Your new BDA Student Rep for 2020/21

09 Sep 2020

Molly McEntee Morris

Hi everyone, my name is Molly McEntee-Morris and I am an undergraduate student dietitian, entering my final year at the University of Chester. I have a keen interest in paediatrics and also neurology, due to losing my grandad to Alzheimer’s disease. My hobbies include visiting the gym, walking my dog, cooking the family meals, baking and going out for food with my friends. In the last year, I have also spent a considerable amount of time volunteering for Chester Aid To The Homeless; which has been so rewarding. I also work part-time at my local farm café, Claremont Farm. I absolutely love the community spirit at Claremont and being part of such a fantastic team of friendly, positive people.

Why I applied for the role of BDA Student Rep 2020/21

Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic - a time in which we have all had to undertake the appropriate measures and avoid social contact - I felt that it was significantly important for student dietitians to be able to connect in one space. Therefore, on the 8th June I set up the website ‘thedieteticstudent.com’; a website exclusively for student dietitians to support one another on our own journeys to becoming registered dietitians. I have also undertaken live Q&A’s on my Instagram and received a tremendous amount of positive feedback and also requests for specific areas to be discussed.

Undertaking such activities during lockdown provided me with an opportunity to help other students. I am honoured that people felt that they were able to approach me and were responding to such activities which I had put a lot of thought and preparation into. This gave me the confidence to apply for the BDA Student Representative role, and I look forward to continuing to support dietetic students by using the huge resource that is the BDA membership community including the website, forum and communication channels. Whilst hoping to grow the BDA student membership community and spread the word to all students to join up and make the most of what BDA student membership has to offer.

What I hope to achieve in my Rep role

I believe that there is a requirement to enhance communication between BDA student members and registered dietitians, not only to support student development but to create a community that can be inclusive. It is clear that students feel that they would benefit from hearing more about the experiences of their peers a year ahead of themselves so that they can feel more prepared, particularly for placement, thus reducing concerns and helping students to get the most out of placement.

I also want to…

Further increase student engagement with and membership of the BDA, by utilising the available CPD opportunities such as webinars and PEN.
Make students more aware of the student shared resources available on the BDA website such as the food fact sheets, food estimation aids and clinical condition topic summaries (found in the Forum) which are brilliant to obtain, prior to going on clinical placement.
Encourage an increased social media presence of student dietitians to promote the profession (using the evidence-base) and to create opportunities for students to gain first hand contact with other student dietitians and registered dietitians alike. I encourage students to share resources and ask questions through the use of the BDA student forum and contacting me on social via DM.

What my BDA student membership means to me

Dietitians play a pivotal role in promoting up to date, evidence-based knowledge in the field of nutrition. Continuous professional development is a fundamental element of the dietetic profession in order to stay up to date with the latest evidence and is of great importance to me. Having my BDA student membership ensures I am able to keep up to date with the latest research, such as by reading Dietetics Today monthly magazine and the RD2B student ezine. It is great to feel part of the wider dietetic community prior to graduating, and I hope to encourage other students to make the most of this community. Sourcing information for educational purposes from reliable resources as a student dietitian is paramount; using my BDA student membership ensures the information is reliable, well researched and of high-grade evidence whilst covering the latest topics of interest. I am extremely grateful for the endless opportunities and resources provided by the British Dietetic Association and hope others will make the most of theirs as I do.