RDN Spotlight: Lubna Qureshi, MDS, RDN, LD

What is your ethnicity/race? Did your family have any customs related to food? Please describe.

Pakistani/South Asian. Customs- Food Sharing- No visitor ever left our house without eating food. Even when a relative visited after we have had our dinner late at night and we didn’t have any leftovers, my mom would quickly make roti and egg and potatoes scramble to serve the guest. Also, multiple times during the year, I would help my mom carry food trays and bags to deliver them to the needy and destitute in our community.

Where/when did you go to undergrad/dietetic internship/grad school?

UT Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, TX

Why did you decide to choose nutrition and dietetics as a career?

I knew this was my calling!

What do you do now as an RDN and what does a typical day/week look like for you?

I teach Nutritional Sciences at two private universities and a college. I also volunteer at a local clinic to provide Nutritional counseling to underprivileged patients. In addition, I serve as the executive director of Dietitians of Central Texas (DCTX) formerly known as ATXRD. At current, I am in the process of starting a Nutrition Consulting business.

I start my workday with morning prayers and breakfast and then catching up on the emails. Next, I spend some time on my business. The next six hours are spent teaching three classes, two virtual and one online. The class schedule changes every semester/session and it changes my daily schedule as well. In the evening, I take my daily hour-long walk in nature. At night, I spend some time working for DCTX, sending emails, helping the board planning and organizing, scheduling and attending quarterly calls with the board, focusing on action items, etc.

My husband likes to eat Pakistani food so I do meal prep on Sundays. On weekdays, after I get done with work my husband warms the dinner and serves it for us. He also prepares my salad that I enjoy for lunch between my classes. On Saturday mornings, I like to explore hiking trails in the surrounding areas or go canoeing.

What is/was the biggest challenge for you in becoming a dietitian and how did you overcome that challenge? This can be related to being an RD of color or not just any challenge?

I faced several challenges. They range from being a WOC to being a hijabi to going to school in a CPD program while being a mother of four with a frequently deployed husband, to taking full care of my elderly parents living overseas then. I didn’t allow any of my challenges to deter me from goals. I was focused to aim high and had a strong determination to become an RD. AND I did it!

Have you had any mentors in your career if yes how have those mentors affected your career/life?

My professors were my biggest mentors who believed in my abilities and pushed me to move forward. I also developed lifelong friendships with some of my preceptors who constantly challenged me during my internship and, today they are my biggest supporters.

Why do you think diversifying this field is important?

As a nation, we are experiencing global migration. Many people may not find the right health and nutritional care due to having an ethnic minority and/or immigrant status. Unfortunately, the chronic disease risk is higher in those population groups. We need to have enough representation of healthcare professionals including RDs from different ethnic backgrounds to provide care and services to these vulnerable populations.

What is a piece of advice you would give a student of color interested in entering the field of dietetics?

No matter what, always walk with your head up high and focus forward. Believe in yourself and constantly remind yourself that you are unique and you can do it.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I absolutely love being an RD. I believe our profession is a public service profession where we all serve the general population in many different ways. I play a very small part in this public service by providing knowledge and education to my students and patients so they can make healthful changes in their lives. I am absolutely grateful for that opportunity.