In preparation for applying to the UBC Dietetic Program, I did a lot of volunteering, work and job shadowing which all contributed to my current knowledge of the profession. While all my experiences have been educational, there are a few that stick out in my mind as extremely valuable and which have contributed greatly to my success in the program. About 15 months ago I began volunteering in the Downtown Eastside at the Cross- Town addictions clinic on Hastings and Abbott Street. At the position I work alongside the social workers, nurses and dietitian. At the addictions clinic, a study was being done to assess long-term opioid medication effectiveness (SALOME), and my role was to visit with the clients before and after self-injectoin, to make coffee and to complete any tasks the nurses, social workers and dietitian needed done. Within this role, I was introduced Jen, the dietitian  that I volunteered with on a few occasions. She works in both the Immunodeficiency Clinic at St. Paul’s and at the Addictions Clinic.  I shadowed Jen at the addictions clinic and helped with a few lunchtime meal programs, where food would be purchased for the study participants. I also had the opportunity to speak with Jen about her position as a Providence Health dietitian, and she explained her various roles within the Immunodeficiency clinic. I also helped out at a cooking class she holds at the Immunodeficiency Clinic, where I helped HIV+ participants prepare and cook healthy meals. This cooking program was designed to help low income patients living with HIV to learn about healthy food and to learn important cooking skills.

This volunteering experience with Providence Health has helped expose me to an area of dietetics in which I am particularly interested. I would like to work within the Downtown Eastside as an advocate for this marginalized population, and to help find ways to create sustainable meal programs that offer nutritious, safe and acceptable food to the community. The importance of nutrition advocacy has been forefront in my work at the Cross-Town clinic, and I have learned a lot about increased nutrition needs for chronic disease sufferers. Jen helps educate participants about food and healthy eating, and during my volunteering I was able to witness this. In addition, I also learned that nutrition education can be met with some resistance, so it is important to present information in a way that meets the specific needs of each patient. In an environment where healthy eating is not necessarily a priority, educating patients about nutrition requires first gaining trust and creating a safe environment. I think that this volunteer opportunity has afforded me opportunities to work on the competencies that are required for successful completion of the dietetics program and it certainly made me more confident applying to the program. Specifically, I have been able to hone my communication and collaboration skills in this setting, because it is vital to establish trust and rapport with participants if they are to feel comfortable in your presence. Since this is a marginalized population it was very important for me be respectful and to treat everyone with the utmost digit and care that they deserve.

Specifically, below are a list of the specific competency performance indicators I worked on:

Professional Practice 

Maintain client confidentiality and and privacy

Ensure informed consent

Demonstrate knowledge of the elements of professional boundaries

Demonstrate knowledge of the role and features of job description

Communication and Collaboration

Use appropriate communication technique(s)

Demonstrate knowledge of opportunities for and barriers to, communication

Speak clearly and concisely in a manner responsive to the needs of the listener(s)

Establish rapport

Communicate in a respectful manner

Recognize opportunities to contribute to the learning of others