Molly Ryan - Region 1

​Hi, my name is Molly and I’m a Region 1 intern currently living in Massachusetts! I completed my master’s degree last May, so I’m just doing the standalone internship.
 
I started off with Foodservice at a local university and it was a very fun and interesting experience. I’ve worked in foodservice for over 10 years, but never at a University, so it was really interesting to see how different organizations operate (i.e., hospitals vs. university vs. restaurant, etc.).
 
After completing my foodservice rotation, I moved on to my clinical rotation. I’m actually in a pretty unique situation because I’m interning at a hospital that I’ve worked at for four years, so I went in already knowing and having good rapport with the dietitians, kitchen staff, diet techs, nursing staff, and hospitalists. This has definitely had its pros and cons, but overall, I’m having such a great time! My preceptors are so amazing and knowledgeable, I love that I am able to laugh and joke around with them, while also being able to learn so much. I have always felt supported by them and they have never made me feel embarrassed or not smart for not knowing something. Every day is a learning experience, it feels like I’m getting my RD, RN, and MD all at the same time!
 
So far, the most exciting part of clinical that I’ve experienced was watching a modified barium swallow. Truthfully, it was probably one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen in my life. The patient was a great example too because they had silent aspiration, so it was really interesting to watch them swallow different textures of liquid and try different methods to help it go down the esophagus. My next mission is to watch a PEG placement, but I’m not sure if I’ll get there! Overall, even though the internship is a lot of work it is very rewarding, and I’ve been learning so much more than I thought I would. 

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