Promoting health nutrition
FROM the age of 17, NT114’s alumna, Darsheka Wanithasan knew she wanted to become a nutritionist.
Although this career choice has the potential to venture onto different paths, yet, in her mind, she had dreamt of herself as a Consultant Nutritionist or a Nutrition Counsellor. Why did she make such a career choice?
Because she enjoyed working with people and inspiring them to see improvements in their health and lifestyle over time.
Fast forward to today, Darsheka is a Weight Management Counsellor in Novo Nordisk’s patient support programme.
Through this position, she is now realising the passion that she had envisioned as a Nutritionist.
She coaches people with obesity and empowers them with practical approaches towards healthier eating practices.
Recounting her time with IMU, she credits the knowledge and training acquired from the Nutrition programme in shaping her into what she is today.
Darsheka is grateful to the IMU curriculum which trains the graduates adequately in the preventiom of noncommunicable diseases.
This also helps her translate scientific information into practice for the clients. Moreover, the practicum during her undergraduate programme and past work experiences had augmented her soft skills which helped her improvise her counselling skills to address the clients today.
In her present role, she also gets to showcase her skills by working with crossfunctional teams at her workplace.
This has allowed her to gain a wider perspective of her contribution to obesity management.
Besides that, she has also partnered with medical doctors and specialists during workshops and webinars to educate other healthcare professionals on obesity management. Such opportunities have not only expanded Darsheka’s horizon but also provided her a platform to establish herself as a nutritionist, par excellence in times to come.
Darsheka had joined us a year and half back when we had just entered the obesity therapeutic area in Malaysia.
She has been a real asset to our team and great support to our healthcare professionals and patients who are struggling with obesity.
With her passion for her profession and strong cross-functional collaboration, she has been able to make this programme successful and benefit several patients with her counselling.
In fact, she has also helped many of our colleagues at Novo Nordisk Malaysia office to develop a healthy dietary pattern through her customised diet plans.
So what advice does she have for future graduates? Like the passion that has guided her to where she is today, her message is simple- Discover yourself.
Discover your strengths, what you love to do, what you’re good at and what you dislike. Once you have, you will know what fits you best in the working world.
The 3-year Nutrition programme from IMU equips students to pursue careers in various fields including industry, education, health promotion, research and journalism.
For this programme, students have the option to complete the entire degree at IMU or study the first two years of their degree at IMU and then transfer to Deakin University for completion of their degree.
This partnership is a testament to the excellence of the IMU’s Nutrition programme which is benchmarked to international standards.
Each year, the Nutrition programme will commence in July and September.
If you have an interest in science, an ability to work in a team and really want to make a difference in the lives of others, make an online application today and begin a career that challenges you to stretch your skills and open new doors.
If you have just completed your
SPM and do not have pre-university qualification, consider enrolling in the one-year IMU Foundation in Science, the preferred foundation and direct route for entry into any of the University’s degree programmes, including credit transfer options.
For more information, please refer to www.imu.edu.my or email: start@imu. edu.my or call IMU at 03 – 2731 7272.