“It’s an exciting time to be working in the field of clinical nutrition,” commented Young Hee Kim.

Young Hee is considered an innovator and a leader who has successfully elevated the role of dietitians during her 16-year career as a registered dietitian (RD). She successfully established a clinical ladder program that provides dietitians with a clear path for career advancement, recognition for elevating their knowledge and level of expertise and includes financial rewards for their excellence.

Young Hee also successfully positioned RDs as a leader on the Nutrition Support Team (comprised of a clinical dietitian, physician and pharmacist). The RD now plays a pivotal role, performing the comprehensive nutrition assessment, presenting to the team, ordering and monitoring the nutrition solution, and initiating nutrition transition plans.

In her recent transition to Clinical Nutrition Manager, Young Hee has already demonstrated an ability to inspire her team of dietitians. “It’s my goal to empower dietitians and give them the tools they need to be successful,” commented Young Hee, who was able to secure dependent prescriptive authority for her team of RDs. “Now they have the power to write orders for many prescriptive items without having to obtain physician approval.”

However, Young Hee believes there’s still more to be done. She believes in a future where RDs will have independent prescriptive privileges and is working to make that future a reality.