7 Ways to Impress your Preceptors!
Hello and welcome to our blog! My name’s Alyssa Los and I am one of the nine lucky people to call myself a Dietetic Intern at The California Polytechnic State University of San Luis Obispo. I’m in the process of completing my first rotation at the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo (also known as the SLO Food Bank) and I’m exuding gratitude for being able to be placed in this rewarding rotation.
The SLO Food Bank not only provides food to those in need, but focuses on healthy eating- nearly 50% of the distributed food is produce given to the county’s 70 distribution sites! My responsibilities at the SLO Food Bank have included creating healthy recipes, photographing recipes for social media posts, educating the public with nutrition presentations and attending events to better my understanding of this incredible organization.
Through all my experiences these past several weeks I thought I would list the 7 things I’ve learned about being a Dietetic Intern and how you can impress your own preceptor:
Do research and ask questions. To get the most out of your internship, make sure you research your rotation ahead of time so you feel prepared going into your site. Next, ask your preceptors any questions you have throughout the rotation since they are filled with a plethora of great insight and wisdom.
Get involved and embrace opportunities. If your
preceptor or any staff members mention an optional opportunity, dive right in! Soak up as many experiences as possible so that you are well versed and look like a team player.
Make connections. Your internship year is a vital time period for you to network with others and make good impressions. Nutrition can be a small field and it can feel like everyone seems to know everyone. Already, I met a Dietitian during a classroom management meeting and the next day I called her for her advice on a teen mom nutrition presentation I was executing.
Take initiative. Don’t wait for your preceptor to ask you to do something, instead if you see something that needs to be done, take action! Your preceptor will be thankful and it will prepare you to become a “real life” Registered Dietitian.
Lean on your other interns. Your intern cohort is a great resource to lean on when you need advice, have questions or want a break with yoga after a day of hard work. One of the pluses of this internship is that you get to see your cohort weekly, so bond over the hectic lifestyle you all live!
Remember it’s not just about the science. Nutritional Science students tend to be well versed in metabolism and the body’s processes on a micro scale. This is of course great knowledge to know, however it’s important for us to remember those without a degree in Nutritional Science may feel lost during our explanations. Find ways to use your background knowledge in nutrition, however still make sure you can explain this understanding on a basic level for patients.
Have empathy. Changing behavior is hard. Using empathy with our clients allows us to build rapport. It’s also important to remind yourself that we as nutritional professionals are there to help improve their health, not shame them on their body or their food choices.
I hope these tips help you prepare for your rotations and allow you to become a successful intern. Feel free to comment below if you have any questions or more tips for interns!