The Key to Being a Super Successful Dietetics Professional
It’s crazy to think that around this time last year, I was working on my application profile and sorting through info on all of the dietetic internships there are across the country. And here I am today, sitting at my favorite coffee spot in beautiful, sunny Santa Barbara, writing a post for the Cal Poly DI blog. I chose this internship because I wanted to jump into the world of dietetics and see all that it has to offer, and it was clear to me that Cal Poly was going to give me that. And of course, my experience has been nothing short of amazing, and more than I ever could have expected.
Over the last 10 weeks, I’ve gotten the chance to work with dietitians and health professionals from all across the board. From all these different experiences, the biggest thing I’ve learned so far about being a dietetics professional is that no job experience is the same. Every professional approaches their job in their own unique way, using their strengths to guide their way….
Weeks 1 and 2: Long Term Care
In my first week I spent time with a clinically minded dietitian at a long-term care facility. My second week was at a different long-term care facility, with a dietitian who had more of a food service background. Both RDs had very similar roles as important members of the interdisciplinary team- assessing and charting on patients, attending manager meetings, overseeing kitchen activities and menu changes, etc. Yet each took the position and made it their own! The more clinically minded RD spent her time interacting with patients in the halls or during nutrition assessments, charting in her office, and heading to the kitchen only when needed. The second RD, however, chose to have her office moved to inside the kitchen itself. She enjoyed being in the thick of things, and at meal times could usually be found in one of the dining rooms with the patients or running to the kitchen to bring them what they needed.
Weeks 3 through 6: Public Health Department
Next I moved on to the Nutrition Services branch of the Public Health Department in Santa Barbara County. Here I worked with different RDs and nutrition educators, each with their own way of doing things. I observed and participated in group education classes, health fairs, diabetes clinics, counseling in WIC and outpatient clinics, and much more! Most of the counseling sessions had a similar structure that included introductions, food recalls, and an education piece. Certain aspects were consistent regardless of who was running the session, such as always asking participants permission before giving education materials, or making sure to “meet them were they are” with realistic and achievable goals. Yet with each new experience, I saw again the many roles a dietitian can play and the varying styles of counseling and educating one might take. I’ve seen very direct approaches, where they tell the participant exactly what to do and not to do. Others used motivational interviewing and worked more to have the participants determine their own goals.
Weeks 7 through 10: Foodbank of Santa Barbara County
I spent my next rotation at the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County. Here there were three program coordinators who worked to incorporate food literacy and nutrition education pieces into the various food bank programs. Although there was no RD role, there was definitely a place for me here, and potential to bring an RD into this area. As an intern I was given the autonomy to choose which programs and populations I wanted to work with and what kinds of projects and work I was interested in doing. After over a month of observing various professionals in the field approach their RD roles in so many different ways, it was really great I was able to do a bit of this myself during this rotation!
It’s actually crazy for me to look back on the last 10 weeks and reflect on how much I have seen and done so far. Every day has brought new and exciting adventures, and challenges to overcome. I can say that I have most certainly dived into the dietetics world and seen so many roles a dietitian can play.
The greatest thing about all of this is that I’ve seen so many different styles and approaches to being a dietetics professional, but at the core of each one is the desire to connect with and help the people they serve. After all, isn’t that why we are all here?
So, what is the key to being a super successful dietetics professional? The key is to be YOU. Find your passions, and follow them (but don’t forget to be open to the idea of finding new passions, because you never know until you try)! Discover your strengths, work to develop those strengths every day, and build your career upon them. Take your style, your strengths, your interests, and that desire to make a difference in others’ lives through the power of nutrition, and let your unique self guide the way.