Raphaèle Ferland-Verry is a dietitian-nutritionist. She worked for several years in a hospital setting before specializing in intestinal diseases and eating disorders. She agreed to share with us her love of people and science.
What does your work of dietitian-nutritionist consist of?
A part of my work consists of receiving in consultation patients suffering from an intestinal pathology or an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia.
When people come to see me for the first time, they often present intestinal symptoms (such as diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting) and have been suffering for weeks, months or even years. Over time, some have developed a fear of eating. My job is to help them restore their nutrition so that they can eat healthily again, despite certain restrictions depending on the disease they are suffering with. My goal is to give them power again over their diet.
In addition to consultation, I do scientific revision of books or texts for professional training and I offer specialized training to nurses, doctors and other dietitian-nutritionists in my fields of expertise.
Why did you choose the profession of dietitian-nutritionist?
What people know about nutrition is mainly the part about promoting healthy lifestyles. However, the discipline is much broader than what is conveyed in the media. What has always interested me about nutrition is the very advanced medical and scientific side that does not involve physical proximity to patients, as is the case in nursing or medicine.
What skills are sought for a dietitian-nutritionist?
A dietitian-nutritionist must demonstrate a high scientific rigour, since nutrition is a constantly evolving science. You have to stay abreast of the latest scientific research and be very rigorous in its practise in order to stay up to date with its knowledge on a regular basis.
Then, the profession requires a very good analytical capacity. A patient may consult you for a specific reason and, by asking questions, you sometimes discover a completely different problem. It is therefore necessary to be able to draw an overall picture of the patient and their situation by questioning. It is a bit of an investigative work, where one must investigate beyond the reason for the consultation. Indeed, many people diagnose themselves without having the knowledge dietitian-nutritionists have about food.
Finally, the dietitian/nutritionist must be empathetic and have a great love for people.
The profession of dietitian-nutritionist, in short …
- In Canada, the title “dietitian” is reserved for the practise of nutrition in all provinces. However, the title “nutritionist” is also reserved for Quebec, Alberta and Nova Scotia. In these provinces, we often see the title dietitian-nutritionist.
- Dietitians and nutritionists have a bachelor’s degree from a recognized Canadian university.
- Master’s and doctoral studies are required in some specialized areas of nutrition practise, such as public health or research.