Dr. Mari Somerville

Dr. Mari Somerville is an embedded health systems researcher with IWK Health and Dalhousie University. As a PhD-trained registered dietitian, she brings both clinical expertise and a demonstrated track-record of applying evidence-based principles in practice. She has worked across multiple healthcare settings, including the public health sector, primary care, acute care, and global health settings. Mari is skilled in implementation science and mixed methods research, applying this expertise to many healthcare contexts including prediabetes, harm reduction, pediatric cancer care, emergency health services, weight management, and medical complexity. Her current work focuses on learning health systems and applying behaviour change theory to improve patient safety and quality care in Nova Scotia.

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Select published work

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• How can we find out what Indigenous children and their families need to manage weight? Lessons from formative nutrition intervention research with First Australians. Nutrients

• Implementation strategies and outcome measures for advancing learning health systems: A mixed methods systematic review. BMC Health Research Policy and Systems

• Harm reduction strategies in acute care for people who use alcohol and/or drugs: A scoping review. PLoS One.

• How do pediatric emergency departments use technology to support discharge communication: A systematic review. JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting

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Education

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• Griffith University

      PhD, Nutrition

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• University of Toronto

      MPH, Community Nutrition

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• Acadia University

      BSc, Nutrition

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Certificates

• Certificate of Global Health, University of Toronto

• Towards Sustainable Health Systems, CASCADES Leadership for Change

• Introduction to Behaviour Change: Principles & Practice, UCL Centre for Behaviour Change Summer School

• Counselling for Behaviour Change, Dietitians of Canada

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