Hello! My name is Amanda Krieger and I am a region 4 intern located in Central NJ. I recently completed my LTC rotation and am in the midst of advanced clinical. I am completing most of my clinical rotation at Hackensack Meridian University Medical Center at Pascack Valley, located in North Jersey. I will admit I was at first a little skeptical about starting at a small hospital, unsure if I was going to be able to gain adequate experience/exposure. After having been there for 3-4 months, I can honestly say my view of working in smaller hospitals has completely changed! Working in a small hospital means that no matter where you are, there’s a friendly face nearby that’s willing to answer your questions. From just saying “hello” in the hallway to knowing exactly which doctor or nurse you must talk to get the best information on a patient, I have found multiple benefits of working in this facility. I’ve also found that it means more personalized care for the patient and easier communication between departments.
 
Another highlight of my internship experience so far was being able to attend this year’s FNCE conference in Philadelphia. Because my schedule is flexible, I was able to take a couple days off of my clinical rotation to attend the conference – something I might not be able to do in a year when I am working as a dietitian. Being able to get together with so many other like-minded people was truly empowering! Aside from going home with more giveaways I thought was possible, I was able to attend around 10-15 educational sessions on different subjects of my interest within the field of nutrition. Some of the sessions covered topics such as bariatric surgery for teenagers, food is medicine programs, complex GI conditions, RD exam prep, and so much more. I am so happy I was able to go this year and would definitely suggest others try to attend FNCE as a student or intern in order to network and expand their nutrition knowledge.
 
Throughout the internship so far, my assignment checklist has been my best friend! The long checklist of things to do definitely seemed overwhelming at the start of the internship. As I have been completing assignments and checking them off my list, I began to realize how much I have already accomplished and learned throughout both the assignments and real-world experiences. I’m definitely looking forward to the rest of the internship and learning more about community nutrition and food service management in the upcoming months!

​Hi, my name is Marlena Castro and I am an intern located in Jacksonville, North Carolina. I will be relocating to Yuma, AZ halfway through my internship with my husband who is in the military. Being that we have a sort of unpredictable lifestyle, matching with an internship that offered flexibility was a huge deal to me. Not only is Sodexo Dietetic Internships flexible, but it has an amazing network of supportive directors who want to see you succeed and will do everything they can for you!
 
I attended orientation in Maryland this past September. If orientation seems scary to you, don’t sweat it! I loved getting to meet my fellow interns and having some hands-on learning experiences. I got to put my NFPE skills to work and refresh on malnutrition guidelines. It was a great week, and it really helped organize my thoughts before going into supervised practice. Plus, I got this awesome certificate, t-shirt, and my name tag!

I am currently in my food service management rotation, as you can see from my very fashionable headpiece – joking! I am completing my food service at Carolina East Medical Center in New Bern NC, a 350-bed facility. I am learning a lot about what it takes to be a good leader and manager. I’m also learning about the process of opening a food service operation. The hospital is currently building a new cancer center that will house a smoothie bar. The other day I got to visit the construction site and future home of the smoothie bar and learn all about the importance of layouts. For example, it is important to know where in the vicinity trash, janitorial, chemical storage, water lines, drainage, and other things will be located. We are also working on a menu for the smoothie bar, it is awesome knowing I will be a part of creating something that will come to life in a few months.
 
I also completed my patient services rotations at this facility. Before going into an internship, I worked for a year in the dietary department of another hospital as a diet tech. I knew a lot about patient services going into the rotation because of my experience, but it was really nice to see how things operate in a different and larger facility. One of the best parts of that rotation was meal rounding because it gave me the opportunity to interact with patients and make their day a little better. I’m looking forward to interacting with patients more during my clinical rotations, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I can sit in on a few procedures! ​

​Hello! My name is Olivia Marrone, and I am currently a dietetic intern with Sodexo in Region 12. I recently finished my Food Service rotation at Adventist Health Hospital in Simi Valley, CA. This was an incredible experience in which I was able to further develop my retail, marketing, food production, and food service management skills. I gained so much hands-on experience in a real-life setting and became comfortable with the basic tasks of a food service manager, including doing inventory, procurement of goods, regulatory procedures, menu planning, costing out menu items, catering practices, conducting staff meetings, scheduling, and so much more.
 
