357: The dietitian who loves changing people's lives

<div>Sophie Medlin is quite clear about why she loves her job as a dietitian so much.<br> <br> For her, it is all about making a difference to people's lives, something she describes as giving her "the best job satisfaction".<br> <br> Sophie has her own practice, <a href="https://www.citydietitians.co.uk/">City Dietitians</a>, and is the London Chair of the British Dietetic Association.<br> <br> In this episode of the Career Conversations podcast series, recorded in front of a live audience at our first <a href="https://foodmatterslive.com/live-event-series-careers/">Inspiring Careers in Food event</a>, she tells us all about her journey to the top.<br> <br> She is one of the UK's leading dietitians and she is incredibly passionate about helping young people join the industry.<br> <br> Sophie says the best way to get experience as a dietitian is to go and work in the NHS.<br> <br> Although many people want their own practice, she says it is important to learn the trade in the national health service, where you will encounter a huge variety of issues.<br> <br> She thinks that stands you in good stead, should you wish to go it alone in future.<br> <br> Sophie specialises in gut health and says she was first drawn to it "because it's embarassing and taboo".<br> <br> "We often see patients who have never spoken about it. De-stigmatising that and giving people help when they need it is magic," she says. <br> <br> Listen to the full episode to find out what you can expect from a role like Sophie's, the types of skills you need to be a successful dietitian, and the courses you need to study.<br> <br> <strong>Sophie Medlin, Consultant Dietitian<br> </strong><br> Sophie worked for many years in hospitals before moving to a career in academia where she was a lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics at <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/">King’s College London</a> before leaving to run City Dietitians and work as a consultant.<br> <br> In her clinical work, Sophie specialised in managing the nutritional needs of people with intestin