A Student's Experiences and Observations in Public Health Nutrition with the Florida State Board of Health

This report is based upon student's experiences and observations during a 7 weeks' period of field training in Public Health Nutrition with the Florida State Board of Health. Six weeks were spent with the Regional Nutrition Consultant in Saint Petersburg, and one week was spent with the local nutritionist in the Hillsborough County Health Department in Tampa. Because it was impossible to grasp the scope of a state, district, and local program in a 7 weeks' period, the information given in this report is necessarily limited.

The main objectives of the field training were: (1) to give the student an understanding of the organization, functions, and programs of an official health agency; (2) to learn how nutrition is integrated into the total public health program; (3) to become aware of the problems and needs in public health; (4) to gain an understanding of the work of a nutrition consultant in conducting the nutrition program as related to public health needs; and (5) to help the student realize or become aware of the challenges in the field of Public Health Nutrition. The over-all goal of the field experiences was to implement the student's academic training and to broaden her concept of Public Health Nutrition.

To help the student accomplish these objectives, the state and district nutritionists planned a program of varied experiences. Several activities were planned with the Pinellas County Health Department in Saint Petersburg. These activities were necessarily limited because the office of the regional nutritionist is located in the Mound Park Hospital. The student had opportunity to work with some of the local health personnel while working on a special assigned project. Other experiences included field visits to small health departments, voluntary agencies, and school lunchrooms. The student had conferences with the Director of Nutrition Services and observed the local and regional nutritionists teaching nutrition classes.