Dr. Kirsti Dyer MD, MS
Information
2013 - Fellowship Integrative Medicine, Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine
1992 - MD (Medical Degree) University of California, Davis
1986 - MS (Masters of Science) University of California, Davis Comparative Pathology (Now Integrative Pathobiology). Concentrations in Immunology, Immunopathology and Medical Parasitology
1984 - BA (Bachelors of Arts) California State University, Sacramento (Sacramento State). Double Major: Biological Science (Human Biology and Microbiology), Chemistry
Contact Dr. Dyer via email, dyerk@yosemite.edu or for enrolled students via the Canvas Inbox.
Biography
Dr. Kirsti A. Dyer MD, MS, FT is a physician, health educator, professor, online instructor, lecturer, and longtime online student. She received her medical and master's degrees from the University of California, Davis. Dr. Dyer completed an Internal Medicine Residency program and practiced clinical medicine for many years.
After having her two daughters, her focus has shifted from clinical practice treating disease to health and wellness promotion through education. In August 2013 she completed the Fellowship program in Integrative Medicine with the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. She was the first physician (and still only) to attain the designation of Fellow in Thanatology F.T. through the Association of Death Education and Counseling (ADEC). The Fellowship in Thanatology is technically death studies, but also recognizes expertise in death, dying and bereavement.
Dr. Dyer has been teaching Bio 50, Nutrition since January 2005 as an enhanced course using online resources. Her Nutrition course has been fully online since Fall 2008 first in WebCT, then Blackboard and now in Canvas. Bio 50 was the first biology course available online at Columbia College. Both of her (now in college) daughters successfully completed the online Bio 50 nutrition course as middle college students while in high school.
Pre Covid, to provide safe opportunities and encouragement for walking in the community, Dr. Dyer organized and facilitated Walking Classes at the Wildcat Ranch. The walking classes have been a joint venture through Columbia College Community Education and the Sonora High School Wildcat Ranch in Spring and Fall 2016 on the cross country course. A session for Summer Morning Movers met early during the summer months and included runners from the cross country team. Walking with the Wildflowers was held at the Westside Railtrail in the Spring 2017 while the Fall 2017 Autumn Movers: Outdoor Walking Class was held at the Sonora High School Wildcat Ranch. The Spring 2018 walking class, Walk in the Spring: Outdoor Walking Class, was held at the Westside Railtrail (Mon) and the Westside Property (Weds) in Tuolumne, CA. The Fall 2018 and Spring 2019 Walking classes were held at Dragoon Gulch near downtown Sonora. The Fall 2019 walking class was held at the Sonora High School Wildcat Ranch. The walking classes have been 'on pause" since Spring 2020 due to the various Covid-19 outbreaks. Perhaps by Fall 2023 it will be safe to hold the walking class once again as a community health outreach..
The walking class was inspired by the former Surgeon General's 2015 Call to Action to promote walking and walkable communities. In 2016 our walkers and runners logged over 560 hours, with 70 hours as summer and fall running hours. Our dedicated group of Spring walkers, who for the first time included several dogs, logged over 100 people walking hours and nearly 20 dog walking hours in 2017. Participants in the autumn class logged over 175 hours with our first-time virtual participants logging at least 80 hours. Another 80 walkers and 20 runners showing up for the first Run/Walk after Turkey Day. Our Spring walkers logged over 100 hours between the two Westside trails in Tuolumne. In Fall 2019 our walkers logged over 135 hours and we hosted the third Run/Walk after Turkey Day.
Courses I Teach
Web Sites
- Body Weight Planner - From the National Institute of Health | NIDDK
- Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) Calculator - From the USDA
- MyPlate - USDA Healthy Eating Guidelines
Publications
- Selected Presentations and Publications by Dr. Kirsti A. Dyer
- Evaluating Food Guides to Find, Follow, and Recommend a Reasonably Healthy Eating Plan. Fall 2018. Integrative Medicine Scholars Program. AMSA (American Medical Student Association).
- Teaching in an Era of Fake News: How to Decipher Evidence-Based Facts from Fiction. 2018. 23rd Annual TCC Worldwide Online Conference.
- Food as Medicine: Evaluating the Healthfulness of Various Eating Guidelines. Fall 2017. Integrative Medicine Scholars Program. AMSA (American Medical Student Association).
