Amy Sonbudak - Region 1

During my clinical rotation, I had the opportunity to follow a patient from initial assessment through discharge. This experience became one of the most meaningful parts of my internship. I first met the patient after he screened at risk for malnutrition. He had recently been diagnosed with esophageal cancer and was experiencing dysphagia and unintentional weight loss. I counseled him on a texture-modified diet to help manage his symptoms and support his nutrition before he was discharged.

A couple of weeks later, he was readmitted for a G-tube placement and to begin palliative radiation treatment. I resumed his care, wrote his enteral nutrition prescription, and made adjustments as his clinical status changed during an extended hospital stay. During that time, I got to know his family well. They were always kind and appreciative. Despite the many challenges the patient faced, he remained remarkably positive, which left a lasting impression on me.

Throughout his hospitalization, he often told me how much he wished to eat again. I advocated for a swallow re-evaluation, hoping he could safely enjoy food by mouth. When his care team advanced him to a pureed diet, I felt incredibly proud. That moment was not just about meeting his nutritional needs. It was also about helping restore a small sense of comfort and normalcy to his life.
By the end of my rotation, he had been discharged to a short-term rehabilitation facility with plans to return home. Being part of his care gave me a strong sense of fulfillment as a dietetic intern. It reinforced that clinical nutrition involves more than reviewing labs or writing enteral orders. It is also about building relationships, providing support, and finding ways to improve someone's quality of life.
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In addition to my clinical rotation, I also had the opportunity to attend FNCE and present my master’s thesis research on the effects of water intake on health outcomes in healthy young adults. I was able to count this experience toward my community nutrition hours, and it allowed me to engage with professionals from across the field. These experiences have shown me the many ways dietitians can make a difference, whether by working directly with patients or by contributing to the broader nutrition community.

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