Caitlyn Kandzer - Region 9

​Hello, my name is Caitlyn, and I am a dietetic intern in Region 9. I started my clinical rotation here in Parma, Ohio about a month ago. I am from Cleveland, Ohio so the adjustment was easy for me. In the clinical site that I am at, I have been working as a nutrition assistant for 6 years and transitioned to an intern this fall. This transition, I thought, was going to be difficult due to the change in pace of things, but it has been going by smoothly.
 
The amount of effort that my preceptors put into teaching me is something I cannot thank enough. Within the first couple of weeks I already felt confident enough to see patients on my own. In the clinical setting, I have been able to apply everything that I have learned and put it into practice. Every day is filled with different adventures and determining needs and care for patients. I have learned to trust myself in the care that I provide for the patients. What helped me the most are the assignments that are given before each rotation; it provides you with what you should know to be prepared to take on the rotation. Clinical can be a lot and exhausting at times but every day I look forward to seeing new patients and learning from my preceptors and building my own confidence in the world of dietetics. Every dietitian has their own routine, so I try my best to take what they teach me and apply it to my own routine as an intern.
 
My best advice to an intern would be to take the risk, say yes to everything to build your knowledge in this field. There is so much to learn, and you never know what you may end up liking. I encourage everyone to put themselves out of their comfort zone.  Keep in mind that you are still learning, you are not going to know everything!

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