Mindset is Everything
By Dana Gertschen, Cal Poly Dietetic Intern
I honestly couldn’t tell you how it’s May already. It feels as though I just started my internship yesterday and my time with Cal Poly's DI is coming to a close quicker than I anticipated. I can’t put into words how much I have grown since beginning my internship, how much I have learned as a professional in this field, and how excited I am to continue learning and growing as I pursue my dream of becoming an RD.
Since time is moving so quickly, some of you will be starting your internship before you know it. But before you do, I’d love to share a few things I've learned that have helped me be successful during my internship. I won’t be diving into anything specific that I’ve learned so far but instead, think it would be more beneficial to share with you how you can create a sound mindset that will set you up for success.
An important concept I’ve learned in each rotation so far and a bit of advice I would give to someone preparing for their internship would be to stay confident in your competence. I remember moments last year when I would look ahead and envision my internship experience coming up. Just thinking about all the different rotations, from clinical to food service, to numerous community rotations…I definitely went through moments when I questioned whether or not I knew enough. And although you may be taking a big sigh of relief if you matched this round, you may also be shifting your gaze ahead towards your internship and finding the idea a little bit daunting. I won’t sugar-coat it, heading into the internship is a lot like diving off the high board, and instead of landing in the pool, you find yourself landing back at the bottom of the totem pole. But fear not, because it's totally possible to rock the bottom of the totem pole! So before you place any additional pressure on yourself by thinking you maybe don’t know as much as you should, I hope I can ease your mind while you prepare to take the next step in your journey.
Switching different rotations, and sometimes doing so in short time spans, can be extremely challenging especially if you’re like me and you like settling into a steady routine. This constant change will keep you on your toes… not to mention, it can be overwhelming to think that there is still SO MUCH more to learn in all the different rotations you’ll be given. With that being said, don’t let this intimidate you. Instead, approach each of your rotations (even the ones you might not be looking forward to) with confidence and curiosity. My mindset for each rotation looked a lot like this: “I’m confident in the things that I do know, it’s okay to be honest about the things I do not know, and if I don’t know something I am supposed to, I will learn it.”
Staying confident in my competence along the way has allowed me to grow tremendously in each rotation, and I noticed the more I believed in myself, the more confident my preceptors were in my ability to perform as an entry-level dietitian. Continuously showing up with confidence in yourself and your abilities each day is key. It's also important to find a balance between confidence and curiosity and in doing so, you’ll demonstrate to your preceptors your confidence in your abilities (without being overly confident) and your eagerness to continue learning, which they love to see!
Another bit of advice I would give is to stay open to opportunities throughout your internship. There are always ways to get involved, network, and take advantage of experiences as they come along. For example, just this past week I came into contact with the Wisconson National Guards' Comprehensive Health and Wellness Program Manager. From this short encounter, I was given the opportunity to provide National Guard soldiers with 1:1 virtual coaching sessions aimed at building a healthy relationship with food using an intuitive eating approach. I can't tell you how much this opportunity set's my heart on fire and I love that I'll be able to use my passion for nutrition to serve the soldiers in my home state in this way. So... explore, reach out, connect, and see where unexpected opportunities lead you!
Lastly, remember and firmly believe that you were selected to be an intern for a reason. You are already so capable and ready to take this next step in your pursuit of becoming a registered dietitian. You already have the skills, tools, and knowledge to be successful, you just need more experience and time to demonstrate them (which is exactly what the internship is for). Just because there’s more to learn doesn’t mean you don’t know enough! With how diverse this field is, the learning opportunities are endless and there will always be more to learn. Nevertheless, I can assure you that staying curious, believing in yourself, and having true confidence in your competence as a professional will take you farther than you could have ever imagined. Best of luck, you're going to rock it!
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