Melissa Austin

Background

About Melissa Austin

Melissa completed her Didactic Program in Dietetics at the Rochester Institute of Technology in 2021 and was awarded Magna Cum Laude in recognition of her 3.79 GPA and academic excellence. During her undergraduate career, she was a Student Research Assistant on the Enhanced Lifestyles for Metabolic Syndrome (ELM) clinical trial and was responsible for creating and delivering nutrition education materials to study participants, reviewing participant food diaries and providing feedback, and assisting with healthy cooking demonstrations. She also worked as a Patient Menu Assistant at the University of Rochester Strong Memorial Hospital, strengthening her time management, patient communication, and interprofessional skills in a clinical setting. Melissa completed her MS degree and Dietetic Internship at the University at Buffalo in January 2023. During this academic period, she successfully completed 1200 hours of supervised practice in various settings, 55 hours of graduate coursework with a minimum grade of "B-", and an Interprofessional Education Microcredential. Melissa is extremely passionate about childhood and maternal nutrition. She intends to use her RDN credential to improve the quality of food and health status of children in the community.