We’re delighted to introduce you to Marie Spreckley, who recently joined the Learna | Diploma MSc team as a tutor on our online Obesity and Weight Management course. Marie lives in London with her husband and two children, but is originally from Austria, and has worked and lived in England, Austria, Germany, Australia, Ireland and America! She enjoys spending time with friends and family, reading, travelling, pilates and writing.
We recently chatted to Marie about her professional background, the Obesity and Weight Management course and she kindly gave us her top tips for successfully completing it…
What was your background prior to becoming a tutor?
Prior to working as a tutor for Learna I spent over a decade working directly with patients to help them achieve sustainable weight loss both in private practice and the NHS. I am also in my final year of my PhD conducting research into the best strategies for patients to achieve sustainable weight loss maintenance. I previously did my MSc in Obesity and Weight Management with Learna and enjoyed the process tremendously.
What makes studying the Obesity and Weight Management course with Learna | Diploma MSc different?
Studying with Learna | Diploma MSc provides experienced professionals with an excellent opportunity to specialize while still working full-time. Due to the flexible nature of the programme, students can apply their newly acquired skills in practice throughout their studies and are able to draw on the support from our expert tutors to continuously optimise their skillsets.
How has the course helped your students?
The course has helped my students improve their understanding of the challenges encountered by their patients as well as providing them with comprehensive variety of valuable tools and strategies to formulate and optimise their treatment strategies.
How can students apply the knowledge gained from the Obesity and Weight Management course?
Due to the flexible, interactive nature of our courses, students are able to continuously test and apply their newly acquired skills, strategies and tools in their daily practice. They are also able to discuss their experiences with our team of expert tutors and their fellow students to receive valuable advice and support, which continuously enhances their practice.
What does it take to succeed on the course?
The most important tips for successfully undertaking and completing this course are to remain consistent, interested and organized.
Advice to someone considering the Obesity and Weight Management course?
The course provides you with the opportunity to specialize in one of the most important areas in healthcare today. Obesity is a global pandemic and will require extensive support from obesity and weight management specialists for years to come.
What’s your favourite topic within your field of work?
My favourite topic within my field of work is sustainable weight loss maintenance, which is also the topic my PhD research is centred around.
Do you recommend any specific research tools and websites for students?
My favourite podcast is Danny Lennon’s Sigma Nutrition, my favourite website is Alan Flanagan’s Alinea Nutrition and my favourite online resources are the World Health Organisation, Public Health England, and the Association for the Study of Obesity and the Obesity Medicine Education Collaborative.
As Marie mentioned, Obesity is currently one of the most important topics in healthcare, and so professional development is vital. If you are interested in improving your knowledge in the subject, you can apply for our Obesity and Weight Management courses now.