Jo Ann S. Carson, Ph.D., R.D
UT Southwestern Appointment
Jo Ann S. Carson,
Ph.D., R.D., Associate Professor,
Clinical Nutrition Research Scholar in the Center
for Human Nutrition,
Co-investigator National Institutes of Health Nutrition
Academic Award
Education and Professional Advancements
Dr. Carson completed a Bachelor's of Science in Home Economics Education at Southwest Texas State University. After completing a dietetic internship and Master's of Science in Nutritional Science at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, she joined the faculty here as Instructor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in Southwestern Medical School and as Instructor of Nutrition and Dietetics in the School of Allied Health Sciences. A majority of her quarter century of service to this institution has been in dietetics education. She directed the Coordinated Program in Dietetics from 1985-1999. She recently completed a doctoral degree in Nutritional Sciences from The University of Texas at Austin. Continuing to teach undergraduate dietetic students, she has traded her administrative responsibilities for a role in teaching nutrition to medical students and physician assistant students.
Research Accomplishments
Dr. Carson's deepest interest in nutrition lies in how to help others gain knowledge and skills to improve their own nutritional habits and those of their patients. Her early research was in the nutritional care of cancer patients. In the mid-1970's, the practical hints for patients derived from her study of taste sensitivity in cancer patients were one of a handful of educational materials available for cancer patients undergoing treatment. She served on a National Cancer Institute Working Group to develop proposals for research to improve the nutritional intake of cancer patients.
More recently her roots as an educator have propelled her research on the effectiveness of nutrition education. From 1995 to 1998 she participated in the development and evaluation of US Department of Agriculture funded Smart Shoppers Tours. These supermarket nutrition tours for mothers of young children receiving federal food assistance were conducted by peer counselors. Her research into the effect of the tours found that the tours not only helped the women learn how to shop for healthy foods, but also improved the array of healthy foods on hand in their homes.
Her most recent research has investigated the effects of case-based computer assisted instruction on the knowledge and self-efficacy of fourth year medical students. The results have shown that the medical students improve knowledge of cardiovascular nutrition and improve their confidence in their ability to address nutrition with patients. Her long term goal, consistent with those of Healthy People 2010, is to integrate nutrition in the education of physicians trained at UT Southwestern such that nutrition is regularly addressed when patients see their physician.
Professional Societies and Awards
Dr. Carson is an active member of the American Dietetic Association, as well as participating in the Society for Nutrition Education and the American Society for Nutritional Sciences. She is currently on the Executive Board of the American Dietetic Association's Nutrition Education for Health Professionals Practice Group. She is a former President of the Dallas Dietetic Association and a past member of the Texas Dietetic Association Executive Board.
Dr. Carson's volunteer service to the American Cancer Society for the last fifteen years has included serving on the Board of Directors of the Texas Division. Her statewide efforts in initiating programs to communicate the Society's nutrition guidelines earned her a coveted Ruby Award for Public Education.
Dr. Carson has been named as Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year from Texas. She received of the Lorene Rogers Presidential Scholarship from The University of Texas at Austin and the Dietetic Educators of Practitioners Scholarship from the American Dietetic Association.
Publications of Jo Ann S. Carson
Page
created and maintained by: Lona Sandon, RD/LD
Email: Lona.Sandon@UTSouthwestern.edu
Last updated: 2/6/03
