As leaders in IBS and FODMAP research and education, we value the importance of preparing our future dietitians for gut health advocacy in their studies and future practice.
To support this commitment, members of our team mentored two Monash University 3rd Year Bachelor of Nutrition Science students through their industry placement with projects covering all aspects of the FODMAP ecosystem.
Amy worked with our research dietitian Evelyn and Certification Program Coordinator Elizabeth. Her work involved creating social media campaigns for our Certification Program, and creating a presentation to inform potential clients about the program. Putting her creative and scientific hats on, Amy came up with fun ideas on how to encourage IBS patients to experiment with including certified foods into their FODMAP diet, through a series of mock posts for our social media platforms.
Amy also assisted with creating a presentation on Thai FODMAP foods for a talk in Bangkok. This side project helped her to hone her translational science skills, while considering cultural awareness in real-life application.
Gladys’ main project was a mixed-method survey study that investigated Asian dietitians’ perception and experience of implementing the FODMAP diet in their practising countries, where culturally specific resources and professional development opportunities are highly sought. Working with research dietitian Jimmy throughout the project lifecycle, her work included an ethics application, participant recruitment, data collection and outcome analysis.
Gladys also developed her science communication skills through an academic blog writing task, and gave an in-house presentation on a list of Chinese foods that the team can source to include in our FODMAP app. This task involved skills of demonstrating cultural competency in dietetics, whilst helping with expanding the reach of our work to the Chinese population.
Working alongside passionate students for the past 12 weeks allows us to share our expertise and expand the reach of our research into new areas of innovation and cultural relevance. By providing hands-on research and communication experiences, we aim to bridge the gap between science and practice, empowering students to translate evidence into meaningful outcomes for patients.
These collaborations also remind us that new ideas and progress in gut health research and education happen through curiosity, learning and shared passion as a team effort. We’re grateful for the opportunity to contribute to their professional growth while learning from them in return.
