMANMEET THE DIETETIC INTERNSCLASS OF 2011-2012Previous Experience:Emily has an extensive research background in both nutrition and human sexuality. She hascompleted both an Undergraduate Honors Thesis and a MSc Thesis. Most recently, Emilytraveled to Auckland, New Zealand to conduct further research looking at men and women‟ssexual health. Emily has had the opportunity to present her research at various conferences inCanada and the United States, and has many publications in peer reviewed journals, includinga PEN pathway for Dietitians of Canada. Emily has received multiple awards for her work,such as the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada GraduateScholarship and the Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement Award. Emily‟s has alsoworked as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Guelph in the Applied HumanNutrition department.Education: Bachelor of Applied Science: Applied Human Nutrition; University of Guelph Masters of Science: Nutrition; University of GuelphMy Interests In Nutrition:“I like nutrition because it is a rapidly developing area with many opportunities for research and learning. My favourite area in nutrition sofar is nutrition and chronic disease particularly GI diseases and cancer. I like seeing how nutrition can impact disease symptoms andimprove quality of life.”Why did you choose the MSH Internship?“I chose MSH because it is a teaching and learning hospital focused on patient centered care. MSH has many connections withcommunity hospitals and organizations providing a wide range of experiences in various areas that interested me. Lastly, MSH is a GIcentre of excellence which paralleled nicely with my academic interests in the area.”How have you enjoyed the first three months?“My first rotation was in the diet office, which was a great introduction to MSH and important for learning about the flow of food throughoutthe hospital. Next I went to General Mills which was a valuable experience as I had no previous knowledge of an RD role in the industry.My third rotation was in GI which was my favourite so far, the patients were interesting and complex, and I felt as if I was part of the careteam.”

JENNIFER SOGUELMEET THE DIETETIC INTERNSCLASS OF 2011-2012Previous Experience:Jennifer‟s experience in nutrition began in high school when a co-op placement atNorthumberland Hills Hospital led to the development of a full time student position in the foodservices department. Jennifer held this position as a Dietitian and Foodservice SupervisorAssistant for three summers throughout the completion of her undergraduate education.Additional work experience at Bodilogix, a privately owned fitness studio, contributed nicely toher interests in promoting a holistic approach to health and wellbeing. Extensive volunteerwork at the University of Guelph and within the Guelph community, include placements at theUniversity‟s Body Composition and Metabolism Lab, the Central Student Associations FoodBank and at Trellis Mental Health as part of the People in Motion program for diabetesprevention in individuals with schizophrenia. Jennifer has also attended numerous interprofessionaldevelopment conferences across North America and Europe.Education: Bachelor of Applied Science: Applied Human Nutrition; University of GuelphMy Interests In Nutrition:“My longest standing interest in nutrition is the interrelationship between mental health and food intolerances or allergies and how it canaffect physical health, diet and lifestyle. Completing a rotation in bariatrics allowed me to further explore the role of mental health inparticular and the role this plays in an individual‟s ability to develop a healthy relationship with food.”Why did you choose the MSH Internship?“Our coordinator Roula is supportive of continued learning and growth and coaches us through rotations. The programs affiliations haveprovided unique and exciting learning and networking opportunities. ”How have you enjoyed the first three months?“They have been super busy! It takes some time with each rotation to adjust to different schedules, locations, teams and patientpopulations but it is worth the practical experience. I started in Surgical Oncology, moved to Bariatrics and am now in General Medicine,which for me has been the most challenging of the three. It‟s a fast paced rotation and you have to be prepared for anything andeverything.”