 Hello everyone! I’m Megan, and I am a region 12 dietetic intern located in Los Angeles, California. I have completed all my internship rotations. Throughout my internship experience, I gained so much knowledge and first-hand experience when it comes to being a registered dietitian. The three tips below are the top things I kept in mind while completing my rotations.
1. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Now is your time to learn, and the dietetic internship is your first time having real-life experiences with patients. As an intern, you are not expected to know everything when it comes to MNT, the different diseases, and all the surgical procedures. I learned that it is very important to ask your preceptor questions early on in your rotation. It is best to get your questions cleared up now rather than later. In addition, it is important that you tell your preceptor how you learn best. During my clinical rotation, I had a few questions on tube feeding calculations and my preceptor would do it very quickly on her calculator. I know that I learn best visually and when the steps are written out. As a result, I then asked my preceptor if we could do the tube feeding calculations on paper for me to have a better understanding. My preceptor was more than happy to adjust to suit my learning better. 2. Be proactive. Being proactive demonstrates to your preceptor that you are going above and beyond and your desire to take a bigger role as an intern. One way I was proactive during my dietetic internship was by arriving before the registered dietitians to start the screening process. By the time my preceptor arrived, all she had to do was check my work. Not only does this show you are wanting to take charge, but it also shows the registered dietitians that you are reliable and can complete the screening process on your own. 3. Complete your community rotation in a setting you know you can learn a lot from. As you may know, the Sodexo Dietetic Internship gives you the flexibility to choose where you would like to complete your community hours. I chose to complete part of my community hours at a dialysis clinic due my lack of knowledge when it comes to working with patients with end stage renal disease. During this rotation, I gained a lot of knowledge and learned that I am so passionate about hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. If I never explored a topic that I was less familiar with, I never would have discovered this interest. Comments are closed.
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