- Using the CRAP Test to Identify False News, Misinformation, and Alternative Facts Online. 2017. 22th Annual TCC Worldwide Online Conference.
- Getting the Word Out: Using Student Marketing Projects to Promote Departments and Special Certificates. 2016. 21th Annual TCC Worldwide Online Conference.
- Evaluating Eating Guides to Advise on Healthy Eating Plans. Fall 2015. Integrative Medicine Scholars Program. AMSA (American Medical Student Association).
- Moving Poster Project Presentations to the Online Classroom Using Blackboard Wiki Course Tool. 2015. 20th Annual TCC Worldwide Online Conference
- Food as Medicine: How Micronutrients Affect Health and Wellness. Fall 2014. Integrative Medicine Scholars Program. AMSA (American Medical Student Association).
- Rx (Prescription) for Nutrients: How Food Affects Health and Well Being. Spring 2014. Integrative Medicine Scholars Program. AMSA (American Medical Student Association).
- Herbs and Spices: Seasoning for Taste and Health Benefits. Spring 2014. Integrative Medicine Scholars Program. AMSA (American Medical Student Association).
- Potentials and Pitfalls of MOOC’s: Experiencing Massive Open Online Courses from the Instructor-as-Student Perspective. 2014. 19th Annual TCC Worldwide Online Conference.
- Evaluating the Healthfulness of Various Diet Plans. Fall 2013. Integrative Medicine Scholars Program. AMSA (American Medical Student Association)
- Move it More >>> Especially When Teaching Online, Desktop Seminar. @ One Desktop Webinars. Fall 2013. Archive Webinar.
- Reviewing and Evaluating Online Food Tracking / Diet Analysis Programs to Integrate into a Nutrition Course. 2013. 18th Annual TCC Worldwide Online Conference.
- Growing Online Education and Use, Sedentary Lifestyles, Rising Obesity and Overweight Rates: Are there connections? 2012. 17th Annual TCC Worldwide Online Conference.
- Strategies to Support Grieving NICU Parents – Part 2. NICU Support Teleseminar. University of Connecticut Health Center (UCHC), John Dempsey Hospital. August 2011.
- Grief in the NICU – Part 1. NICU Support Teleseminar. University of Connecticut Health Center (UCHC), John Dempsey Hospital. June 2011.
- Grief in the NICU: Identifying and Working with Grieving Parents. NAPSW (National Association of Perinatal Social Workers) Annual Conference. May 2011.
- Free Online Tools and Success Stories for Teaching in Lean Times. Online Teaching Conference. June 2010. At:
- Challenges of Maintaining Academic Integrity in an Age of Collaboration, Sharing and Social Networking. 15th Annual TCC Worldwide Online Conference. April 2010.
- Using e-Journals or Web Journals to Enhance Learning in the Online Classroom. International Online Conference for Teaching and Learning. March 2010.
- Copy and Paste Generation: Promoting Academic Integrity and Preventing Plagiarism. Online Teaching Conference. June 2009.
- Zero Cost Web 2.0 Tools for Collaborating Online. Online Teaching Conference. June 2009.
- Low-Cost Programs to Increase Children's Physical Activity and Inspire Healthy Lifestyles. Network for a Healthy California Conference, Inspiring Healthy Change Together. Poster Presentation. March 2009.
- We're All Winners: Increasing Physical Activity, Promoting Self-Esteem & Inspiring Healthy Habits. Network for a Healthy California. "Inspiring Healthy Change Together" March 2009 Conference.
- Walking in October (Walktober) Encouraging Children and Families to Walk and Be More Active. Network for a Healthy California. "Inspiring Healthy Change Together" March 2009 Conference.
- Grief in the NICU: Identifying, Understanding and Helping Grieving Parents. Managing the Spectrum of Maternal Mental Health Issues from Conception through the Neonatal Experience at the HHC Perinatal Conference, March 2009.
- Students benefit from e-Journaling or using Web Journals in an Online Grief, Loss & Bereavement Course. TCC Worldwide Online Conference. Referred Proceedings Volume 2009, Number 1 (pages 29-39).
Downloadable Files
- Bio50_Syllabus_Spring_2024.pdf - Bio 50 Nutrition Spring 2024 Syllabus. See Canvas for the Course Schedule.