Ruthfirst Ayande Receives Awards for Academic and Clinical Excellence

Nutrition doctoral candidate Ruthfirst Ayande has been honored with two awards recognizing excellence in academic achievement and clinical practice.

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The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics named Ayande as one of its two Outstanding Student Scholarship Award winners. The $2000 scholarship recognizes student members of the Clinical Nutrition Management Dietetics Practice Group (CNM DPG) who have exhibited academic excellence, outstanding service to the profession of nutrition and dietetics, and a passion for leadership. 

Ayande was also recognized by the Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH), where she completed her dietetic internship, as the recipient of the Heidi Larson Memorial Dietetic Internship Award for Excellence in Clinical Practice. The award recognizes an individual who models YNHH standards of professional behavior, demonstrates the ability to apply theory to practice and synthesize information to obtain a complete picture of a patient, and is a proactive learner who confidently reviews scientific literature and utilizes evidence-based interventions in patient care.

“Both my doctoral and clinical training afford me the chance to play an integral role in the academic training of future clinical nutrition professionals, and so these recognitions are an affirmation that I am on the right track towards my academic and professional goals,” says Ayande. “As the nutrition profession continues to expand and evolve, it is important that nutrition professionals actively engage in and with current national and international research, and apply ourselves to help fill in practice gaps in the clinical setting. I am looking forward to contributing to the research needed to drive evidence-based practice, especially in the field of maternal and child health.”

A native of Ghana, Ayande also received a Margaret McNamara Education Grant earlier this year to support the completion of her doctoral degree. Upon completion of her studies, she aspires to enter academia and conduct international maternal health research.