DI Directors Don’t Bite
You’ve been doing your Dietetic Internship Search homework. Scrolling through lists of internships on eatrightpro.org. Reviewing the Applicant Guide to Supervised Practice. Visiting programs’ websites. You’ve been comparing and contrasting all the programs you like. Maybe even entered all the data into a spreadsheet. You are prepared.
But here’s the thing. If you want to narrow down your list just to those programs that are a good fit, you want to go beyond the data. All those logistical factors are an important place to start your search. Now, as the next Dietetic Internship (DI) computer matching application deadline looms just two months away, is the time to dig deeper.
The question I encourage you to ask about each internship is: what is it really like to be an intern in this program? You won’t find the answer by reviewing any website or database. You may find some evidence of a program’s culture on their website, but typically what you’ll see there is more about the facts than the feel of a program.
So how do you get the answer? My suggestion is reach out.
Go to open houses. More and more programs are offering virtual / online sessions (Cal Poly hosts one each November and each January), so even if your favorite programs are far away, you can meet the program Directors and see for yourself how they interact with students. These sessions are a great opportunity to ask questions that go beyond start dates, program fees, and rotation lengths. Even if you’re not quite ready to ask your own questions, you can learn a lot just by listening to what other participants ask.
Talk to DI Directors. I know this one is intimidating for some students, especially those who don’t consider themselves very extroverted. But we’re really not a scary group, I swear! DI Directors typically enjoy speaking with applicants and sharing what they find unique about their own programs. You can connect one-on-one with DI Directors by asking questions or introducing yourself after DI open houses or fairs. Just a couple minutes will help you feel out how well you click with that person and what they have to say about their internship. Of course, Directors’ time tends to be scarce – prepare your comments and questions ahead, and take their lead regarding how long to let the chat last.
Request to be put in touch with current interns or alums. Current interns speak at many programs’ open houses (including ours); we share their email addresses so applicants can follow up with more personal questions or find out what interns have to say when their Director isn’t listening in. Your DPD Director can often connect you to an alum from your program who went on to attend that internship you’re checking out. You can also email DI Directors to ask for a contact or two. However you reach them, listen to interns describe their first-hand experiences. Get to know what makes the interns at each program tick, and what it really feels like to be a part of that DI culture, that community.
These strategies come more naturally to some of you than others, which is why some of you have already completed everything on the list above, and others haven’t even started. But I encourage all of you to push yourself to try as many of these strategies as you can. The winter break might be the perfect time to try some of these ideas and take your DI search to the next level.
Side tip about asking questions: It’s good to have burning questions that show you’ve given serious thought about whether each program is a good fit for you. Probe into the culture of the program, the communities served, the types of interns who tend to match, specific experiences offered. Just do your homework first. I love answering thoughtful and intriguing questions about our internship. I don’t feel the same way about questions that can be easily answered by spending 30 seconds on our website. Remember, this is your chance to dig deeper – bring an interest and excitement to your questions that take you beyond what we’ve already gone out of our way to communicate to you in our standard program materials.
Bonus tip about how this can make you a stronger applicant: Of course, reaching out in any of these ways can help you narrow your DI search and determine your DI priorities. You can also use these experiences to help you land a match. When writing your personal statement or during your interview, touch on the conversations you had with us and what you learned. If these discussions helped you figure out that our program is a good fit for you, stand out in the application process by sharing how and why.
No matter what, don’t be afraid to reach out to DI Directors, interns, and alums. Whether by phone, email, or in a crowd of applicants at a DI event, make a quick connection. Learn more about the programs you’re considering and the people who shape each one. I promise … we won’t bite!
PS – We’re taking the next two Fridays off from the blog due to the winter break. Check back for a new post on January 5th!