​I began my internship this past September and what an interesting couple of weeks it has been! My first rotation was Patient Service Management, and I am currently working on my Food Service Management rotation. It has been an exciting and, at times, nerve-wracking journey—but I’m eager to see what the rest of the year has in store.
 
I joined my hospital at a very busy time of year. During my first week, the hospital hosted their annual employee appreciation barbeque. Walking into my first day, I had no idea that this event was happening, however I quickly realized its importance and the integral role that the foodservice workers of my hospital played in this event. To be completely honest, I was feeling incredibly overwhelmed. I was not confident in my ability to learn the ins and outs of the hospital while also trying to be useful for the barbeque. My preceptor was great during my first week and was sure that I was getting a good overview of the department, the hospital, and the roles that RDs play, while simultaneously helping set up the event. 
 
Despite the initial sense of feeling overwhelmed, I was really grateful for the way that my first week went. I learned a lot and was able to get to know a good majority of the foodservice staff during the barbeque. Reflecting on the first week, I am so grateful for it going the way it did because not only did I get to go through all the patient service objectives, I was able to build connections which allowed me to feel more confident and comfortable in the hospital setting.  
 
While my internship may still be in the early stages, I have learned so much and am so grateful. These past few weeks have sparked a new sense of excitement for the rest of the year and all that has yet to come!

​I have had the opportunity to start my internship in the Food Service rotation. I have previously worked in many different roles in food service within a hospital setting, so I was curious to see what I would be doing differently compared to my previous experience. I believe this was an easier transition into the internship. Since I am more experienced with food service, I was less nervous entering this environment, whereas had I started with clinicals, I would feel less comfortable in this new organization.
 
I started off in the back of house with purchasing, where I learned about inventory and ordering. I am at a very large establishment that receives shipments every day, so there is a large quantity of food and paper products being used every day. I don’t have much experience with inventory and setting pars, so I was able to gain an understanding of how important it is, especially in such a large facility. They have an entire team of people just putting away their food and paper products. I also got the chance to help with floor stock, making sure each floor got all of the products they need to supply their floor.
 
I next moved on to the NICU, which I was pleasantly surprised to see in my rotation. Going into it, I was confused about what I would be doing since I hadn’t started my clinical rotation yet. This is a unique role and isn’t in every hospital. The diet techs refer to it as a luxury role since what they do is often what nurses have to do in other hospitals. They said they were there to help take some of the stress away from one more thing the nurses would have to do. We were mixing the baby formulas or adding fortifiers to expressed breast milk for the babies’ feeding. I had the opportunity to mix a formula for an infant; the mixture was composed of donated breast milk with an addition of a human milk fortifier, which is a high-protein solution that is added to milk. The attached picture is me making the formula.

 
In mid-September, I attended orientation for my Sodexo dietetic internship, a key step toward becoming a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). After years working in finance and studying clinical nutrition, I am ready to start my career in nutrition and dietetics.

The orientation offered a thorough overview of the forthcoming internship experience. The Sodexo Dietetic Internship faculty team members, who offer guidance during rotations in clinical practice, foodservice management, community outreach, and specialty disciplines, were present. Their dedication to mentorship established a positive and collaborative atmosphere for the year ahead.
We also dedicated time to building relationships with other interns from various regions across the country. It was informative to learn about everyone’s distinct background and professional aspirations; interests ranged from clinical nutrition and community health to corporate wellness and private practice. This diversity in experiences and goals contributes to a more dynamic and collaborative learning environment. A big part of the orientation focused on expectations and professional development. We reviewed competencies set by the Accreditation Council for Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), discussed how to prepare for the Registration Examination for Dietitians (RD Exam) administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), and learned strategies for balancing the demands of rotations with self-care.

Upon completing orientation, I felt both humbled and motivated. While the internship is expected to be demanding, given the intensity of rotations and assignments, it also presents a valuable opportunity to learn directly from experienced professionals and allows for meaningful contributions to nutrition care within our communities.

Orientation underscored that I am supported by a network of peers, mentors, and preceptors committed to my advancement. I look forward to contributing effectively, seeking guidance, and welcoming each opportunity for growth.

This year, my goal is to continue progressing toward becoming a qualified dietitian and to build professional relationships with colleagues and mentors.

“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength” – Arnold Schwarzenegger
 
I think it is safe to say that completing my MS/DI was one of the biggest challenges that I have faced, but I am eternally thankful for this experience as I exponentially grew as a future registered dietitian.
 
I am most grateful that the Sodexo internship was a combination of structured yet flexible. It was structured in that my Sodexo advisors and directors helped to locate my clinical, food service, and long-term care rotation sites—which  are notoriously difficult for interns to find—yet flexible by allowing the freedom to find my community and specialty rotation sites. Our undergrad and graduate programs are fantastic at preparing us for MNT and foodservice management. Unfortunately, these courses just gloss of what it means to be a private practice RD. The freedom to choose my community and specialty rotation sites allowed me to find preceptors that specialize in this field. I can’t begin to thank my preceptors enough for selflessly taking me under their wing and showing me what it means to be a private practice RD from the business side of getting credentialed with insurance, properly billing, and maintaining accurate bookkeeping to the counseling side with motivational interviewing techniques.
 
