One Day at a Time

I have just a few weeks left as a dietetic intern and I have learned so many lessons during my journey. My experiences during each rotation and with each preceptor have been completely different. Now that I am nearing the end of my internship experiences, I can reflect on key lessons and take-aways I have learned along the way. I hope this will be helpful and provide comfort and support to future interns.

1) One day at a time

During the first week of orientation, we went over all the competencies and projects expected during the 10-month program. I’m sure I can speak for all the other interns when I say that this was an overwhelming time. Even when I began my first few rotations, I couldn’t help but be intimidated when thinking about the long list of remaining projects I had to complete. The interns and I often spoke about this and we made sure to remind each other that our mindset has to remain focused on taking on one project at a time. My suggestion would be to try and form open and honest relationships with the other interns. This will give you comfort in knowing that you are not alone; you can help each other stay positive and focused on current tasks.

2) Stay organized

This may seem like an obvious and generic concept, but it is actually more challenging than you would think. I worked on multiple projects throughout each rotation. Each project often contained multiple components, so they took longer to complete. Some preceptors prioritized my projects more than others. I would suggest meeting with your preceptor within the first day or two of your rotation to go over projects and your expected competencies to complete. The time you discuss projects with your preceptors may need to be entirely scheduled and organized by you. On top of rotation projects, you also have didactic assignments, projects, and presentations. You are often juggling a handful (or two handfuls) of items at once. I would highly suggest getting some sort of planner for the internship. I had a planner with a monthly, weekly, and daily spread. I used my monthly spread to note down when things were due and my weekly spread to break down process of projects and assignments. The daily spreads were to make sure I was getting things done and to make sure I was getting in some self-care as well.

3) Be kind to yourself

I have never been criticized as much as I have during this internship. I had so many kind and patient preceptors, however some feedback was challenging to hear and at times I felt a bit torn down. My suggestion is to really prioritize being kind and gentle to yourself. Schedule time to do things that you enjoy and that will give you relaxation. For me, I decided to join a gym and make sure to have daily movement. I also made sure to prioritize my mental health by journaling and maintaining time with my therapist. This time you set aside for yourself will be so helpful in keeping a positive outlook and having stamina when getting through rotations and projects.