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Working Abroad: IMU’s Dietetics with Nutrition Global Alumni

30 Jul 2020

Dietitians are trained professionals engaged in managing diseases by advising appropriate dietary management. They work together with other healthcare professionals in clinics, hospitals and food service sectors catering to individuals with disease conditions. This profession encompasses many levels of expertise and a wide variety of career possibilities.

 

For those who are Dietetics with Nutrition (DN) graduates of IMU, the job prospects are very good as they can choose to work both in the local and international settings. This is attributed to the specially designed dietetics curriculum at IMU. The University’s four-year programme equips its graduates with global employability skills. This programme has also received the International Confederation Dietetics Association (ICDA) accreditation in 2018, which certifies that the IMU Dietetics with Nutrition programme curriculum meets international standards. and gives assurance to employers that its curriculum meets the standards, training and assessment needed to produce outstanding dietitians. Hence, a number of the IMU Dietetics with Nutrition graduates are employed as dietitians in countries such as Singapore and Australia. These graduates work in a wide range of industries, including clinical and food service globally.

 

To date, one of this programme’s alumna, Lye Wye Li is employed as a clinical dietitian in Alexandra Hospital, Singapore while Lee Sze Mien is working as a dietitian in Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore. Besides these two alumni, there is also four other alumni who are working in Singapore at the National University Hospital of Singapore. They are Neo Wen Joo, Su Sim Wan and Low Choon Hui who are working as clinical dietitians at the Hospital. Commenting on this, Low Choon Hui said, “I had the opportunity to explore a wide range of work and patients in different sectors when I was an undergraduate student of the DN programme. It has also equipped me well with knowledge and skills in dietetics for my current career as a clinical dietitian.”

 

In addition to this, a number of the DN programme’s alumni have been employed by Sodexo Singapore as Food Service Dietitians. They are Low Tze Tyng, Lee Mee May, Loh Hui Xin and Oh Chai Lee. When asked how the DN programme has helped in current employment as food service dietitian, Loh Hui Xin felt that the DN programme has equipped her with both the technical knowledge and soft skills.

Technical Knowledge
Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) Manage dietary requirement of elderly with different non-communicable diseases in community hospital and nursing home
Food Costing Management Manage food cost to minimize unnecessary wastages
Menu Planning Plan 4-week cycle menu based on aesthetic and nutrition aspects
Soft Skills
People Management Apply leadership skills learnt during undergraduate level to manage kitchen and steward team
Multi-tasking Prioritise work based on the need and urgency while handling on-site patients/residents meal operation
Communication Skills Practise communication skills while dealing and liaising with different parties (including during clients’ meeting / presentation)

“As a whole, I play a bigger role in food service operational management than just dietetics application on my site. DN programme has paved a good path with strong MNT and food service foundation. This foundation will be strengthened with actual employment experience and challenges, especially in people management and dealing with clients.”

“To summarise, 4-year DN undergraduate learning has taught me that attitude is the key of success. With good learning attitude, one will be able to achieve their dream and succeed in life”, added Hui Xin Another alumna, Ang Chuan Wei is an Assistant Food Service Manager at Sodexo, Singapore. The programme also has an alumnus, Teoh Wei Jie, who is a freelance dietitian involved in many projects in both Singapore and Malaysia. Down south, an alumna, Monisha Nair is working as an accreditated practising dietitian in Australia while Erica Mak is employed as a product manager in the dairy industry in New Zealand.

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