Exploring Student Perspectives of the Dietetics Profession Using a Professional Socialization Lens

Publication: Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research
6 August 2024

Abstract

Purpose: We aimed to explore student perspectives of the dietetics profession using a professional socialization lens.
Methods: We conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews, virtually or by phone, with 25 dietetic undergraduate/graduate students or interns in 2020/21. Transcripts were thematically analyzed.
Results: All participants identified as female, averaged 25 years old at the time of the interviews, and were in different stages of their education. Two themes captured their perspectives of the profession: dietitians have technical expertise and professional identities are evolving. Technical expertise was focused on scientific understandings of how individuals consume and utilize food, and how (mostly Western) food should be prepared for safety and maximum nutrition. Participants perceived dietetics as a white, feminized profession with dietitians’ role to aid in weight loss; participants actively sought to resist these stereotypes, notably through social media.
Conclusions: While holding technical expertise continues to be embedded as a key component of dietetics identity, student professional socialization is also being shaped by social media, racial justice, and body positivity movements. This socialization process is likely to influence changes to the profession as students enter practice.

Résumé

Objectif: Notre objectif était d’explorer les perspectives des étudiants sur la profession de diététiste en utilisant l’optique de la socialisation professionnelle.
Méthodes: Nous avons réalisé des entrevues qualitatives semi-structurées, virtuellement ou par téléphone, avec 25 étudiantes ou internes de premier cycle ou des cycles supérieurs en 2020-2021. Les transcriptions ont fait l’objet d’une analyse thématique.
Résultats: Toutes les participantes s’identifiaient en tant que femmes, avaient en moyenne 25 ans au moment des entrevues et se trouvaient à différentes étapes de leur formation. Deux thèmes illustraient leurs perspectives sur la profession : les diététistes possèdent une expertise technique et les identités professionnelles évoluent. L’expertise technique se concentrait sur la compréhension scientifique de la façon dont les individus consomment et utilisent les aliments et de la manière dont les aliments (principalement occidentaux) devraient être préparés pour assurer la salubrité et une valeur nutritive maximale. Les participantes percevaient la diététique comme une profession blanche et féminine, dont le rôle est d’aider à la perte de poids; les participantes cherchaient activement à lutter contre ces stéréotypes, notamment par les médias sociaux.
Conclusions: Si l’expertise technique reste un élément clé de l’identité de la diététique, la socialisation professionnelle des étudiants est également façonnée par les médias sociaux, la justice raciale et les mouvements de positivité corporelle. Il est probable que ce processus de socialisation influence l’évolution de la profession lorsque les étudiants entameront leur pratique.

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Conflicts of interest: The authors declare that they have no competing interests

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Information & Authors

Information

Published In

cover image Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research
Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research
e-First
Pages: 1 - 7
Editor: Naomi Cahill

History

Version of record online: 6 August 2024

Key Words

  1. Dietetics
  2. professional socialization
  3. trainees
  4. training
  5. education
  6. social media
  7. racial justice
  8. body positivity

Mots-clés

  1. diététique
  2. socialisation professionnelle
  3. stagiaires
  4. formation
  5. éducation
  6. médias sociaux
  7. justice raciale
  8. positivité corporelle

Authors

Affiliations

Natalie D. Riediger PhD
Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB
Anne Waugh MSc
Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB
Barbara Parker PhD
Department of Sociology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON
Constance Russell PhD
Faculty of Education, Lakehead University, Orillia, ON
Andrea E. Bombak PhD
Department of Sociology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB

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