We caught up with PG Certificate Sport and Exercise Nutrition and for Healthcare Professionals graduate, Orlaith Cahill, to find out more about her Leeds Beckett University experience as a part-time student.

Course: PG Certificate in Sport and Exercise Nutrition

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you've been doing since you graduated?

I am a registered dietitian, I recently completed the PG Certificate in Sport and Exercise  Nutrition at Leeds Beckett University. I am CORU registered (Ireland's multi-profession health regulator responsible for regulating health and social care professionals) and APD (Accredited Practicing Dietitian) registered, with experience working in acute and primary settings, most recently as a paediatric dietitian. After moving my life down under, I will soon start working as a Sports Dietitian at Sydney Olympic Park.

What have been the highlights and challenges of your career so far?

I graduated in 2021 with a dietetic degree from Dublin. I then gained experience working in an acute paediatric setting which enabled me to further develop my skills and knowledge in paediatric dietetics. From there, I took it upon myself to improve my knowledge and skills to become a qualified Sports Dietitian through Leeds Beckett's outstanding and highly sought PG Certificate in Sport and Exercise Nutrition for Healthcare Professionals. This leads to graduate registration as a Sport and Exercise Nutritionist with the SENR. Over the coming years I hope to work towards full practitioner registration.

In September 2022, after completing my time at Leeds Beckett, I moved to Australia to start my career as a dietitian. I have just passed the Dietitian Australia exams, allowing me to work as an accredited practicing dietitian in Australia, which I am very pleased about and can't wait to get started.

Tell us about your job, what does this entail and is it related to the course you studied?

My new and exciting adventure most certainly relates to the course I studied here at Leeds Beckett, and I wouldn't be where I am now without it. The job involves working alongside elite athletes, adolescent athletes and teams as a Sports Dietitian. Alongside this, I will continue to obtain my clinical dietetic skills by seeing patients in private practice with varying underlying conditions (e.g., diabetes, weight management, high blood pressure etc.). I will also be carrying out various presentations relating to both sports and public health nutrition. 

How has your experience studying at Leeds Beckett influenced you and your career?

The opportunities the course has given me are hard to put into words. In short, it has enabled me to become closer to achieving my career goals. It has put me one step closer to working with athletes, a dream I have longed for since starting my studies in Human Nutrition and Dietetics.

I made good friendships and working connections on the course. My overall experience was extremely positive. The lecturers were very welcoming and supportive, and I felt I could always go to them when needed. They wanted us to do well just as much as we did ourselves, something you do not always find at other universities. 

What attracted you to study your course?

After graduating with a BSc in Human Nutrition and Dietetics, I felt the urge to improve my knowledge and skills in Sports Nutrition. My interest in Sports Nutrition is part of the reason I decided to study dietetics in the first place.

The course being a combination of face-to-face, online and part-time learning is what attracted me to it. This meant I could continue working full-time while studying and completing assignments. Although the course was hard at times, it was very manageable to complete with the help and support of my lecturers and fellow classmates.

What did you enjoy about your course and what advice would you give someone thinking about studying this course?

I enjoyed how supportive and encouraging my classmates and I were for each other. Living in Ireland and being able to do two of the weekends online helped reduce expenses and not take additional time off work for travel. However, in saying so, I was grateful to be able to attend Leeds Beckett in person and meet my classmates face-to-face.

What's next for you?

I start my new job soon, and I'm really excited to see where it takes me. This is my dream job, and it wouldn't have been possible without this course. I hope to someday participate and add to the ever-growing literature regarding women's health, particularly looking at female athletes. For anyone considering this course, I definitely recommend it!