What’s Next for this Dietetics Professional? The Answer May Surprise You
“Okay…what next?”
I’ve always had an answer to this question:
Grade school -> Got in to college
College -> Picked career, got in to internship
Internship -> ?
This is the first time in my life when I will be finishing a step (the DI) without a clear view of the next one. However, this is a conscious decision I have made; I’m just not ready to be a full-time RD.
WHAT?
Don’t get me wrong; I love being an intern and am so excited to begin my career as a dietitian…just not yet. The part of me that is used to having the next step figured out is very uncomfortable with this decision and just wants me to get a job. However, my rotations taught me that taking a break can also play an important role in professional development.
In my dialysis rotation, I realized just how important it is to really be on top of your knowledge. I discovered how much I loved investigating abnormal lab values, dosing medications, and how these elements work with nutrition interventions for each individual patient. I enjoyed sitting with a patient, investigating their diet to find just ONE SMALL change they could make to decrease their potassium.
In my elective rotation, I counseled clients with eating disorders for a private practice dietitian. It takes energy and effort to express the empathy and critical thinking that every client deserves. An ED dietitian must listen, reflect, prevent triggers, consider individual solutions, and remain genuine above all else.
The dietetics profession requires focus and dedication, and I want to be able to give it my all when I am finally ready to dive in. I don’t know if I will have two weeks of time to myself or two months, but whatever time I have will be time well-spent. I know each of you can find a balance that works for you too.
Why waiting can be the right choice:
Internship burnout is real. I have spent the past 10 months giving my all to classes, rotations, a part-time job, and doing my best to maintain relationships and self-care. In the last few weeks, I realized it has been a real push to have the energy and drive to get the most out of my rotations. I owe it to my future career to be fresh, ready, and motivated to do my best work.
There’s an RD exam to pass! I learned early on in my life that I am a horrible multitasker; if I try to juggle too many tasks, they all end up with mediocre products. Honestly, we’re all horrible multitaskers. In order to be successful in passing this exam, it will take some serious time and attention.
You can take time to investigate your values outside of nutrition (or English or engineering or underwater basket-weaving or whatever your future career); where do you want to live? What kind of career do you want as your first? These factors are not entirely within your control, but it is important to maintain perspective. I value sustainability, because I’m an avid outdoorswoman and want to protect the environment! I want to investigate more ways to make this part of my dietetics career.
You can build identity capital, a concept investigated in the book The Defining Decade by psychologist Meg Jay. She defines it as “the investments we make in ourselves, the things we do well enough, or long enough, that they become a part of who we are.” Identity capital includes things you may find on a resume, as well as personal features and soft skills.
To those of you who feel energized and are ready to jump in, I applaud you! For those of you floating on my undocked boat, I hope this post offers you the comfort of knowing you can wait to find solid ground. Until then, farewell DI and hello world!
Disclaimer: I write this post from the perspective of someone who is not financially obligated to begin a full-time career as soon as I complete the internship. This is a result of both my own preparations and my family’s assistance. I recognize that I am very privileged to have this opportunity and understand it is not a choice available to everyone.