A Field Experience in Public Health Nutrition with the Nutrition Section of the Florida Division of Health

A description and analysis of a field experience in Public Health Nutrition with the Nutrition Section of the Florida Division of Health is presented in this thesis. The field experience was designed to provide an opportunity for the blending of academic knowledge with practical application in work situations.

An increased understanding of the total public health organization was achieved through conferences and interviews with public health professionals. The majority of the field experience was spent with the Migrant Project Nutrition Coordinator in a six county region in south central Florida. This opportunity afforded a chance for increased development of skills in working with special minority groups such as the migrant farm workers.

The entire field experience showed the student that flexibility, cooperation, planning, and evaluation are key principles in public health. Through observation and participation in a variety of roles of the public health nutritionist, the student increased her skills in the areas of consultation, education, and counseling. The applying of public health principles as a nutritionist in the community reinforced the student's belief that her choice to pursue a career in public health nutrition was a wise one.