Flinders University Nutrition and Dietetics PhD candidate, Joyce Haddad, has just returned from Geneva, Switzerland, as an international intern at the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO).

When she secured the position earlier this year, little did she know she would be working with the agency during a global pandemic, at a time when the agency was providing global leadership in a public health crisis.

In addition to her PhD studies at Flinders, the internship program has epitomised one of many milestones in her career so far.

“When COVID-19 struck, it was a rollercoaster ride. The first few weeks of teleworking were absolutely manic, as we had to develop a departmental COVID-19 working group to manage the asks of public nutrition within the context of the pandemic,” Joyce says.

“March challenged me both personally and professionally – as I was still learning about the processes at WHO, establishing relationships with colleagues, while also learning to be indoors all day!

“Nonetheless, I couldn’t complain about anything. I always thought to myself it could be worse. I’m working at WHO during a pandemic and I am contributing to public health like no one ever has before.”

Joyce began her health career journey in 2012, when she started her Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics with Honours program at Flinders.

“The degree was diverse and allowed me to see multiple ways I could be a dietitian and promote health,” she says.

“We were taught topics that ranged from individual human physiology through to community and public health issues.

“The range of topics taught was suitable for me during my undergraduate years and contributed to refining my career pathway.”

After graduating in 2015, Joyce travelled through Europe for eight weeks before starting her own private practice in 2016, A Dietitian’s Mission, back at home in Adelaide.

Joyce provides her clients with dietetic consultations, inspiring healthier relationships with food while posting tips for sustaining a healthy wellbeing on her social media.   

“My proudest moments have been the willingness to open my own business and still maintain it through all the years and of course, being granted a place in a PhD program with prestigious scholarships,” she says.

“These experiences have all led me to the greatest accomplishment so far: amongst thousands of international applicants, I was one of the few successfully contracted for a role in the internship programme at the World Health Organisation HQ in Geneva, Switzerland.”

Joyce is now making a difference not only teaching her clients about the importance of nutrition but also about how to seek out trustworthy online information on the pandemic that is shaping the way the world views health.

“I plan to keep seeking opportunities, but differently to how I used to. I now choose my opportunities wisely to lead me to my ultimate career passion: to effectively communicate the importance of health on a global scale,” she says.

Check out Joyce's diet and nutrition tips.