WE DID IT!

(Though the interns graduated in June, there's more to share. We hope you'll enjoy Carisa's reflection on the year just completed)

To summarize the internship experience this year feels nearly impossible. And summarizing in a way where I don’t end up rambling? Welp, good luck.

From our acceptance day (April 5, 2020) to our graduation (June 21, 2021), this year’s cohort has had the internship on our mind for 443 days – which includes 1000+ hours of professional experience, 34 possible rotation sites, 11 months of never-ending hard work (including summer assignments), 4 institution-approved in-person class sessions, and 1 wild global pandemic.

When applying to this internship, one of the most notable qualities I liked about this program was the sense of community I noticed amongst the cohort. It has been true for past years, and it remains true for this year. These girls I met are, and always will be my dietetic support team.

So, as I often did throughout the year, I leaned on my fellow interns again for some help. I asked each of them to answer three questions for me with a few words:

1. Describe the internship experience overall.

2. Describe how you feel about graduating.

3. Describe what your next step looks like and/or what field of dietetics you are most interested in.

The Cal Poly SLO Interns of 2020-2021

Question #1: Describe the internship experience overall.

The words that came to mind were challenging, rewarding, overwhelming, eye-opening, empowering, unexpected, lonely, adaptable, full of camaraderie, demanding, and bittersweet.

These words capture the full spectrum of emotions. To be blunt, this year was not easy. To describe some of the words related to my experience, this year was 100% challenging. It pushed me mentally in ways I had not yet experienced. From being responsive to each preceptor and their unique mentoring styles to creating projects and programs to best meet the needs of the community, it was demanding. At times, it was also lonely and unexpected. I was lucky enough to have roommates during this internship (fellow intern, Dana, and her pup, Echo) and sometimes even share a rotation site with another intern, but due to COVID, we had few chances to meet with our other cohort members.

But, despite the challenges, there were empowering and rewarding moments where professional and personal growth happened. It was empowering to be put in situations where I found my professional voice and was able to use my dietetic knowledge to hold difficult conversations with other staff. For example, calling the MD during my clinical rotation just about made my heart drop every time, but to be able to advocate for my patient’s health made me proud. And it was rewarding to receive positive feedback from patients, residents, and clients, which helped reinforce my experiences where I can confidently use clinical judgment in all situations.

Overall, the internship was filled with comradery. I loved logging onto Monday zoom class in my pajamas with my mug of coffee, to see that everyone else was also wrapped up in blankets and clutching their coffee cups. It gave me reassurance to hear how my fellow interns were doing, with the good and the bad, and it reminded me that I was not alone, only distanced. We were each having the opportunities we needed to better meet our career goals.

Nature, friends and a pup are sometimes all one needs.

Question 2: Describe how you feel about graduating.

Upon graduating, we feel resilient, confident, tired, accomplished, excited, nervous, anxious, relieved, joyful, and ready.

Speaking for the cohort, we can’t believe we did it, and we did it well. *Insert a deep breath here*

The day I ended my final day as an intern was surreal to know that I have completed this stage of my career. It makes the act of becoming a dietitian so much more rewarding to me. I feel accomplished for completing all my required hours, resilient in doing so during a COVID year, nervous to take the RD exam, excited to finally be paid, and ready for what is next.

Question 3: Describe what your next step looks like and/or what field of dietetics you are most interested.

Responses were across the board. Some interns are taking their RD exam in a month, some in two months, and some in six months. One intern is continuing her pursuit of a Master’s degree. Others are starting their own private practice. We have interns interested in geriatric nutrition and long-term care, acute care, food science, eating disorders, sports nutrition for tactical athletes, and diabetes management. We even have an intern who honestly said she doesn’t know what is next!

(Sooner to be) RDs2Be having lunch together on the Cal Poly campus!

What I wanted to bring to light is that our experiences are all different and our future goals are all different, but something we will always have in common is our time as Cal Poly interns. Due to the circumstances of this year, we had high highs, and we had low lows, but we also had each other. With confidence, I can say that the interns beside me are some of the strongest, kindest, and most intelligent women I could ever know who are going to make the best future dietitians. I wish them the best of luck in their future careers.

I also want to thank Dr. Arlene Grant-Holcomb for coming out of retirement for this year and Dr. Kari Pilolla for working behind-the-scenes for us. And I want to encourage the next classes of interns to not take this experience lightly because it will change you for the better professionally and personally.

Smiles all around for togetherness at one of our last Monday class sessions where we also finally got to be in-person!