Peering Through a Lens of Commonality

In school, the nutrition profession is often portrayed as being categorized under three concise umbrellas: foodservice, community, and clinical. Straightforward enough, right? As humans (and especially type-A nutrition students) we love to place thoughts, ideas, and even ourselves into neat organized categories. It’s simple, it makes sense, and it feels comfortable to know what our niche is.

So, you go to school, complete the didactic program, rock your internship, and voila! By the end of all that back-breaking hard work you slide right into your place in the nutrition world. Armed with skills, experience, and years of education you are ready to make waves and change lives. But what happens when as an intern, you begin to move through these categories like a matcha-latte-and-avocado-toast-fueled speed-dater looking for a professional life match, only to find you don’t really feel like you fit into any of them?

Does that mean you aren’t cut out for the nutrition field?

Is it time for a career change?

Were all of those years of grueling MNT exams, countless volunteer hours, and explaining the difference between a dietitian and nutritionist to all of your friends and family for nothing?

[endif]--Whoa.

Breathe.

If like me you’ve ever found yourself in the same spiral, all hope is not lost.

Though often oversimplified, the nutrition field is vastly more complex and rich with of out-of-the-box opportunities than one might think. To find them, you just have to lean into the unknown, trust your instincts, and focus on the qualities that say the most about you. In the meantime, I’d like to walk you through four of the commonalities I’ve observed among the many different working professionals across our field during my time as an intern. It is through these qualities that I’ve found a unity in our profession – a place where I still feel like I belong and a reason to stick with our core values and love what we do, even if we aren’t quite sure exactly where that lands us on the spectrum of the working world yet.

1) We’re rooted in compassion

I have yet to meet a preceptor or working nutrition professional who claims they chose their position because they get to wear power suits, take home a six-figure income, or harbor a desire to earn a Nobel prize. Not to say that those goals aren’t admirable, but we are a community of professionals who are in this primarily because we care. We care about the well-being of our community, the human right to wholesome food, and healing with nutrition. There is something within all of us that desires to touch lives and make a difference. Compassion is the fuel source that engages us from our core.

2) We’re nerdy

We fill our brains to the brim while working through the DPD program, and the reality is that learning never stops. Nutrition is a volatile field, and research is released on an almost daily basis. In addition to completing CEUs and attending conferences, every preceptor I’ve had devotes a portion of their time to geeking out on up-to-date research. It’s fascinating, we love talking about it, and it’s our responsibility to stay current for our clients.

3) We wear a lot of hats

[endif]--Remember studying for BioChem while also writing a lab report on baking components of chia protein power muffins? The diversity within our field never stops. Many clinical dietitians also host outpatient classes while possibly concurrently ensuring the kitchen is up to date with the new IDDSI guidelines. Foodservice dietitians may spend a day putting out fires between staff they manage while also serving as ambassadors for the wellness committee in the school they work for. We love a challenge, and manage to hold it all together no matter what is thrown our way. ![endif]--

4) We’re creative

In addition to wearing a lot of hats, we have a lot of creative ideas stored in our back pocket. Often more ideas than we know what to do with. Enter the role of an intern! One of my favorite parts of diving into our field has been the opportunity to take some of the many ideas my preceptors haven’t had the time or opportunity to grow, and allowing it to flourish into an incredible project. Without a doubt, every single nutrition professional I’ve worked with is full of amazing ideas, and it’s a beautiful experience to know that creativity is a major component that allows our field to flourish and continue to grow.

As you navigate through your personal journey and experience moments of doubt or insecurity with finding your place within our field, remember to find solace in the traits that unite us. We are an incredible group of professionals and there is strength in finding our diversity and thinking outside of the umbrella. Lead with letting your unique light shine, and the opportunities will follow!

![endif]--![endif]--![endif]--