Wong Wei Yee

Please tell us about your current role and employer.

I am a Senior Dietitian at the National University Hospital (NUH) in Singapore, a teaching and tertiary hospital. I provide medical nutrition therapy to a diverse patient population, with a clinical focus on oncology, haematology-oncology and hepatology. I am currently the team lead of oncology dietitians in my hospital. I have also joined the Parenteral Nutrition Support team last year. In addition to my clinical responsibilities, I am also the Reporting Officer for 3 dietitians, overseeing their clinical practice, professional development and career progression.

What does a typical day in your current role look like?

A typical day begins with reviewing the list of inpatients I will be seeing and clerking their cases before heading to the wards. I primarily manage patients with cancer, providing medical nutrition therapy and dietary counselling to patients and their caregivers on nutrition management during cancer treatment, including strategies to optimise nutritional intake through a high-calorie, high-protein diet. I also assess patients requiring enteral nutrition, calculate and prescribe appropriate tube feeding regimens, and monitor their feeding tolerance and weight.

Three afternoons each week are dedicated to specialist outpatient clinics. On Mondays, I see a mix of oncology and haematology-oncology patients. On Thursdays, I see patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy and/ or chemotherapy. On Wednesdays, I participate in a multidisciplinary Geriatric Oncology huddle to discuss patients who will be seen at the Friday clinic. I also attend the multidisciplinary palliative care team meeting on Thursdays on a rotational basis with my teammates to discuss patients referred for palliative care.

Depending on the roster, I also join the Parenteral Nutrition Support team ward rounds in the mornings, collaborating with pharmacists and physicians to prescribe parenteral nutrition to patients who could not tolerate oral/ enteral feedings.

How do you feel the learning experience on your course helped to prepare you for your career?

The content of the course complements my dietetics knowledge well and is highly relevant to my role as the team lead for oncology dietitians. While my undergraduate dietetics training provided a strong foundation in clinical nutrition practice, this course has equipped me with the oncology knowledge that was previously missing from my formal education. Before undertaking the course, my understanding of clinical oncology was largely developed through years of managing oncology patients in clinical practice and attending continuing medical education sessions.

The course has provided me with a strong foundation in the biology of cancer, from its genetic and cellular basis to the molecular pathology of cancer, as well as the principles underlying different cancer treatments. Learning these topics through a formal and structured curriculum has enabled me to better understand patients' oncology histories, treatment pathways, and the rationale behind the management plans documented by oncologists. This deeper understanding has strengthened my clinical reasoning and allows me to provide more informed, evidence-based nutrition care tailored to each patient's diagnosis and treatment.

The knowledge gained from the course has also increased my confidence in collaborating with the multidisciplinary team, as I have a better understanding of oncology terminology and treatment strategies. In addition, it has enabled me to support the professional development of junior dietitians by sharing current evidence and best practices in oncology nutrition, helping to strengthen the team's overall clinical capability.

What were the best things about your course?

I enjoyed the unique clinical attachment at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in the areas of my interest, including the Radiotherapy Clinic, UGI clinic and the bone marrow transplant clinic and bone marrow transplant ward.

My supervisor, Ms Charlotte Wardzynski, a head and neck dietitian ran a joint clinic at the Radiotherapy Clinic with an Advanced Practice Radiation Therapist (APRT). Observing this collaborative model of care was particularly valuable, as it demonstrated how multidisciplinary practice in the same clinic can improve the patient experience and care. Inspired by this experience, I am currently in discussions with the APRT and Speech Therapist at my hospital to explore implementing a similar model of care at our institution.

Besides, I enjoyed the lectures by clinicians of a range of specialties, sharing their clinical expertise. I enjoyed the lab tours as well, it was my first time observing cancer cells under the microscope!

In addition, one of the most rewarding aspects of the course was the opportunity to build friendships with course mates from diverse professional backgrounds and countries, including doctors, pharmacists, and a clinical trial coordinator. Learning alongside them and gaining insights into their cultures and clinical practices was an enriching and eye-opening experience.

What was your biggest achievement during your course?

My biggest achievement during the course was gaining a strong foundation in clinical oncology, an area where I previously relied primarily on clinical experience rather than formal training. The course equipped me with a deeper understanding of cancer biology, pathology, and treatment, enabling me to integrate this knowledge into my clinical practice and provide more evidence-based nutrition care for patients with cancer.

Another significant achievement was developing my confidence in presenting oncology-related topics. Throughout the course, I had multiple opportunities to prepare and deliver presentations on clinical oncology. These skills have enhanced my confidence when delivering oncology nutrition education sessions and presentations to healthcare professionals.