It may feel overwhelming cold-calling and emailing RDs about precepting under them, but I have found that there are plenty of people willing to give back. I found it helpful to remember the law of large numbers, aka reaching out to a lot of potential preceptors without taking a ‘no’ or ‘no response’ personally. I also utilized the Find-a-Preceptor database found on the Academy’s website. If you find an RD willing to take the time to precept, respect their time by showing up on time, undistracted, and ready to learn.

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.

During my clinical rotation with the Sodexo Dietetic Internship, I had the opportunity to dive deeper into the connection between lifestyle and chronic disease. One experience that stood out to me was working with a patient newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and heart disease. As someone passionate about functional nutrition and integrative health, I was excited to merge evidence-based guidelines with personalized, sustainable changes for this patient.
 
With my preceptor’s support, I was able to conduct a nutrition education session that focused not just on blood sugar management but also on stress, sleep, and movement. I guided the patient through how fiber-rich carbohydrates, healthy fats, and consistent meals could support their blood sugar, but I also asked about their daily routine—what they do in the morning, how they feel in the evenings, and what barriers they’ve had in the past with food. That simple conversation turned into a meaningful moment of trust and empowerment.
 
By the end of the session, the patient told me they finally felt like someone “got it.” They weren’t just handed a handout—they were heard. And for me, that’s the heart of this profession.
 
This experience reminded me why I entered the field of dietetics in the first place. It’s not just about the science of nutrition; it’s about meeting people where they are and empowering them to take one step forward. As someone who has personally used nutrition to manage my own health challenges, being on the other side of the counseling table felt full circle.
 
The Sodexo Dietetic Internship has helped me grow in ways I never expected. The support I’ve received, along with the hands-on experiences across clinical and community settings, has given me a strong foundation to be the kind of dietitian who not only understands the science—but also leads with compassion.

​During my clinical rotation I had a special interaction that quickly became a memorable experience in my internship. It was one of the first times I saw a patient on my own. After learning all the information and skills from nutrition classes and seminars I have attended, I felt fully prepared and confident entering this patient's room.
 
Before visiting a patient for an initial assessment I will always look over their charts to see their diagnosis, diet order, past medical history, any important notes relating to their health condition and their reason for admission. While looking over her chart I noted that she was currently NPO (nothing by mouth) and did not have a diet order in place. This brought immediate concerns, such as how long has she been NPO, what is the reason for her not eating, and did she receive a dysphagia screen or swallow evaluation.
 
I did a little more reading into her chart and found that she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in the past year and she was admitted into the hospital for an aspiration episode. The patient has reported recent difficulties with swallowing at home. She had failed her dysphagia screen and received a swallow evaluation by the speech language pathologist. In the swallow evaluation note, they recommended keeping her NPO with the exception of puree liquids for pleasure, they also recommended alternate means of nutrition for her. The doctor agreed with this and they were planning on starting her on Jevity 1.5 that day through a nasogastric tube. Since she failed her dysphagia screen, I was going to visit her that day. In the meantime we got a consultation to provide this patient with a feeding tube goal rate. With all my practice doing enteral tube feeding calculations through Sodexo, I felt fully confident while making her recommendations to meet her needs.
 
When I visited her, she was clearly anxious and scared. I introduced myself and told her my reason for the visit. I used my motivational interviewing skills to ask her a few questions. After receiving some information from her, I mentioned that the nurses were going to place a nasogastric tube. This brought her a lot of worries and questions. We discussed that alternate means of nutrition doesn't always mean it's permanent, and that we will order another swallow evaluation to further investigate. In the meantime, I assured her how important it was to receive nutrition for her body to get stronger.
 
I also talked to her about her options with puree liquids so that she can have some pleasure. She kept expressing her gratitude for me listening, calming her worries, and providing her with information about the NG tube and how it works. She was very grateful for me providing her with medical nutrition therapy. It was one of the first times during my internship that I felt like I made a positive impact on a patient's life and their hospital stay.

During my time as an intern with Sodexo, I had the privilege of completing a clinical rotation that truly expanded my understanding of nutrition’s role in patient care. This experience was  so valuable in shaping both my knowledge and my passion for dietetics. I had the chance to observe dietitians in a hospital setting and learn from their hands-on approach to supporting patients through personalized nutrition plans.

One of the most impactful aspects of my clinical rotation was seeing a full assessment done on a patient and seeing how dietitians collaborate with physicians and other healthcare professionals. It was fascinating to witness how they used nutrition to enhance patient outcomes, particularly for those recovering from surgery or managing chronic conditions like diabetes or heart disease. I remember one case in particular: A patient recovering from surgery was struggling to regain strength, and the dietitian carefully created nutrition recommendations that included high-protein needs and suggested essential vitamins to support recovery. The dietitian’s approach was about understanding the patient’s needs and how nutrition could play a key role in their healing. This experience really emphasized how dietitians are important members of the healthcare team.

