Masked and Ready to Go!
It is not a surprise at this point that I, like many dietetic interns, am working remotely from home these days. I will always remember that week in March when our world flipped upside down. From that point on, some weeks have been harder than others. I have learned to be ok not being ok. I have leaned on my peers, friends, and family for support as they have on me. I have become more familiar with my own presence and have reconnected with my passions.
Humans are resilient and adaptable creatures and have always come out stronger on the other side of challenging times in history. Even though the internship has not panned out to exactly what I thought it would be at this point, I have been given other opportunities that I would not have been given if we were not in the midst of a pandemic. It has given me time to really be creative and use our resources and dig into areas of dietetics I find most valuable and am passionate about. I are nearing my final weeks as a dietetic intern so I thought I would share some of my thoughts on what I have learned about being a dietetics professional so far.
Connections and Care
Originally when we were asked to work from home and not return to rotation sites for the unknown future, we were uncertain and worried about what our work would look like and if there was a way to still connect and work with sites. I will tell you that I can speak for all 10 interns when I say that we have had endless opportunities to work with and benefit sites. Whether it’s helping a private practice dietitian write blog posts, creating emergency meal plans for a long-term care facility, or creating cooking videos for a community site, there is always work to be done. I learned quickly that the dietetics community recognizes the skills that interns hold and values them as young professionals. Dietitians along with the Academy have organized many resources for interns to utilize and learn from. It has been a rewarding learning experience working for these professionals during the time of Covid-19.
Adaptability and Response
One important skill that I have learned being a dietetics professional is the importance of adaptability and thinking on your feet. This skill has not only allowed me to succeed in different rotations but has been especially helpful during the pandemic. This year, I have found school food service to be a passion of mine. As soon as I found out that schools were closing indefinitely, I reached out to my preceptor and started to find ways that I could help. This led to packing meals for families, cooking meals for the school food service workers' families each week and helping with various amounts of paperwork. Being a school food service director, you are tasked with making sure hungry kiddos are fed each day. When schools close due to a pandemic, that task does not stop. Putting my skills to work, I became grateful for the opportunity to make a difference and move forward rather than sit still in the uncertainty of life as a 23-year-old entering the job market.
Lastly, I have learned that the dietetics profession is filled with resilient, steadfast individuals. With the power of zoom we have had the opportunity to have many different presentations as well as guest speakers. Some have told us how their profession has changed due to the circumstances and how they are adapting, such as in a clinical setting. Although dietitians are unable to see patients as much, they can call them or use telehealth to communicate. The dietetics community is not one to sit still and watch life continue without their presence. They take action, continue to make positive change, help patients and the community, and use creativity. I am excited to join this profession as a registered dietitian and am empowered to make impactful change. I will continue to learn new things being a dietetics professional but will always remember this time as one where we stood together even while apart.
