Margaret Gordon, MS, RD, LDN
Director, Clinical Dietetics
Food Service Division
PA Department of Corrections
Camp Hill, PA
To begin with, I attended a Catholic High School in New York. I was an honors student, took 5 years of math, to include calculus and 4 years of science (college level chem and physics.) I attended the State University of New York, Plattsburgh on a full scholarship, majoring in Food and Nutrition with a minor in chemistry. After graduation, being tired of being a poor student, I went to work for the NY Department of Mental Hygiene at a state institution for the mentally retarded. I also joined the Army Reserves to augment my income and to meet people outside of work. I was in a medical unit. Two years after graduation I was ready to apply for internships. At that time, way back when you could only apply for two internships at a time. Used to a good salary, I looked at internships that provided a stipend. The military internship was one. Again in the 70's it was easy to get a list of all available internships.
I was accepted for the internship with the Army conditional on passing the physical. After that, I was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and went to Fort Sam Houston, TX for officer's basic and then on to Walter Reed Army Medical Center for a 10 month internship. In the early spring of our internship we were asked to complete "dream sheets", a list of assignments we would be interested in after completion of our internships. I was lucky; I got to go to Fort Bragg, NC. After finishing up my internship in May, I owed the military two years of pay back time. Ultimately I extended for two additional one-year periods and then requested voluntary indefinite status. I stayed on active duty a total of 11 years, being assigned to mostly mid atlantic posts (Fort Belvoir, VA; Walter Reed as a staff member; Fort Meade, MD and my personal favorite, Fort Wainwright, Alaska). In addition to working, I attended graduate school at night, earning a master's in Management and let the military pick up 75% of my tuition and pay for my books.
Army dietitians do pretty much the same thing as civilian dietitians. Some are employed in xp and others are administrative or management. In addition to regular duties, I did a lot of community outreach, talking to troop units on good nutrition, talks to sports teams, runners' clubs, wives clubs, etc. While assigned to Fort Meade, I provided clinics at several other military sites in MD and here in PA. I also visited installation day care centers and provided in-service for staff and nutrition ed for the children. I wrote my share of nutrition articles for post newspapers.
As I said, I was a dietitian first, a green uniform second. I found most military physicians were willing to utilize their "physician extenders" such as the dietitians, PTs, OTs, etc. I enjoyed changing jobs without changing employers. I served with some great people and got a chance to see a lot of interesting things. Since leaving the military I have worked, primarily in food service management. For the last five years, I have worked as the dietitian for the PA Department of Corrections. Here I oversee the menu, plan therapeutic diets, liaison with contract medical personnel to provide the most appropriate diets, visit food service operations in the state institutions, develop food specifications, work on policy and procedures and what ever else comes my way. I love the fact that no two days are the same. I never really know where I might be from week to week. My clientele span the ages and the gamut of disease states. It is a challenge to say the least.
One interesting aside, my youngest daughter will graduate this spring from Slippery Rock with a BS in Exercise Science. She is applying for a graduate physical therapy program with the Army. Wonder where she gets it?
If you have any more questions, please email me.
Margaret Gordon |
