Madison Locke - Region 7

Hi! My name is Madison Locke, and I’m from region 7 based in Charleston, SC. With only a few weeks left, I’ve had a bunch of diverse experiences over the past few months that have helped me learn and grow within this wonderful profession.
 
I have worked with over 15 preceptors in different areas of the dietetics field. Some rotations were fascinating, some were tedious, some felt like a natural fit, and some pushed me out of my comfort zone. To say the least, it is easy to become flustered throughout this process.
 
Today, I wanted to share my secret behind staying out of the blues and achieving success as an intern in hopes of helping future interns or my fellow classmates who are working through the last leg of the internship. I found that adopting and maintaining a positive and open-minded mentality has enhanced my experience and allowed me to absorb all the knowledge and skills this internship offers.
 
Here are my personal tips for staying optimistic throughout the dietetic internship!
 
The first is to ditch assumptions about rotations. Setting preconceived expectations about the experience can falter curiosity and led to disappointment. Instead, go in with zero expectations and decide for yourself how your experience will play out. You may end up loving something you never thought you would!
 
My second tip is to shift your prescriptive if you find yourself not loving a rotation. Instead of thinking “I will never work in this area,” shift your perspective and think, “This experience is helping me discover what area of dietetics I’m truly passionate about.” There is always invaluable information to learn about dietetics or yourself in every experience!
 
Making these small adjustments in mindset set me up for an overall enjoyable and educational internship experience, and I hope it will do the same for you! Good luck!

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