Alumni experiences transitioning into professional practice and hiring managers’ perspectives

We recently connected with a group of our University of Washington Graduate Coordinated Program in Dietetics (GCPD) alumni about their experience after finishing the program. Our graduates consistently reported a smooth transition from graduation to professional practice. The time between graduating, taking the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) exam to gain the RDN credential, and moving into meaningful roles, averaged a few months.

The program’s integrated clinical and public health professional preparation opportunities were often noted by alumni as important factors that gave them an advantage when entering the workforce.

We also asked preceptors, the professionals who mentor and work with our students in various professional settings, about their experience mentoring and hiring our students. They were pleased with how UW prepares students to be successful interns and ideal employees. 

Continue reading to find out more about the post-graduation experiences of students from the classes of 2025, 2024, and 2018.

Alumni Experiences

Hannah Sanders, MPH, RDN

Clinical Dietitian – Harborview Medical Center

Hannah Sanders received her Bachelor of Arts in interdisciplinary studies from Wheaton College. In her path to pursuing a career in public health nutrition, she decided to create her own program of study that integrated applied health sciences, international relations, and development studies together. Her thesis had a nutrition focus.  After college, she got a job in Chicago working for Vizient, which is a health care performance improvement company. She worked with strategic planning teams in health care systems for 3 years while taking pre-requisites and applying for graduate school.   

Sanders graduated from the Master of Public Health and GCPD programs in August 2025 and began working in her current role at the end of September 2025.  She is a dietitian at Harborview Medical Center, splitting her time between inpatient services and the HIV and Family Medicine Clinics.

Sanders credits the connections she made during the internship as leading to the positions she has now. In fact, she interned in one of these clinics and shared that former preceptors referred her to both jobs. She thinks that it would have been much more challenging to secure employment without their support. 

Related: Interview with Sanders while at UW

Khang Ho, MPH, RDN 

Clinical Dietitian – Outpatient, Diabetes and Nutrition Therapy

Before enrolling at UW, Khang Ho earned a BS in Clinical Nutrition from the University of California, Davis. Seeking deeper training in public health alongside clinical dietetics, he chose the Master of Public Health program for its interdisciplinary approach, strong public health reputation, and proximity to leading an academic medical center. To hear more about why Ho picked UW for graduate school, read an interview with interview Khang Ho contributed when he was a student.

Ho graduated in August 2024, passed the CDR exam in October 2024, and received a job offer for his current position the following month. As an adult and pediatric dietitian, he provides medical nutrition therapy during one-on-one outpatient sessions. His patients seek his help with a wide range of conditions, including diabetes, eating disorders, gastrointestinal diseases, weight management, polycystic ovary syndrome, chronic kidney disease, hyperlipidemia, and bariatric surgery.

Ho credits his UW training—particularly his participation in the Leadership Education in Adolescent Health (LEAH) Traineeship—with helping him stand out in the job market. His current manager shared with him that his specialized training in eating disorders distinguished him from more seasoned applicants, underscoring the value of UW’s community partners and traineeship opportunities.

Annie Bradshaw, MPH, RDN

Market Manager

Annie Bradshaw majored in dietetics as an undergraduate at the University of Florida. She chose UW’s graduate programs for the combined expertise in public health, food systems, and nutrition. “UW was my dream school because of its interdisciplinary approach to nutrition,” she said.

Bradshaw graduated in August 2018. In September of 2018 she secured a UW research position and was hired as a cardiac rehab dietitian at Providence Health that October. Bradshaw credits her ability to step into the research position directly after graduation to her thesis work with Dr. Adam Drewnowski. She found the cardiac rehab position through a referral from a member of her cohort. On the side, she enjoys dabbling in freelance illustration for children’s nutrition books and science exhibits.

Bradshaw is currently a market manager with Northshore Farmers Market. Her approach to the position is heavily shaped by her educational experience and work as a cardiac dietitian.  She said, “While I’m not currently practicing in a traditional sense, having learned both the clinical and public health side of the field at UW has allowed me to understand larger policy shifts that impact the food chain and market systems.

Testimonials from Preceptors

UW GCPD students are considered very well-prepared by the professionals in the field who mentor and sometimes hire them. 

Cheryl Davis, RD, CD 

Director of Clinical Nutrition – Seattle Children’s Hospital

Davis shared that many Seattle Children’s Hospitals seasoned dietitians completed their training at UW, indicating a long history of excellence in dietetics education.

“In my experience, graduates of the UW GCPD are well prepared, both clinically and professionally, to serve as clinical dietitians in an academic medical center. We have hired multiple UW RDN graduates in the past several years and all are successfully anchoring key specialty pediatric roles on our team.”

In addition to their clinical assignments, Davis said, “Our UW RDN graduates serve on committees, lead department and subspecialty projects, publish and present at local and national conferences.  I wholeheartedly recommend graduates of the UW RDN program!“

Susan McBride, MS, RDN, CD

Director of Nutrition and Food Services – Harborview Medical Center

“We have hired numerous recent grads of the UW RDN program over the 20 years that I have been at Harborview. This pool of new RDNs have excellent clinical skills for entry-level RDNs and are ready to handle complex patients, thanks to their internship rotations within an academic medical setting. They also exhibit good communication skills and ask great questions as they learn and grow. Lastly, these grads balance teamwork and self-direction quite well and can flex within a dynamic clinical environment.”

Learn More

Explore our graduate degree programs and RDN training in the Graduate Coordinated Program in Dietetics. Learn about the practice experience and role of a preceptor in the program and other alumni updates and current student experiences.  

February 20, 2026