In addition to observing patient assessments, I had the opportunity to help develop nutrition education materials for patients. One of my tasks was to create easily understandable handouts that provided practical advice on managing a renal diet at home for dialysis patients. It was incredible to see how something as simple as a well-designed handout could have such a significant impact on a person's understanding of their conditions and their ability to manage their diet effectively. Throughout my clinical rotation, I was impressed by the dietitians' ability to combine scientific knowledge with empathy and communication. I realized that being a successful dietitian isn’t just about knowing nutritional science; it’s about tailoring that knowledge to each patient’s unique circumstances. It’s about building trust, educating, and making nutrition accessible, even when dealing with complex medical conditions. This approach to patient care was a key takeaway that I’ll carry with me throughout my career.
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The clinical rotation also gave me a deeper appreciation for the broader scope of dietetics. It’s not just about providing advice on food choices; it’s about understanding the individual needs of patients, the challenges they face, and how dietitians can make a tangible difference in their health. This experience has solidified my desire to pursue a career where I can have a direct impact on patients’ lives, improving their health and well-being through nutrition. Looking back, this rotation was one of the most rewarding parts of my internship. It provided me with valuable skills and insight into how dietitians contribute to the healthcare team. 

​Hi everyone! My name is Tristen Hernandez. I am a region 12 intern from Los Angeles, California, and also part of the graduate program with the University of Rhode Island. I started my internship in the fall of 2024, and so far, I have completed my food service, clinical, and long-term care rotation.  
 
Doing the graduate program and internship has been challenging but manageable if you keep organized with good time management skills. The assignments in the graduate program and internship have been really helpful in preparing me for the internship and making me feel confident in my interactions with patients and dietitians. 
 
My favorite rotation so far has been my clinical rotation. This is the longest rotation, with 16 weeks focusing on applying MNT in an acute care setting for a variety of medical conditions. I learned a lot from the dietitians at my site and am very appreciative of the guidance and knowledge that they shared. One experience I enjoyed during my clinical rotation was shadowing a wound care nurse. I was a little nervous at first to look at wounds from up close. However, this experience helped me gain a better understanding of what different stages of pressure injuries look like, and the role of nurses and nursing assistants in treating these wounds. The wound care nurse was also eager to learn about the role of dietitians in helping to heal these wounds. This is just one of the many experiences I got to observe during my clinical rotation. I highly recommend shadowing another specialty (nurses, speech therapists) or observing a clinical procedure (PEG/NGT placement) to gain a better understanding of the multidisciplinary team involved in patient care.
 
Overall, I have been enjoying my internship. I am very grateful to the Sodexo team and community, as well as all my preceptors, for their support and guidance throughout this process. I have learned so much in just a few months, and I am excited to continue my internship journey!

Hi there! My name is Claudia, and I am currently in my Sodexo Dietetic Internship. So far, I have completed all my clinical rotations as well as my specialty rotation at my clinical site. My experience in this dietetic internship has been a ride to say the least. I remember when I was a baby intern, at the Sodexo Dietetic Internship orientation last fall in Maryland. I was nervous and suffering from a bit of imposter syndrome at the time. Do I deserve to be here? Am I smart or good enough? These were all questions I asked myself as I began my journey.
 
It wasn’t until a few weeks into my internship that I felt the worries dissipate. The Sodexo internship gave me an organized list of expectations and competencies I had to meet during my rotations. It was easy to work with my preceptors to address these areas and I felt prepared by the pre rotation assignments. Additionally, as a student of the combined master’s program, I felt that the subject matter I was learning in my internship was translated into my master’s coursework. I felt confident and prepared, and no subject matter looked foreign to me. The weeks flew by and each of my clinical rotations exposed me to new areas. I learned how to conduct nutrition assessments, provide nutrition diagnoses, as well as develop interventions.  
 
Fast forward to January 2025, I was just starting my critical care specialty rotation. Again, I was feeling nervous and not confident in myself as I took on a challenging area for development. The fear didn’t last long, and after a week, I felt back on my A game. The critical care rotation taught me a wealth of information and I appreciated the difference we as dietitians could make on a critical level to promote healing and recovery. Nutrition may not always be the most pertinent concern in the ICU; however I learned to communicate with the team effectively to ensure patients were receiving tube feeds as well as the correct rates and formulas. Since I was in the ICU for an extended period (5 weeks) I saw a lot of the same patients. I felt that my interventions made a difference as I watched these patients recover, become extubated, and return to a by mouth diet. Watching the difference I could make was rewarding. I would revisit some of these patients post extubation and collect subjective histories. I felt that at this time I got to know the patient even though I had seen them for several re assessments while they were intubated and sedated.
 
This Sodexo internship allowed me to learn what it takes to be a clinical dietitian, especially one interested in working in the ICU. As I move into my next rotations, I welcome the variety of the dietitian profession. This internship has given me a hands-on experience with seeing the endless possibilities. It feels as if there is a specialty for everyone and in the internship, my exposure to multiple areas gives me flexibility as well as more opportunity while transitioning through my professional career.