Meet Melissa Page, MS, RDN, CSOWM, LDN, Senior Bariatric Dietitian at Maine Medical Center’s Weight and Wellness Program. She found her job by networking and meeting the right people to get her foot in the door. Besides being an expert in the bariatric field, she also co-owns a brewery and has a lot of great knowledge about beer. Cheers to her exciting jobs! Check out her unique career path. - Sarah

What attracted you to the field of nutrition and dietetics?
FOOD! I have always been a passionate foodie, even as a young girl. I initially thought I wanted to be chef but the long hours didn’t seem like the perfect fit for me. I have always been fascinated by biology and physiology so nutrition and dietetics was a wonderful combination of these passions.

Your Job Title?
Senior Bariatric Dietitian

Company you are with now?
Maine Medical Center’s Weight and Wellness Program

How to find you:

https://www.mainehealth.org/Maine-Medical-Center/Services/Weight-Wellness-Program

Instagram: @MelissaPageRDN

Twitter: @MelissaPageRDN

Describe a typical (or not so typical) day-in-the-work-life for you?
I work in an outpatient obesity medicine clinic where I see both bariatric surgery and non-surgical weight loss patients. We also provide telemedicine visits, so I see half of my patients through telehealth and half in-person. I also have one half day dedicated to administrative and management work where I focus on organizing our patient materials, clinical protocols, group scheduling, etc.

A typical work day for me starts with me and my husband getting our kids (4 yrs old and 2 yrs old) ready and off to daycare. After dropping off the kids and getting settled at work, I usually have a full morning of patients. If a patient cancels or no shows, I’ll typically use that time to catch up on notes, answer emails, or get a snack. My lunch is scheduled from noon-1pm and I use that time to eat, go on a walk, and catch up on notes. I also volunteer with the Weight Management Dietetic Practice group as the Policy and Advocacy Leader, so I sometimes use my lunch hour to catch up on those emails or attend virtual meetings, as needed. In the afternoon, I’m back to seeing patients or conducting virtual groups in the evening. At the end of the day, I’m finishing notes, answering MyChart messages, checking our dietitian voicemail, and calling back any patients that I wasn’t able to get to earlier in the day. After the evening routine of dinner, bath, and bedtime, I spend some time working on my side project – Belleflower Brewing Company. I co-own a brewery with my husband and another couple so much of my free time is working on planning events, coordinating food options, and helping with social media for the brewery.

How did you get your current job in dietetics?
This story is actually a perfect example of why it’s important to network! I worked at Tufts Medical Center’s bariatric program in Boston from 2012-2017. After having our daughter in 2017, my husband and I decided that we wanted to move to a more affordable and less hectic location. We decided on Portland, ME, and I began my search for a job. I saw that there was an opening at the bariatric surgery center at Maine Medical Center and I knew this would be a good fit because it was very similar to what I was already doing in Boston. I filled out the application, but I really wanted to get my cover letter into the hands of the Program Manager. I just knew once they saw my experience that I could at least get an interview. At the time, I was volunteering with the Weight Management DPG and I was mentoring a dietitian from Maine through their mentorship program. I reached out to this dietitian and asked her if she knew of any contacts at Maine Medical Center. Sure enough, she did know someone and I was able to get my cover letter and resume to the Program Manager and was scheduled for an interview very quickly. After interviewing and waiting a few weeks, I was very pleased to hear that I got the job and I started about 4 weeks after that. I’ve worked here for almost 4 years now and I love it!

What skills were you born with and what skills have you learned along the way?
In certain situations, I can be very outgoing and I tend to show all of my emotions. This can be great when developing a relationship with patients in the outpatient setting. I feel that this helps to gain trust from the patient and leads them to participate more actively in our work. On the other hand, I have had to learn to hide some of those emotions when I am in a counseling setting. I’ve definitely had to learn when it’s appropriate to use my emotions as a part of the counseling process and when I should be more neutral.

What advice do you have for others wanting to be just as successful and fulfilled as you?
Don’t be afraid to try something that you haven’t completely “mastered.” I’ve learned the most about myself by trying new things and learning from my successes and my mistakes.

If you could be paid for your job with something other than a paycheck, what
would it be?
Cheese! I absolutely love cheese and anything dipped or covered in cheese.