Dorette L Franks

Personal Statement

On July 21, 2014, I saved a mans life. I took the lead in a time-critical situation,
assuming the responsibility for another persons lifeand in doing so I strengthened my own
conviction that I will be an outstanding Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. I am applying to the
Iowa State University Dietetic Internship (ISUDI) to deepen my knowledge and experience,
while contributing to fellow dietetic interns and nutrition professionals both locally and globally.
I could not apply with greater passion!
It was 6:41a.m. when a Marin Bay Club member walked into my cycle studio to ask if a
doctor was present because a member outside had gone down. Having recently recertified in
CPR/AED training, I instructed my class to continue their workout while I left to assess the
situation. Do you know CPR? my manager asked. My eyes caught hold of the victim, Matt,
lying lifeless and grey, his eyes still open, while above him sat a man desperately applying chest
compressions. Beside the victim lay the AED. I knew exactly what I had to do. Hes without a
pulse, the man applying compressions said to me. Keep going, I urged him, until we reach
30. I applied the AED pads to the victims chest and instructed everyone to stand back. A shock
was advised, then given. Matts grey color began to show vague signs of color. The seconds that
past felt like an eternity. In the distance, I could hear the whaling sounds of sirens. The
paramedics arrived and hurried 54-year-old Matt to Marin General Hospital. Despite being
without a pulse for more than three minutes, Matt survived and recovered fully. The cardiologist
said that had it not been for the use of an AED, he would have not survived. Witnesses of the
incident spoke of how I took hold of the situation, remaining focused and directive. I cant
imagine not having acted. The duty to do so comes from my innate confidence to lead and think
critically, and for my genuine care for humanity, health and wellness.
Shortly after graduating seven weeks earlier, I began implementing my personal strategy
to further my experience in medical nutrition therapy and strengthen my grade in physiology.
Concurrently, many of my friends prepared to enter their dietetic internship. It was a melancholy
time for me. While I was also eager to enter an internship, I also knew that I needed more time to
do what was necessary in order to be a competitive candidate for appointment into ISUDI.
I was recommended to fill a temporary position as Dietary Manager at Pine Ridge
Nursing Care (a long-term care home) by a former San Francisco State University dietetic
instructor. I quickly implemented my education in Dietary Management and became a
successful, efficient and caring dietary manager. I surveyed a depleted, three-day disaster supply
menu and created an inventory template that will be used for future assessment. My evaluation of
the assessment was reported at their regional meeting for its comprehensive quality. Two weeks
later, I was offered a full time position at several other facilities, including Pine Ridge. After
careful consideration, I happily accepted a position as diet clerk at Kentfield Rehabilitation
Hospital (a step-down ICU), where I am gaining profound experience in clinical nutrition.
As a nutritional educator I have also developed notoriety as a public speaker and
professional writer. I speak passionately about plant-based diets and sports nutrition, and most of
all, the Health at Every Size Model. Over the summer, I presented at a retreat to more than 120
women on HAES

, where I led discussions about the control that food and society hold over
women to be thin, fit, and healthy. Together, we practiced a mindful eating exercise using a
grape. The exercise demonstrated the use of the six senses to truly experience the moment with
every bite. Women were astonished by how pleasurable one grape tasted!
As a five-time Ironman triathlon and Ultraman finisher, I consider myself highly
motivated, dedicated, focused, and task-oriented. These are the qualities that helped guide my
commitment return to college [in my thirties] to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics so that
I may become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.
My greatest limit is that I am not presently a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN),
which inhibits my scope of practice. As a future RDN, I aspire to counsel clinical outpatient
services and educate nutrition wellness to local and global communities. I am inspired by
diversity and empowering change in others. I strive to be an authority in our profession on the
consumption of a plant-based diets and sports nutrition. Presently, I am a regular contributor on
the nutrition and fitness blogs for Mio Global and contribute to the Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics Sports Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition blog and student newsletter. Having the
credentials of RDN as a writer will challenge me to improve my writing, and will be looked upon
with great trust and favor within the industry.
The sum of my experiences has led me here and I am ready! I am excited to apply to
Iowa State University Dietetic Internship with the prospects of forwarding my career as a
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, CSSD (Certified Specialist Sports Dietitian). I apply to ISUDI
because it offers a fast-paced, self-directed distance internship that utilizes technology as a way
to bridge communication and education in nutrition. I aspire to build cooperative and
professional relationships to my instructors, preceptors and fellow interns. I seek practical
experience in clinical and community nutrition that prepares me to become an effective,
contributing dietitian promoting nutrition wellness for the prevention of disease. My career
philosophy is to couple science-based nutrition education with personal experience so that people
worldwide are influenced and empowered to live healthier lives, and my appointment at ISUDI
will play a critical role in making this possible.