Looking back on my journey as a dietetics student, I really enjoyed my experience in the Dietetics Practicum Program at Fraser Health . I was able to learn a wide range of dietetic areas, including acute care, the (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) NICU, pediatrics, pregnancy and diabetes. Throughout each placement, my preceptor supported my learning and growth and gave me the tools I needed to start practicing independently.

After completing the program and being hired at Fraser Health, what I loved most was going right into the New Graduate Program. I was able to start working, get paid and continue receiving mentorship from my preceptors. Having a mentor has been very beneficial – I can defer to them if I get stuck, need insight or even just validation in my clinical reasoning. They also supported me with my first few home enteral nutrition education sessions. It was great to have their guidance to make sure everything was covered and gave me the confidence that I could do it on my own. Throughout my time with Fraser Health, I’ve felt supported and had other knowledgeable dietitians to turn to when I’ve felt stuck—it was immensely helpful in reinforcing my learnings.

I’m currently working in the medicine unit at Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre (ARHCC) where I primarily care for stroke patients. I spend my days assessing patients, many of whom have dysphagia and struggle with oral intakes. I collaborate with the health care team to create individualized feeding plans that best suits the needs of my patients.

I love being able to build a rapport with my patients. For many of them, I’m following along their health care journey for several weeks and it’s a real joy to bring them comfort and supporting them through their recovery.

Working at Fraser Health has given me so much confidence in my clinical skills—something I imagine will continue to develop for the rest of my career. You get to work with a team of dietitians and I’m immensely grateful for that. I never feel alone and feel confident in my ability to approach other health care workers to ask questions, provide suggestions and work collaboratively to create patient care plans.

I highly recommend a career at Fraser Health. There’s a lot of support for new grads and in my experience the entire team is very supportive of student learners—don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions!

Living in Chilliwack, I love being in nature and the outdoors so I can usually be found hiking, gardening or sitting outside reading a good book. It has a small-town feel, but with all the amenities of the city and a really great food scene.