Sasha Nasrallah - Region 12

Hi everyone! I'm Sasha, a dietetic intern in California originally from Beirut, Lebanon. This path to becoming an RD has been a long one for me, but the end is so near, and I could not be more excited. Since moving to the USA in 2017, I have had to redo classes AND redo an internship since what I did back in Lebanon was not accredited here. My previous experience is why I knew I wanted my concentration to be in critical care MNT- during my first internship, the ICU rotation was by far the most fulfilling one.
 
The fact that I had to juggle this internship with a full-time job was definitely challenging. Between both, I was working 14–15-hour days, and as a result I got behind on my assignments. However, this has contributed invaluable experience, and the exposure and guidance I have received have given me an incredible opportunity for growth, both personally and professionally.  What also helped me was having a great group of interns alongside me where we would get together and form study groups on zoom and motivate each other. Having a good support system is crucial, especially because it can get stressful at times.
 
I appreciated the complexity of the cases in the ICU and I even had the chance to spend some time at a level III NICU. This was an amazing opportunity because everything is completely different in peds- the formulas and calculations, using growth charts, etc… I attended daily rounds on both units and worked with a multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, social workers, speech-language pathologists, and more.
 
In the ICU, it is essential to be familiar with disease states, medical terminology, and medications. You get to handle more difficult patients and health outcomes are highly dependent on nutrition support. There is immediate gratification from your interventions; for example, you get to see immediate improvement in a patient’s lab values once nutrition support is initiated. I plan in the future on getting my CNSC (critical nutrition support clinician) certification.
 
Some tips for future interns are to keep an open mind, enjoy the experience, and let go of any expectations. Who knows- something you may not have been interested in while studying nutrition and dietetics may end up being your favorite rotation!

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