A warm welcome to Kohrine Counts Hazim, program coordinator extraordinaire and the latest addition to our Discover FSHN Series! Kohrine not only manages the dietetics programs in the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department at the University of Florida, she is also an alumna of the Department’s Master of Science—Dietetic Internship (MS-DI) program. Thank you to Kohrine for taking time out of her full schedule to tell us about her work at UF, her experience as a clinical dietitian, and her active lifestyle!

Tell me about your role in the FSHN department. What do you do each day?

I am the program coordinator for the undergraduate (DPD) and graduate (MS-DI) dietetics programs. My day-to-day is always different, which can make my job a lot of fun. My favorite activities are meeting with students to answer questions about the dietetics pathway, participating in live department events, and attending continuing education presentations by our interns.

On the other hand, much of my work is behind the scenes. For example, I spend a lot of time:

• communicating with preceptors to schedule internship rotations,
• drafting internship instructions and evaluation documents,
• answering student questions via email or live appointments,
• collecting documents to maintain accreditation records, and
• creating learning modules for our interns.

How did you get into program coordination, and what is your favorite part of the job?

After graduating from the UF FSHN MS-DI program and becoming a registered dietitian, I worked as a clinical dietitian at UF Health Shands. I loved being a clinical dietitian! Often, I felt like a detective as I put together the clinical puzzle pieces to create a nutrition plan tailored for each patient.

I would have stayed a clinical dietitian for a long time, but I was contacted by my former DPD Director and encouraged to apply for a new position in the FSHN department – the dietetics program coordinator position. The rest is history. My favorite part of my job is working with students. They are our future, and it’s so exciting and rewarding to be able to help them on their path to becoming a professional.

What did you do before joining the FSHN department?

Just before joining the FSHN department, I was a clinical dietitian at UF Health Shands. However, prior to becoming a dietitian, I completed a bachelor’s degree in business management and entrepreneurship from Florida State University and started up a small company with my parents (which was an excellent place to practice my entrepreneurship and business skills).

After several years, I transitioned into working for a few other companies, including a non-profit that provided education and daycare services to at-risk families. This is where I re-discovered nutrition and dietetics. I say re-discovered because my father actually met with a registered dietitian when I was a teenager. This dietitian completely changed my family’s life (and diet). After re-discovering dietetics, I decided to return to school and earn a postbaccalaureate degree in dietetics. Then, I completed the MS-DI program at UF.

You’re an alumna of the FSHN Department! Tell me about your time at UF.

As a returning older student, I definitely wasn’t sure of what to expect during my dietetics programs. Although the classes were indeed challenging, I found wonderful, life-long friends and mentors during my time as a student.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I love to spend my free time with my family. Together we enjoy riding Onewheels, hiking, kayaking, biking, watching movies, and eating tasty food. I also enjoy gardening, exploring new foods through baking and cooking, reading, and exploring new places.

If you were a food, what food would you be, and why?

I would be coffee ice cream! It’s one of my favorite foods. I also like to think that my personality and diverse interests reflect the complexity of coffee, yet I have the calm, smooth, and friendly feeling of delicious ice cream.

Interested in learning more about FSHN’s Dietetics programs? Read more here and here!

P.S. The Discover FSHN Series highlights the unique experiences of UF’s Food Science and Human Nutrition students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Want to read more about the amazing work going on in the FSHN department? See our previous features below (click on arrows to expand):

P.P.S. Learn more about FSHN’s renowned programs below!

Undergraduate Programs:
Dietetics
Food Science
Nutritional Sciences

Graduate Programs:
M.S. Dietetic Internship Program
M.S. Food Science and Human Nutrition
Ph.D. Food Science
Ph.D. Nutritional Sciences

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