Crystal D. Palko, Dietitian
Registration Eligible at UPMC Shadyside
What attracted you to the field of dietetics?
The main aspect that attracted me to the field of dietetics and nutrition is that Dietetics is a profession that allows for a wide variety of career options and flexibility. Numerous jobs are available for registered dietitians, and the range of job task for each position varies, too, allowing registered dietitians to choose (or create!) a job position to satisfy and enhance their own personal goals for professional development.
How did you become a dietitian?
I completed a clinical dietetics internship and obtained a B.S. in Clinical Dietetics and Nutrition from the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences of the University of Pittsburgh. The program took approximately four years to complete, beginning as a freshman in college. Many financial aid venues were available to me as a student, including scholarships specifically for Dietetics students. I was awarded the Pennsylvania Dietetic Association Foundation Diversity Scholarship in April of 2005.
I continue to attend classes in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences of the University of Pittsburgh, and am working toward a Master’s Degree in Clinical Dietetics and Nutrition.
How do you like your first job?
I love being a dietetics professional because I feel that I am contributing to a growing profession that is always changing and improving, while enjoying the freedom of having so many different career options available to me as a dietitian.
Currently, I have an excellent job as a Clinical Dietitian at UPMC Shadyside. Performing nutrition assessments and evaluations, diet educations, and utilizing medical nutrition therapy are my most common daily job functions. The hospital offers opportunities for continuing education credits and educational lectures during the week. I enjoy the fast pace of working in a large hospital. The day-to-day challenge of not knowing which disease states the patients I encounter will be suffering (or which medical nutrition therapies I will use) each day is very exciting for me.
In my spare time, I am also working on a nutrition education project as an independent contractor. I appreciate the rewarding feeling I get from being involved with this community-based project.
I am very satisfied with the beginning of my career as a Registered Dietitian. I find comfort in knowing that if I ever do change my mind about my career choices, I can find an alternative position within the Dietetics Profession (such as outpatient counseling, school foodservice, consulting, etc.) without having to go back to school for a different degree. I wish you all the best in your career pursuit!
Please feel free to contact me for further information.
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