We Came, We Conquered, We Are Almost RD’s!
You prepare during most of your college years for this moment, building your resume with job and volunteer experiences, tackling all the required Dietetics courses, researching career paths you may pursue, and then finally, you apply for a Dietetic Internship. Then, Match Day comes and just like that all your work pays off (even if it takes a time or two, it comes!). And then, you start what you have been preparing for years for- your Dietetic Internship. Truth is, you can never truly be prepared for your life as an intern. You will make memories to last a lifetime, you will face adversities you never expected, you will learn and experience more than you could have anticipated, and you may feel somewhere between overwhelmed and overjoyed, all in one. And who better to hear these stories from than an intern herself? Right! So, let’s talk about what it is like to be a dietetic intern, specifically an intern fortunate enough to be a part of the amazing internship program at Cal Poly, SLO!
First, let me start by saying, I would not trade a single experience I have had thus far in my internship- the good, the not so good and the extra exciting! An internship is designed for an “RD2Be” to gain 1200 hours of supervised practice in a variety of areas in the field, so you become a well-versed, entry-level nutrition professional, and trust me, you get that and then some. As an intern, I have had a large variety of wonderful learning experiences that all contribute to my future endeavors as a Registered Dietitian! My opportunities began at the Central Coast Treatment Center where I worked with eating disorder clients, learning, growing and experiencing moments that will forever influence and inspire me. I moved on to Food Service Management at San Luis Coastal Unified School District, an opportunity that was busy as could be, but was filled with so many friendly faces. I then had to face the ever so scary clinical rotation, which is the longest and, for me, most intimidating rotation of them all. But guess what? I loved it! I loved the location; I admired my preceptor and I learned much more than a textbook taught me. Now, as I head into the last third of our program year, I recently finished my community rotation at Vandenberg Air Force Base and am back at Twin Cities Community Hospital where I completed my clinical rotation- a location I truly feel like a team member at after all my work experience there! Each of these experiences has been unique, making my internship one I know will greatly benefit my future career in whichever pathway I find myself in!
Each of my rotation experiences has been so rewarding. The accomplishments I have made range from the satisfaction of completing multiple projects at once and receiving positive feedback on each of these moving parts, to the happiness I feel after completing a presentation, especially to a youth audience, who love to hear about everything you have to share! I got to teach children in a kindergarten classroom followed by taste testing apples together through my San Luis Coastal Unified School District rotation and it was possibly my favorite opportunity so far! I have also found accomplishment in the beautiful experience of meeting so many new people who have impacted my life and given me new inspirations- the staff at the Central Coast Treatment Center was exactly that! I also have embraced the adversities I have faced, some within the internship, some things life just throws your way. I have continued to discover things about myself and grow in many facets while overcoming these adversities.
The biggest take away for me has come from my site experiences. Every rotation comes with program projects to complete, preceptor assigned tasks to get creative with in tackling, and the always intimidating “End-of-Rotation Evaluations” to discuss your strengths and areas to improve on. However, these evaluations have come to be one of the best parts of a rotation for me. Though it is hard to be constantly evaluated and receive constructive feedback on all the hard work you do, you also hear about the strengths you possess and display at each rotation. To hear that you are very compassionate when working with patients and clients is so intrinsically rewarding. Or that you are thorough and professional in your work ethic. Or that you possess the ability to shed light on things in a different manner than others typically look at it. These are all words of encouragement I have received and use to help me during each of my next rotations! However, the feedback I have found even more beneficial than hearing about my strengths is learning about areas I could improve on or receiving constructive feedback. I have found that receiving insight about different ways to do things, or hearing words of wisdom to use as I move forward in my internship are the most helpful pieces of feedback I can receive. Likewise, I feel I will be the best entry-level professional by listening and practicing the feedback I receive.
Though it sounds like a lot - and trust me, there are times when you will be busier than ever - you come out the other side more prepared for any future endeavor you may pursue! What truly gets me through it all though is my support system. I am fortunate enough to have a supportive family who visits me when they can so we can explore this beautiful area off the central coast of California! I also have the direct support of my amazing cohort and director. A group of people who were complete strangers just six months ago are now the people I look forward to seeing every Monday for class. Having a cohort to confide in, lean on, reach out to or do fun things in the area with is the best part of being an intern! We all have so much to learn from each other! Plus, the biggest bonus of this program is our leader, mentor, and director, Kati, who is the truest supporter of us all in every way. To have a program director who shows compassion, dedication and inspiration to our cohort makes this program one I believe to be incomparable.
To finish it all off, even if the life of an intern is busier than any other chapter thus far, having the opportunity to complete such an accomplishment in one of the most beautiful areas in California is unbeatable! Sure, homework, projects and life are stressful, but when you can drive to a local coffee shop overlooking the ocean to check off your to-do list on the weekends, all your struggles seem much more manageable. The life of an intern is an experience that comes quick and leaves even quicker. Time has flown by and in the past six months, I have learned more than I could have ever imaged possible. The biggest take-away from this opportunity is to embrace and learn from each new experience!
