What is your role?
I am the Collegiate and Telehealth Partnership Manager for the Eating Recovery Center (ERC). My job is to help bridge the gaps between different levels of care, with a focus on outpatient clinics, university student health centers, and virtual telehealth companies. Many providers working in lower levels of care or a non-ED setting need information for their patients on how to access a higher level of care. Eating Recovery Center has locations all across the US so I work with a lot of university student health centers to find a facility near their location for when they need to refer a student to a higher level of care.
Only about 20% of individuals with an eating disorder will seek treatment. There are many reasons for this, such as barriers preventing people from accessing high-quality care or confusion about who to go to for help. That is where I come in and develop relationships with different entities where I help their providers navigate the different barriers to seeking care and educate them on the multitude of referral pathways and other resources available to them.
How did you end up in this position?
I’ve been an RD for a decade now. I completed my BS in Medical Dietetics at the University of Missouri and MS in Exercise Science with a Sports Management graduate minor at Auburn University. My first job after graduating was in sports dietetics, but shortly after, I transitioned into the ED space as an RD in PHP/IOP. From there, I worked my way up to becoming a nutrition manager, then a clinical training specialist, where I supported onboarding and training new clinicians, and finally, I ended up in my current position. I would say the best advice for anyone looking to move up the career ladder is to collaborate, reach out to others, and be open to new opportunities.
Day in life
My typical day consists of educating other clinicians, meeting with potential partners to introduce services at ERC, provide information about different resources, plan for future work events or conferences, miscellaneous meetings, working with the different departments within ERC, and of course, a lot of networking.
Work-life balance
I have a wonderful work life balance and I love my job. I feel respected by the people around me and I maintain collaborative relationships. Knowing that my voice matters is a big part of why I love what I do. It’s also important for me to maintain a separate identity outside of my job. This means having friends to hang out with who aren’t my co-workers, finding time to do things I enjoy, and allowing myself to relax and have some downtime.
Why did you decide to transition to a non-patient-facing role?
During my time working in a clinic, I observed a lot of eating disorder education gaps across disciplines, and I wanted to help change that. I felt that there needed to be more collaboration among the different members of the care team. This would lead to better patient care outcomes. I also realized the lack of awareness of the many different resources clinicians had, and I wanted to improve that. Early intervention for eating disorders is key, and bringing awareness to the available resources can help a lot of people.
What is it like working for a large company such as Eating Recovery Center?
It’s an invaluable experience, especially for younger clinicians, to have a plethora of people to bounce ideas off of. It’s nice to have templates set up for you, supervision, and other clinicians under the same roof. Because ERC is a nationwide organization, there are more resources available. If you have a specialty interest, you’ll likely find someone who is also passionate about that topic and is open to supporting a new teammate. There are endless opportunities to learn and collaborate, and opportunities to work in different levels of care and positions.
Do you ever feel lost?
It’s easy to feel lost when you’re working for such a big company, but it’s all about perspective. You can make it as big or as small as you want. If you’re satisfied with keeping a small circle of co-workers, you can have it at your facility. If you like to network, you get to expand your reach beyond your local sphere and tap into wider resources. It’s all up to the person, and I believe anyone could thrive at a large company.
Should you have experience in a patient-facing role before transitioning to a non-patient-facing role?
Yes, it is crucial to know and have practiced the tools and modalities that are utilized in a clinical setting. Nothing can substitute experience for learning. In order for me to be good in my current job as the partnerships manager, I needed to have many years of experience working alongside other clinicians and treating patients.
