Taking the Lead

With week 19 just down in the books, I can officially say that I am halfway through the Dietetic Internship! I feel a whirlwind of emotions ranging from proud, to excited, to humbled, to astonished, and maybe a little bit of relief. I am not only proud of myself, but also of my fellow interns. We made it this far; and we can continue and finish with our heads held high.

As of present, I have completed 2 community rotations, my food service rotation, my elective rotation, and I am currently in another community rotation. I have learned valuable lessons from each and every one of my preceptors, that I will carry with me through the rest of my internship and into my future profession. The most amazing thing about this internship is the chance we get as interns to actually apply what we learn in real time! For example, in my food service rotation at Marian Regional Medical Center (MRMC), I learned about all of the different special diets that the food service team caters to. I even conducted a menu analysis of the Heart Healthy Diet. Then, I was able to see those meals be made and I even delivered those meals to the patients myself!

One of the highlights of my food service rotation was getting to give back to the entire staff at MRMC by taking on a lead managing role in planning and executing the 2021 Holiday Meal. I organized various aspects of this catering event such as handling all decorations, coordinating deliveries, managing set-up, and participating in serving. Sometimes, the most memorable experiences in this internship are the ones you never expected to have. Being a leader in this catering event taught me the value of organization, planning, communication, and attention to detail. These are life lessons that are transferable to all areas of dietetics and of life! I learned what it would be like to be a manager in the dietetics field. With management, you wear many different hats. One very important hat is making sure that your staff feel cared for and valued. It is your job as a manager to do everything you can to make them feel appreciated in their place of work. The feelings I had when I saw the looks of such appreciation on everyone’s face, was irreplaceable. I was able to show my gratitude to all the staff who had been so kind to me throughout my entire rotation by making sure they could take this time to have a wonderful meal and enjoy themselves. Management is not an easy task, but it is a crucial aspect to the overall dynamic of any dietetic field.

I also had the opportunity to take the lead during my elective rotation. I completed a sports nutrition focused rotation, where I worked on creating a sports nutrition program that will be led by the dietetic interns. During my two weeks, I laid the groundwork and foundation for this program by formulating a needs assessment, an initial nutrition assessment process outline, conducting a literature review, and making our first education presentation to be presented to the Cal Poly Track & Field Team. I wanted to take on this project for my elective rotation so I could learn more about the field of sports dietetics. I wanted to make a lasting impact on this program that will be carried out with cohorts beyond ours. I am proud to say that I was involved firsthand, in starting it. I saw this opportunity to take the lead and spearhead aspects of this project, and I am beyond glad that I did.

Something I learned from this rotation, and a tip I can offer to anyone wanting to get into the field of dietetics, is to make connections! The field of dietetics is full of professionals who are willing to help any aspiring dietitian! Trust me, they are more willing to offer their time and expertise than you think. It may sound scary to just call someone on the phone, but it’s the best way to make personal connections and build your network. Since I was able to overcome the initial fear of calling other sports dietitians, I was able to have meaningful conversations that I will carry with me through my profession. Take the lead, take initiative to reach out to other professionals, and expand your network. A phone call can never hurt! What’s the worst that could happen?!

This internship is what you make of it. You will get out of it, as much as you put in. Taking the lead and identifying windows of opportunity, is a way to gain new learning experiences that you may have not been expecting. You can take the lead in this internship and shape your own journey! Don’t be afraid to take on that managerial role or get involved in a big multifaceted project, because it will always be worth it.