One great feature of the bachelor's degree completion program
here at NUHS, is the option to choose an "emphasis in nutrition."
Many students are choosing this, as it's a great complement to a
B.S. in Biomedical Science.
We decided to talk with one of NUHS' favorite professors, who is
the nutrition "guru" here at NUHS. Dr. Daniel Richardson is the
assistant dean for the College of Allied Health Sciences, and holds
bachelors, masters and PhD degrees from Loyola University
Stritch School of Medicine in Pharmacology and Pharmocognosy. He is
a Diplomate in the American Association of Nutrition Consultants as
well as a Certified Nutrition Consultant. (Yes, that's the caliber
of our undergraduate faculty here!)
"There is a growing interest in nutrition in our country, and
people are taking charge of their own health through better
nutrition," he says. "Most medicine is based largely on the body's
ability to heal itself, but that can only happen if the patient has
the right amount of nutrients."
For a student hoping to become a naturopathic physician some
day, Dr. Richardson made it clear that you don't have to become a
nutritionist to benefit from an education in nutrition. He explains
that, "Whatever type of health professional you plan to be, be it a
chiropractic or naturopathic physician, dentist, an M.D., an
optometrist, or a nurse, a solid knowledge of nutrition will help
you make better diagnoses and provide better care for your
patients."
The great part about choosing this emphasis is that when you
graduate, it's reflected on your NUHS diploma. To do an emphasis in
nutrition means you can't just take any courses you want, like the
regular BS degree. You need to have 19 hours of credit in nutrition
courses such as:
- Sports and Physical Performance Nutrition
- Nutrition in the Life Cycle
- Nutrition in Health and Disease
- Food Science
- Plus other nutritional courses!
An "emphasis" is like an added credential or a sub-major within
biomedical science. Dr. Richardson reports that the university
hopes to develop other areas of emphasis in the future.