Logan Connects

New Registered Dietitian Workshop Brings St. Louis Students, Professionals Together

Logan University hosted a new workshop for students at Logan and Fontbonne University in St. Louis who are pursuing the registered dietitian (RD) credential on September 8.

Led by RDs from a variety of local RD long-term care consulting groups in medical nutrition therapy (MNT), this first-of-its-kind workshop at Logan offered participating students educational and networking opportunities as well as hands-on learning activities.

“We wanted to collaborate and grow the community of RD professionals and students in the St. Louis area,” said Sophia (Dia) Finder, MEd, RD, LD, clinical coordinator for Logan’s Master of Science in Applied Nutrition & Dietetics (MS-AND) program. “One of our goals at Logan is to offer students valuable professional experiences while earning their degrees, and this workshop was a way for RD students to not only learn different aspects of MNT they may wish to pursue but also to network with career RDs who can help them get there.”

Amy Bollam, RDN, LD, MPS, Kim Fremont, MSEd, RD, LDN, and Jennifer Sisk, RDN, LD, CNSC delivered presentations on a variety of MNT topics, including creating culturally sensitive and person-centered menus, the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) and its implications for long-term care and health care meal plans, careers in consulting dietetics, and nutrition-focused physical exams.

“The speakers were some of the best presenters I have ever listened to,” said Mandeep Kaur, an MS-AND student in her sixth trimester at Logan. “They spoke in a way that helped students understand the material and made things interactive. They did a great job getting everyone involved and focused on what they were saying.”

Students were also given the opportunity to participate in several hands-on learning activities such as case studies and conducting nutrition-focused physical exams.

“Getting to try modified diet options necessary for people who have had a cerebrovascular accident (stroke) and require thickened liquids due to swallowing difficulties was cool for me,” said Hannah Gravot, trimester 7 student in Logan’s MS-AND program. “We learn about things like thickened liquids in class but seeing and tasting them firsthand was a completely different experience I’m happy to have gotten.”

The workshop included an hour-long lunch break, allowing time for students to network.

“A huge goal of this workshop was for everyone attending to gain or take away something from the event,” Dia said. “We wanted students to make connections, the professionals to recruit potential employees, and the faculty to become more confident in potential collaborations with dietetic programs in the St. Louis community.”

Students, faculty members and RDs who attended the workshop confirmed that the goals for the event were met.

“The workshop was wonderful,” said Fontbonne University Assistant Professor Melissa Ramel, PhD, MPH, RD, LD. “The mixture of content and the level of expertise from the different dietitians was incredibly valuable for all attendees.”

Logan plans to host a collaborative workshop every trimester where different topics of interest within the nutrition and dietetics profession will be explored. For more information or to register, call Dia at 314-719-9323 or Helen Halley, MS, RD, LD, CSO, clinical coordinator for Logan’s MS-AND program at 314-578-8234.

“We wanted to collaborate and grow the community of registered dietitian professionals and students in the St. Louis area.” – Dia Finder

Sophia (Dia) Finder