It’s all about Perspective

Wow, how time has flown! I now have just a little over 3 months left in this 10-month internship. I want to take you through my journey as an intern thus far and talk about tips, insights, regrets, and the importance of having the right perspective.

Going into this internship I, like most of you, already had some preconceived notions. Now that I am more than halfway done with my internship, I realize how different things turned out than I had originally thought.

My first rotation was my clinical rotation at St. John’s Regional Medical Center. This was an 11-week rotation. I worked alongside 4 different preceptors at this site.

Tips:

• Review lab values and what they indicate if they are high or low.

• Ask for copies of the educational handouts your hospital uses and get familiar with that material. By really knowing the material you are teaching, and not just reading off a paper, you feel and sound more confident and personable with your patients.

• Ask lots of questions! Try not to feel bad about not knowing things, we are still learning! Don’t miss out on your chance to really understand the information.

• Write everything down! These clinical dietitians are information gold mines. You’re not going to find most of this stuff in a book.

Insights:

• Clinical was challenging

• Not as intimidating as I thought

• You have great opportunities to build great relationships

• I learned so much and feel like there is still so much to learn

Regrets:

• Wish I would have taken more notes

• Wish I would have asked more questions

• Wish I would have slowed down and taken more time to focus on absorbing the valuable information.

Perspective:

You are spending your time and money to be here to learn from the pros. It’s not just a job or task to check off, it is an opportunity to absorb everything you possibly can. I advise you to make connections and get professionals in your corner.

My next rotation was at Santa Barbara Public Health. This rotation had two main departments: WIC and the public health clinics.

Tips:

• Speak up and advocate for yourself! If you feel like you aren’t getting enough time with client interactions, projects, or too much time simply observing, speak up. Advocate for yourself and your time so you can make the most out of your experience.

• Be independent. People that work here are busy and may not have the time to walk you through everything or keep you occupied all the time. Being more independent will help you focus and challenge yourself.

Insights:

• Knowing Spanish is highly important at this rotation

• Government jobs come with less flexibility and independence

• Learned a lot about infant and child nutrition

• Learned a lot about breastfeeding moms

Regrets:

• Wish I would have spoken up and advocated for myself more

• Wish I would have asked more questions

Perspective:

If you are at a rotation site that isn’t the right fit for you, try to look at it as a learning opportunity. By figuring out what rotations don’t align with you and your interests during your internship, you get the chance to figure that out now instead of ending up in a job and finding out then.

In my third rotation, I worked at a private practice called Functional Fueling Nutrition. This private practice focused on hormone and gut health.

Tips:

• Stop thinking about yourself as a student and start thinking about yourself as a professional

• If you aren’t familiar with the topic, keep a list of topics to research after work so you can get a better understanding

• Write questions down! This was a fast-paced work environment, and I didn’t always have time to ask my questions at the time.

Insights:

• There is so much more to learn in specialty fields of nutrition that you weren’t taught in undergrad

• Some clients knew more about certain topics than I did

• Learned about running a private practice

• Learned what I do and don’t want my business to look like

Regrets:

• Wish I would have asked more questions

• Wish I would have asked how I could prepare better

• Wish I would have written down more notes

Perspective: If you can have a say, take advantage of it! We were able to choose our elective rotations and by taking time to research what was out there I was able to pick what suited me best.

Currently, I am at Goleta Union School District for my food service rotation. This is an 8-week rotation and I have one week left here

Tips:

• If you have a preceptor that is willing and able to give you their attention and opinion, take full advantage

• If you find yourself interested in the rotation, ask specifics, make connections, learn about what it takes to get hired in a similar role

Insights:

• Being a food service director doesn’t necessarily mean you are always handling food

• You can focus on many roles working at a school district: sustainability, nutrition education, meal planning, finances, policy, managing. The world is your oyster!

• The connections you make now are important for your future. Find a balance of professionalism and warmness so that you make a good impression but also make new friends and mentors along the way

Regrets:

• No regrets yet, though, I usually feel like I should have asked more questions and written more notes down after a rotation

I hope this helps you get a better idea of what to expect, how to prepare, and how having the right perspective can change your entire experience.