Q: What's a typical workday like for you?

A: Typically, I see about five or six patients a day and counsel them on what the surgery is all about, the foods that they need to eat and the kinds of eating patterns they need to follow. I do a lot of online research on new diets and current products. Patients ask me about that all the time.

Q: How does your role fit into the bigger healthcare picture?

A: Right now there is a big obesity epidemic. It affects all other areas of healthcare by putting people at risk for a number of diseases. Being here and helping people to reduce and/or resolve their obesity, in turn, improves quality of life by reducing the severity of the disease, getting rid of it completely or reducing the risk of getting it in the first place.

Q: Who do you interact with during the course of the day?

A: I work on a team with bariatric nurse clinicians, surgeons, an exercise consultant and physician assistants. There is a lot of talking back and forth, and helping the patients with the overall experience.

Q: Why did you become a dietician?

A: I was looking on the Internet because I really wanted to do something with healthcare but I was afraid of needles. And I went to college for nutrition and loved it. It's a field that a lot of people don't know about. You can work in a hospital, in bariatrics, nursing homes or research. There's just so much you can do with it.

Q: What do you like about your work?

A: What I like most is seeing patients five or six months after surgery and I almost don't recognize them anymore. They've lost the weight, there's a bounce in their step and a smile on their faces. I feel very privileged to be a part of that.