It’s 2023, my matric year. A frantic Katie is applying for university. I knew I wanted to go to Stellenbosch- my dad went there, my oupa went there, my sister was there…. it was a legacy I really wanted to continue. I applied for a BSc in Human Life Sciences with Psychology, the same as Josie. Then, I was to consider my Health Sciences options. Deep down I think I knew this is where I wanted to be. It had been my dream since I was a little girl to help others through my love of the sciences.

The obvious choice was medical school, and I had always dreamed of becoming a paediatrician (children’s doctor), but people had always warned me that the things you are exposed to are not for the faint of heart, and I knew I had a sensitive soul and would struggle in surgery or hectic environments such as emergency rooms, but I applied anyway. My third choice was bound to be another health science, but which one?

I thought about physio, but quite honestly, physics was never my favourite. OT also seemed interesting, but it didn’t really speak to me in any way. Then I stumbled upon something I had never really heard of or thought about before- Dietetics. I loved cooking and had grown up spending ages with my mom in the kitchen, and it was a health science so I knew it would involve working with people and helping them in a clinical setting, so why not?

Little did I know the adventure that awaited. I knew I would be studying to become a dietitian if I got in, and that food would be my “medicine”, but, besides that, I had little idea as to what that really entailed.

The day I got that email was one of the happiest days of my 2024 year. I had just been rejected from medical school, and I had only applied at Stellies because, like I said, it was the only place I really wanted to go. If I didn’t get in for any of my three choices, I was very happy to take a gap year and see where else God would lead me. I did get in for the BSc on main campus, but I was really quite set on being in Health Care one day. Should I do the BSc and try and transfer to med after first year? I simply did not know. I knew the dietetics programme only took 35 people in total, so I was worried I wouldn’t make the cut. Low and behold, it was indeed God’s plan. On the 19th of January 2024, I received a final acceptance letter for BSc Dietetics at my dream university.

What is it, really?

Like I said, I honestly did not know what to expect, and majority of this degree has been unexpected for me- mostly in a good way, but it has had some definite ups and downs. Ever since I started university, I get asked quite regularly what I’m studying. My answer, “Dietetics”, is almost always met with a “Huh?” or “What’s that?”. To put it simply, I always reply with “I’m studying to become a dietitian.” which usually gets a nod of understanding as this term is more widely used. But it got me thinking, do people really know what dietetics is and what a dietitian does? Or is it simply understood as making meal plans or generalised as being basically the same as a nutritionist? I ask these questions because quite honestly, I would have no idea either unless I was studying it.

Nutritionist vs Dietitian?

A Nutritionist is a “qualified health professional responsible for the promotion of nutrition health and well-being and prevention of nutrition-related disorders of groups or populations, throughout the various stages of the lifecycle”.

Comparatively, Dietitian’s are “qualified health professionals that assess, diagnose and treat diet and nutrition problems, both at individual and at public health level”.

In essence, this means that nutritionists may promote good nutrition and counsel clients on nutritional problems, but they will not and can not be involved in illness management, which includes individual therapeutic interventions as well as interventions in the larger community.

Interestingly enough, I have been told that my degree at Stellenbosch covers the scope of both of these, meaning I am learning to be a “Dietitian-Nutritionist”. This is defined as “a health professional who applies the science of food and nutrition to promote health, and prevent and treat diseases to optimise the health of individuals, groups, communities and populations”.

This is so exciting for me. The idea that I am actually able to nutritionally diagnose and help patients gives me a huge sense of purpose and determination to put all my heart and soul into my studies as I move forward into the next chapter.

References: Community Nutrition Notes: PHC and the role of the dietitian in the healthcare system (Dr LC Daniels, Prof LM du Plessis, Mrs RA Beukes, Ms TS Dlamini, Mrs HE Koornhof).

That’s all for this section for now. In my next update, I will be discussing the three most important facets of my degree, as well as my experience so far in each of these and how it has helped me grow in other areas of my life. And yes… it is so much more than just diet plans. See you guys soon!