Humans of NHC: Meet Mariana Carranza at HealthRIGHT 360!

Mariana Carranza, RD (she/her) is the Registered Dietitian at HealthRIGHT 360. Mariana (she/her) earned her B.S. in Nutrition from San Diego State University and completed her Dietetic Internship at San Francisco State University. She has been a part of leading NHC SF’s AmeriCorps members in their Food Pharmacy and nutrition education-related activities at HealthRIGHT 360. Mariana’s guidance and leadership are deeply appreciated by our AmeriCorps members. Thank you for everything you do! In this Humans of NHC interview, we were able to learn more about Mariana’s professional background and what led her to join HealthRIGHT 360.

Q: What does a typical day in the life of your job look like?

M: “I have two types of days as a dietitian at HealthRIGHT 360. My patient appointments involve tailoring nutritional needs based on individual medical needs and health goals. Sometimes a lot of our patients have a lot of medical needs, but they might be focused on one goal at a time, like lowering their A1C or losing weight. My other type of day is the Food Pharmacy every Thursday, which involves providing boxes of nutritional food and nutrition education to about 40 patients.”

Q: What is your favorite part of your position?

M: “My favorite part of my role as a dietitian is when I see patients meeting their health goals. Patients slowly start noticing positive changes towards meeting their goals, whether that is lowering their A1C or improving their blood pressure simply by eating a little bit healthier or exercising a little bit more. The feedback that patients provide when they are able to meet their goals is the most rewarding part.”

Q: What initially interested you about your career path/profession?

M: “I always wanted to do something science-related but I did not know exactly what that would look like before college. When I was applying to college, I noticed that San Diego State University, the school I wanted to go to, offered a nutrition program so I decided to start off as a nutrition major. I loved it and my interest in the field grew more as I learned more from my professors. I remember feeling so inspired by Professor Yumi Petrisko during my undergrad. Her passion and dedication to nutrition inspired me to pursue a career as a dietitian.”

Q: What was one of the more challenging moments in your career path?

M: “In terms of my career path, I think the multiple years it takes to get here, and the multiple years of education can feel like a lot at times. In my current role, being the only dietitian at the clinic has been both beneficial and challenging at times. As the only dietitian, I have been able to shape the nutrition program how I have wanted it, but at the same time, I would also love to have some additional support or another dietitian to bounce off ideas with.

Q: How has being bilingual helped you with your job?

M: “When I moved from San Diego to San Francisco, I quickly learned that there were not a lot of Spanish speaking dietitians in the city. When I became a dietitian, it helped me better connect with patients, as I was able to relate to the social aspects of food choices and food culture. This helped us see where the patient could make minor adjustments that considered their cultural foods.”

Q: How has the pandemic changed your role?

M: “The pandemic changed my role both positively and negatively. The ability to have telehealth appointments with patients has increased the appointment show rates and has allowed me to see more patients daily. On the other hand, telehealth appointments miss personal contact and connection with patients, limiting the number of times patients come into the clinic for physical examinations. In some ways, this has helped patients track progress differently. For instance, for patients looking to lose weight, we look at factors other than just weight on the scale and focus on the level of energy, strength, and flexibility.”

Q: What advice do you have for people who are just beginning their journeys towards a career in public health or dietetics?

M: “I think a career in public health is an extremely rewarding job in general, but I understand that it can also be challenging in terms of the pay and the populations we work with. However, seeing the positive impacts of your work on your patients makes it all worth it. If you are passionate about something, especially healthcare or nutrition, and can put yourself through school, you should definitely do it. It is a rewarding job to do what we are able to do.”