Reflections on my Time as a Dietetic Intern

Looking back as an RD, I never realized I didn't post this...so now that I've been both intern and preceptor for a year, I will share

Happy RD and RD-to-be DAY everyone

It's crazy to think my 1200+ hour dietetic internship is COMPLETE!

My tips for future interns:

1. Approach each rotation with as few preconceived expectations as possible; this does not mean don't review your notes from undergrad to be prepared for the topic. It simply means do not approach a particular rotation with a certain outcome in mind other than to learn from your preceptor. My favorite rotations were the ones that I entered with an open mind and the expectation to complete a project or two that would help my preceptor. 

2. Be on top of your meal-prep and laundry...it'll help you save time and money. During my internship, I had rotations for about 40 hours per week (M-F) often with a commute of one-hour each way and an additional 10 hours per week to maintain my assistantship (which provided a full tuition waiver and monthly stipend). I scoured the ads and used M-Perks (Meijer coupons) to save as much as possible. For laundry, I shopped at Goodwill to increase the number of dress pants I had to choose from. Instead of hanging each piece on a separate hanger (skirt on one, blouse another and cardigan a third) hang one whole outfit on the hanger so it's ready to go the next day.


Now that I've served as a preceptor for a dietetic intern myself, I have a few comments to add.

1. I had a really wise moment writing #1 and am not even sure as a preceptor I would have come up with that one!

2. Don't compare yourself to the other interns in your program. Trust that you were selected for the skills you possess and the experiences you bring to the table; on that same note know that the other interns (whether from your program or others) bring their own strengths to each rotation. The internship is stressful enough, the more you can work together, the easier it will be for both of you.

3. Be willing to grow; what you learned in undergrad is the lecture version, the internship is the lab. Each rotation will bring its own challenges and learning opportunities. While some of these may be outside your comfort zone (watching a surgery, counseling patients, discussing recommendations with other providers), being willing to experience them will make your internship more rewarding, and some are likely required.

I want to thank my preceptors at the University of Illinois where I completed my internship as well as to my recent dietetic intern from the University of Florida for providing me the opportunities to learn as both an intern and preceptor.

If you have any other advice for future interns, please feel free to comment.

The Brisk Pace of Acute Care

I began my in-patient clinical rotation in early January, hence the lack of posts since then. My clinical site is about 1 hour away from where I live, which makes for early morning. Acute care is the longest rotation, 8 weeks, two of which are staff-relief. The first week was spent with the clinical nutrition manager (CNM) and was focused on building a foundation for the remaining weeks. 

Week 1:
Nutrition focused physical exam
Thorough chart reading
Obtaining subjective history, from patient, family and or long term care facility
Assessment chart note

Weeks 2 & 3: 
Diabetes and renal with assessments and rescreens of patients on the medical floor

Weeks 4 & 5:
Oncology and surgical assessments and rescreens with an intro to nutrition support

Week 6 (this week):
ICU nutrition support during critical care

Each week the CNM and I review two notes and discuss any and all aspects of the patient and why I chose the given diagnosis. Each day includes discussions of the metabolic state of patients with medication interactions and altered needs due to disease(s). 

I am thankful that my acute care rotation is later in my internship, as I have had experience working with other members of the medical team and patient interactions prior. 

So far the most interesting highlight has been working with the speech therapist. She let me observe a video swallow study and explained each component. In relation to another patient she explained the difference in a swallow study of a patient post-stroke compared to a patient who has a neuro-degenerative disease (such as Parkinson's). It was important to learn this as the diet order and nutritional concerns for these two diagnoses vary.

Dietetic Internship Reflections

It's hard to believe that I'm three weeks into my dietetic internship through the University of Illinois. My first rotation was at a local dialysis center. I was able to observe both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis as well as the multitude of medication associated with each. Assignments included: case studies, bulletin board, renal friendly recipe and educational materials.

My second rotation was at Hy-Vee (a grocery store) about an hour away. It was interesting to learn the dynamic role of a dietitian in a retail environment, and the store I was at actually had 2 full-time dietitians. The longer hours of the retail environment in addition to the commute made for two exhausting weeks.

The remainder of my rotations this semester are local. That being said, I will try to keep this blog updated as best as possible, but some weeks are busier than others.