Let the Adventure Begin!

Although I’m only three short weeks into the internship experience through Cal Poly, I already feel as though I’ve learned so much. I jumped into my 12-week clinical rotation at Marian Medical Center and right off the bat put the knowledge I gained in my medical nutrition therapy courses to the test. It can be frustrating if you have high standards set for yourself, and you dive headfirst into an environment that is in my case, unfamiliar territory. It’s also easy to get overwhelmed or feel as though you don’t know as much as you should when you hit the ground running (or attempt to) in the midst of experienced clinical dietitians. So if you feel intimidated about a future clinical rotation, I completely understand where you’re coming from. A wonderful tool I’ve learned to use that’s important in any rotation is to give yourself some grace… which looks like compassion and patience for yourself as you learn, make mistakes, and learn again along the way. You’re not going to know it all, you’re not always going to have the right answer, and you’re not always going to know what to do. And that’s okay! Just stay eager to learn, remember you know more than you think, what you don’t know you will learn and believe you’re going to rock it!

So to recap, in the past month I managed to navigate the various emotions that come along with moving across the country, starting a new chapter in life, and beginning my first rotation in my least confident area of dietetics. Not to mention doing so in the midst of a pandemic and then add hazardous air quality to the mix making it difficult to get outside honestly made it rough! Especially for someone who finds the best way to decompress and come alive is to spend time outdoors. I’m happy to share that as I write this, the smoke has cleared, the sun has come out and I was able to hike Montaña de Oro with three other interns this past weekend. It was everything I needed!

The friendships I developed, the fresh air I missed so much, and the exercise just made my entire weekend. Although my clinical rotation and my didactic workload isn’t too strenuous at this point, I know I can reflect back on this past weekend’s hike when it does become more challenging. My friends, the fresh air (hopefully), and exercise will be there to turn to when I encounter obstacles and need a pick me up. So no matter what stage you are at, a dietetic student preparing to apply for internships or another intern in your rotation, remember to take a step back from time to time and just breathe. It’s important not to view taking personal time as time taken away from being productive. Instead, view it as time to revitalize and regain or boost your productivity. The more you can show up to your rotation as your best and re-energized self, the better off your experience will be!