LeConte Dietitian, Emily Parkman, Wins Regional Clinician of the Year Award

March is national nutrition month, and we are so excited that LeConte Medical Center dietitian Emily Parkman won the Elsey Region Morrison Clinician of the Year Award! Later this year, the regional winners, including Emily, will be eligible to be recognized as the national winner. You can rest assured your nutritional needs are in good hands with Emily at LeConte. Learn more about her below: 

What is your full name and title? 

Emily Parkman, RD, LDN

Where are you from? 

I am from a small town named Swansea, SC.

How long have you worked at LeConte Medical Center? 

I have worked at LeConte since April 25, 2016. So, almost two years.

Tell us a little bit about your job. 

As the dietitian at LeConte and Fort Sanders Sevier Nursing Home, I am responsible for almost everything diet and nutrition related. I screen patients who could potentially be at risk based on their nutrition status.

Nutrition plays a huge role in the healing process and it is my job to make sure patients are provided with good nutrition in order to facilitate the healing process.

I also provide physicians with recommendations for enteral and parenteral feedings. I also like to equip patients for discharge home with nutrition education and instruction. Basically, I talk about food a lot.

What do you love most about your job? 

Talking about and eating food is probably my favorite part of my job (ha). I really enjoy developing realistic goals and nutrition plans with patients. A big part of my job is listening to patients and developing solutions that will work for them. I also really enjoy being the liaison between the nutrition service department and the clinical side of the hospital. The kitchen is a really fun place to work and my coworkers are amazing.

What made you want to pursue a career as a dietician? 

I decided to pursue a career as a dietitian when I was in high school. I was intrigued with the medical field, however I personally deal better when blood and guts are inside the body. So that crosses off a lot of professions within the medical field. Growing up my mother was very healthy and eating fruits/vegetables was normal for our family, so I became fascinated with the vital role nutrition plays in a person’s overall well being. It really comes down to I love nutrition and I love eating food, therefore being a dietitian was a perfect fit for me.

What is your favorite movie? 

My favorite movie is Gladiator.

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? 

I would eat ice cream forever and ever, Amen

Want to dine with us? Find out our cafeteria hours here. You can also find out more about LeConte Medical Center or Fort Sanders Sevier Nursing Home by visiting our website.