Finding Career Clarity Through Observing and Trying New Things with Jasmine Kwok, RD, Registered Dietitian | FoodGrads Podcast Episode 75:

Last Updated on September 23, 2023

In today’s episode we are learning about what a dietician is, the different areas that they can work in, the difficulties of finding a role in your field after graduation and food philosophies.

Our guest today is Jasmine Kwok, RD. Jasmine is a registered dietitian who is enthusiastic about regulatory affairs and nutrition promotion in retail grocery. She has completed her mandatory Dietetic Internship at hospitals, and long term care centres. Since then, she has worked at sports medicine rehabilitation clinics, long term care centres, home care are retail. She is passionate about about educating consumers on how to buy nutritious foods and ensuring food products are safe and accurate.

This podcast is supported by CareersNow! CareersNow! is Food and Beverage Ontario’s multi-year workforce development initiative that is connecting students and job seekers with employers in Ontario’s food and beverage processing industry for exciting career opportunities. Check out CareersNow.ca for more information on exciting jobs, career information, industry mentors and training opportunities for professional development.

Shownotes

Time Stamps

[1:59] Jasmine and Veronica talking about the wildfires in Canada

[2:45] Jasmine’s self introduction and talk about her role as a registered dietitian

[3:34] Why Jasmine decided to switch from Ryerson’s Food Studies program to McGill

[5:07] The different internships that Jasmine did during school and what it was like to be an in-store dietician

[8:47] The different kinds of dieticians

[10:56] How dieticians take into consideration family members when making meal plans

[12:24] How dieticians learn about different diet types

[16:15] Why Jasmine wanted to become a dietician

[17:18] Food philosophies that Jasmine has

[20:34] Skills and talents that Jasmine believes are essential for a dietitian

[22:39] How Jasmine ended up selling insurance after she graduated

[27:16] Suggestions on how students can learn to market themselves or obtain business skills before they graduate

[28:06] Trade groups and associations relevant to the space of dieticians

[35:26] Something that has surprised Jasmine about being a dietician

[39:00] Misinformation that Jasmine wants to dispel

[44:09] Skills or topics that Jasmine is currently looking to learn/improve

[44:55] What is regulatory affairs

[49:19] What Jasmine loves about her job as a dietician

[50:09] Advice that Jasmine would give to students looking to become a dietician

[50:39] Where people can find Jasmine

Links

Jasmine’s LinkedIn

McGill’s Dietetics Program

Aramark

Canadian Dietetic Registration Exam

Dietitians of Canada

Jasmine Kwok, RD Quotes

You learn the foundations at school and if you’re lucky enough to have that specialty of shadowing during your internship, then you learn more during that. Otherwise it would be continuing education. And our college of dieticians, which is that regulatory body that oversees like each province of dieticians, they really emphasize continuous learning.

– Jasmine Kwok, RD

That’s how I usually approach a client by just understanding that everyone is different and they have different needs. And by being able to listen to what their needs truly are then you can give them the right resources to empower them to make those behavioral changes.

– Jasmine Kwok, RD

I think that’s also the reason why I love being a dietician. I know there’s like very standard meal plans that you can buy from companies or following their I don’t know, supplemented food program to lose weight, but because nutrition is so different from person to person, that’s why I feel like a dietician is so important. You can’t just follow a standard meal plan and, and see results.

– Jasmine Kwok, RD

And the more you meet people, the more you have to introduce yourself and talk about yourself. So that practice can really come into handy when it comes to finally doing interviews and talking about yourself again to future employers. So hopefully that that answered your question.

– Jasmine Kwok, RD

So I guess one piece of advice would be if you’re having difficulties finding a job and if you have the resources and flexibility to look away from Toronto because it’s so competitive, look at other cities and be open to moving away for a little bit. Just get a bit of experience, add it to your resume, and then it’ll be so much easier to get a job later on.

– Jasmine Kwok, RD