Letter of Reflection

My name is Natalie Tawa and I am a dietetics student at Madonna University. I have a

bachelors degree in food and nutrition science and am grateful to have be in the dietetics
program and Madonna University as it will grant me a verification statement, allow for me to
apply for a dietetic internship and take me one step closer to becoming a Registered Dietitian.
My first semester here at MU has been short, but excellent thus far. I have learned the basic
need to know regarding dietitians and the workplace and it has opened my eyes to wonderful
opportunities registered dietitians have, such as opportunity to have your own business and
work as a private practice dietitian. Being a student at Madonna has opened up other
opportunities to learn about specialties in nutrition such as nutrition specialty day in Ann Arbor
which I will attend. I have been able to communicate and network with other dietetic students as
a member of the nutrition network and food recovery program at Madonna. I also will be
attending the Michigan Academy conference in April. The opportunities at Madonna have also
helped me practice my presentation skills and introduced new volunteer opportunities. I have
helped at a nutrition network event during national nutrition month, I will be a student volunteer
at the SEMDA conference at the end of March and I will be a nutrition instructor in a cooking
matters class for adult beginning in April.
Outside of the dietetics program, I spend a lot of time at William Beaumont Hospital, a
place I feel could be my second home! At the hospital, I work as a Dietitians Assistant. My work
experience has been exceedingly valuable in my efforts in becoming an RD. I perform bedside
nutrition interviews on all the various inpatient units, using effective listening skills as I obtain
patients nutrition history, communicating with their family members or other health care
members when needed. My time as a dietitians assistant has helped me with my teaching skills
as I provide patients with various special diets with education materials such as cardiac,
diabetic, mechanical soft and renal diet guidelines. I consult the dietitian for intervention when
needed; otherwise I follow up with patients throughout their hospital stay. I chart in the patients
medical charts and cbord, helping to communicate in a greater health care team. I assist the
dietitians in helping coordinate specific meal plans for patients with very specific nutrition needs.
This interdisciplinary training has helped me understand the importance of comprehensive care.
In food service, I assist executing patient meal orders in room service for a 1,000 bed hospital,
helping patients select meal items using my knowledge of therapeutic diets compliances in the
call center, to assisting with tray line service in the kitchen.
In the next five years I will be a clinical dietitian working in a hospital or office, specifically
in gastroenterology. While I work as a clinical dietitian, I plan to start up my own private practice,
realizing it may be another 10 years until my practice is effective and established. As a
Chaldean-American, I witness the struggles past generation have had with adapting with the
American culture so as a registered dietitian I will be working with patients in my own culture
and community with and without language barriers who are in need of dietetic counseling using
my fluency in a different language. I also hope to work with clients with GI and weight issues. I
plan to be very involved member in the southeastern Michigan Dietetics Association, and will
run for a leadership position hoping to be more involved in the actions the association makes as
well as become influential in future approaches.