Stephanie Michon, RD, LDN

Bachelors Degree: B.S.- Dietetics (Lipscomb University-Nashville)
Additional degrees/certifications: RD, LDN
Internship: University of Tennessee - Martin
Area of interest: Adult-onset, Type 2 diabetes mellitus research
Number of years in practice: 6

Current position:

I am the Project Manager for an ongoing research study at Vanderbilt University. The study is looking at the behavioral issues associated with glycemic control within the adult Type 2 diabetes population.

How has your career evolved as a dietitian?

After completing so much research during my internship, never would I have imagined ending up in a career in research. The first days of my current position in research started out slow. But, the slow start evolved into much more. I was involved in every aspect of getting a research study off the ground and keeping it running successfully-from the grant writing and grant submission processes to the study execution and study management aspects. Today, I continue to manage the same research study as it begins to wind down while also playing a part in another ongoing research study where I conduct phone diet histories for involved study patients.

What is the most important skill set you use in your position?

My interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate and establish rapport with study patients have been the most valuable assets that I have used in my position.

What do you enjoy most about being a dietitian?

I absolutely love the one-on-one interaction that I am privileged to have with each of my study patients. The fact that I do enjoy this side of my job so much makes it that much easier for me to be successful in recruiting and retaining study patients.

Of all the client/patient encounters that you've had, which one was the most challenging and rewarding?

One of my most challenging study patients was from Latvia. Not only was there a huge language barrier, but there was also a cultural barrier that was very difficult to breach. I learned from this patient that sometimes no matter how much experience you have in dealing with people on a daily basis, there may come a time when someone will take you completely by surprise in how he or she responds to you. That doesn't mean that the person is wrong-it just proves that everyone views things of this world differently and therefore responds to those things differently. I often feel rewarded when I can reach such a conclusion about human psychology. I am also rewarded daily by being in a field where individuals are volunteering their time to be involved in research to seek answers to major health issues such as Type 2 diabetes. I get the opportunity to know much more about my study patients than just their diabetes health-I get to know them one-on-one and often know about their families, recent vacations, and favorite pastimes. I love that about my job!

Outside of work, how do you like to spend your time?

Being around friends and family and getting to know them better is particularly important to me during my down time. I also love exploring new restaurants and enjoy tasting different varieties of red wine and gourmet dark chocolate. I am also a bit of a coffee aficionado! I tend to "find myself" or de-stress while working on home improvement projects and gardening. I also find great joy in photography and am looking forward to picking up piano again after a 10+ year hiatus.