The Key to Making the Greatest Impact as an RD

On any given day during my Food Service Management rotation, you’ll find me working with, guided by, and learning from my preceptor, Sandra Miller. In her role as Clinical Nutrition Manager, Sandy leads the RD staff and oversees the safe creation and delivery of meals and medical nutrition therapy to over 100 patients each day. Sandy has honed her patient-centered approach throughout her career in clinical dietetics as an RD, diabetic educator, quality improvement leader, and clinical or food service manager/director in several hospitals.

On my first day in the rotation, Sandy greeted me with a warm welcome and we got right to work. She asked me what my goals were and has targeted our projects to give me practice in the areas I want to learn about most. Before starting my internship, I imagined my food service management rotation going VERY differently than what I’m experiencing. I pictured spending hours chopping onions or taking inventory in a frigid cooler. I wasn’t exactly thrilled for foodservice. Instead, I was resigned to the fact that it needed to be done to become an RD.

Let me tell you just how different my experience has been from the image I held. From the get-go, Sandy took me under her wing as a member of the management team. I have used my time to enhance temperature checking protocols, employed my ServSafe knowledge to improve food storage practices, and used my background in human resources to create three separate staff training programs. And while I did spend some time prepping food and conducting inventory, it was only a small percentage of my rotation, and I was paired with an amazing cook, aptly named Perky, who loves teaching others. What a win!

I could not have asked for a better mentor to begin my internship with than Sandy, who seems to easily incorporate the hospital’s motto, “Hello humankindness,” into her dealings with colleagues and patients alike. Calm and direct, she models excellent management skills at every turn, advocating for her employees when needed or holding them accountable in a way that doesn’t alienate them. She displays leadership skill with a reserved style that commands attention by showing respect for everyone around her. I feel so fortunate to have been paired with Sandy. Each day feels like a master class with a skilled pro.

It’s not surprising that when asked what part of her career she believes has had the greatest impact, Sandy responds “my time as a preceptor and mentor.” She has encouraged, taught, and mentored dozens of future RDs who would go on to counsel clients in healthcare, public health, and private practice, as well as create their own nutrition tech companies. I like to imagine my future self as one of these successful RD entrepreneurs. And with the support of people like Sandy, for whom mentorship seems, well, second nature, I believe I’ll get there.

What is Sandy’s advice to interns and newbie RDs? “Be an advocate for yourself, have confidence in your own skills, and go out on a limb!” I think that’s great counsel for anyone to carry through their internship rotations and beyond. Perhaps that’s the best part of the internship – meeting the mentors and teachers who can serve as advisors or sounding boards not only for this phase of our career but for years come as well.