If We Can Do It, You Can Too!
Months before the start of my dietetic internship (the application submission date all the way until the first day of orientation) my world was spinning. I matched with the Cal Poly Dietetic Internship, walked across the stage to receive my college diploma, drove 3,200 miles across the country with my Dad (lots of father-daughter bonding!) and signed a year lease with three girls and a dog I had never met before in a new city that I had yet to explore. I also spent lots of time with friends and family, traveled, and worked to save up for the expensive year ahead.
Trust me, the months before this internship are crazy and exciting. As many of you probably do now, I had preconceived notions, thoughts, and ideas of what life would be like as a dietetic intern. I want to share some of the many things that I have learned about being a dietetic intern thus far.
Community and Connections
It is not even winter break yet and I can already name over 20 dietitians and professionals who I have had the opportunity to work with or meet. San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara are very connected communities and there is crossover between community partnerships, clinical sites, and Cal Poly alumni. I learned this especially though my food service rotation at San Luis Coastal Unified School District and my community rotation at UC Cooperative Extension. While attending the SLO Food Bank’s 30th anniversary luncheon with my current preceptor Erin, I had the pleasure of meeting my next preceptors, Shannon and Dayna. Angel, a fellow intern, was completing his rotation at SLO Food Bank at that time, so I had the chance to catch up with him over deliciously large sandwiches. Similar events and committee meetings are happening all the time in San Luis Obispo, which not only leads to stronger connections but also a greater sense of community.
I also had the opportunity to attend FNCE (Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo) as a student host this fall. I was able to connect not only with my DPD friends but also with new professionals and current interns across the country. While volunteering at the speaker check-in desk, I met a fellow intern from Houston, Texas. Part of her internship includes time at the teaching kitchen and nourish garden affiliated with UT Health Science Center. She later connected me to the Chef RDN on staff to talk about completing my elective rotation there in the spring. I highly recommended all future interns to consider attending FNCE and supporting the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, which supports our professional goals and values. As an intern, you will get to interact with so many incredible individuals and learn about opportunities in the community and field of dietetics that you had no idea existed, and therefore might spark an interest to you (you also get to sample and take home some pretty delicious goodies from the expo!) Remember to take every opportunity that comes your way if possible, because it is awesome to meet new people and learn new things.
Intern Support System
Along with connections in the professional realm, I also have made connections in the form of lifelong friendships within my internship cohort. My cohort and internship director have become not only new friends, but my “home away from home.” Their support is unwavering, and they always have a new perspective on ideas, listening ears, and are the people who understand what you are going through the most. I won’t sugar coat it; your dietetic internship year will be very challenging, but it will push you to be the best version of yourself and give you all of the keys to unlock the doors ahead. If you lean on your cohort, you are guaranteed to succeed.
Trust Yourself
Lastly, I have learned that to my initial surprise, I actually am prepared for this year. You might think that you will not feel prepared at first, have memorized every lab value and marker of malnutrition, or remember what a #10 can looks like. That’s ok! Trust me, I thought that too and sometimes I really lost confidence in myself. This internship has taught me more than anything to take a deep breath and trust myself. I have all the tools I need to succeed, I am here for a reason, and I will make a great dietitian someday. My first preceptor told me, “You have the skills, you just need to build up that confidence, and that will all happen with practice.” I have learned that this year is all about practice and if you remember that, it all seems a little less daunting.