One of my favorite things I accomplished during my time at Adventist Health was my retail marketing and wellness project. This project prompted me to plan and execute a wellness event within the hospital’s cafeteria, and let me tell you, this was no small task! I did everything from selecting recipes from Sodexo’s recipe database, to ordering the various ingredients, to advertising the event, to developing nutrition education materials for the tabling portion of our event. In the end, I opted for a plant-based theme, as this seems to be the hottest trend going into the new decade. My event was titled “Impossible Day,” in which we offered two delectable, vegetarian menu options, made exclusively with Impossible meat, in hopes of promoting a plant-based diet for all. Customers had their choice between an Impossible Chipotle Burrito Bowl at the Action Station or a Pico Impossible burger at the grill. After over two weeks of planning and preparation, the event went swimmingly. I was able to provide dozens of individuals with useful nutrition information regarding a plant-based diet. In addition, the hospital observed a sharp increase in sales the day of the event, which inevitably means SUCCESS!
 
The best part of the event was engaging with customers who were interested in adopting a plant-based diet. I was able to provide information regarding the health benefits, environment attributes, animal welfare concerns, and the ability to increase food production through the elimination of animal agriculture. I was also able to educate consumers on exactly how to be plant-based. This may sound straight-forward to some people; you just eat plants, right? Well, it can be a bit more complicated than that. This is actually a huge mistake I see in many first-time vegetarians/vegans. The complications of malnutrition due to a newly adopted plant-based diet can be very serious if not addressed early, but they are easily avoided with proper nutrition education from your friendly neighborhood RD! By equipping these individuals with the knowledge and resources they needed to determine if a plant-based diet was right for them, I felt like I was really making a difference in the lives of others at Adventist Health in Simi Valley.
 
I am incredibly grateful for my time at Adventist Health in Simi Valley and I can’t wait to go back next month for my clinical rotations! 

Hi everyone! My name is Tori Davey and I am a dietetic intern in region 6. I am currently finishing my community rotation at the Lowcountry Food Bank in Charleston, South Carolina. The Lowcountry Food Bank serves the 10 coastal counties of South Carolina through distribution in Charleston, Yemassee and Myrtle Beach. It is partnered with 300 agencies, including food pantries, wellness pantries, schools, after school programs, summer programs, meals on wheels, etc. to fight hunger in the 10 coastal counties of South Carolina. I have always worked in the clinical setting as a dietetic technician before being accepted into Sodexo Dietetic Internships, so community nutrition was a little foreign to me, but as I enter my sixth week of community nutrition, I can say I have found a new passion in the field of dietetics.

Hello everyone, my name is Sophy Bunchamroeun and I am a region 5 intern. Recently I completed my food service management (FSM) rotation at Howard University Hospital (HUH) in Washington, DC. I had volunteered at HUH prior to being accepted as a Sodexo dietetic intern, which made the transition very easy. However, as an intern I got to work with a great team at HUH that included the CNM, chef, food service manager, patient services manager, operations manager, and the many wonderful food service employees.

Part of the FSM rotation is to complete a retail marketing and wellness project; I chose to prepare a reduced sodium version of bibimbap, a traditional Korean rice dish served with a variety of sautéed vegetables and protein. To accommodate a variety of dietary needs, I offered beef bulgogi, grilled shrimp, and baked tofu. The most challenging aspects for me were preparing the appropriate portion sizes to allow for 200 servings, working within a budget to create a nutritionally balanced meal while earning a profit, and working under pressure to ensure that all moving parts to my menu would come out on time for service. My leadership skills were tested in the coordination and deployment of the food service workers to prepare and serve the menu items.  In doing this project, I gained a deeper appreciation for all the food service employees who come to work in the kitchen daily to help prepare meals for the hospital patients, the cafeteria, and catering events. The most valuable lesson gained was learning to trust my gut, as this was something that I struggled with, but having the support of others allowed me to gain the confidence I needed to complete the project.  I also learned the significance of an RDs role in a hospital kitchen setting to help add value for optimal nutrition.

Currently, I’m in my culinary concentration and have been placed at Madeira School, which is an all-girls private boarding institution. I was initially intimidated by working with high school girls, as this was my first time working with an all-female audience. The students are served three meals a day unlike most traditional schools being served only breakfast and lunch. During my concentration, I am required to learn basic cooking techniques and facilitate a cooking class to share what I have learned with faculty and students. I love this concentration, as I feel very lucky to work alongside an executive chef and other professionally trained cooks who take the time to allow me to learn, make mistakes, and then come out with a tasty result.  

I encourage interns to be flexible and allow themselves to grow; every challenge you encounter provides critical experience and knowledge that will grow your professional skillset and expertise. For example, I do a lot of cooking at home, but have learned multiple alternate methods that taught me to do the same task faster and simplify it for others when I must teach.  Be patient with yourself and be willing to learn!

Hi everyone! My name is Kristen Kiesow. I am a Region 4 dietetic intern based in Philadelphia, PA, and I am currently in my advanced clinical rotations at Nazareth Hospital. The first couple of weeks were definitely a learning curve. I have always worked with pediatric patients, so being in a hospital that primarily treated adults and seniors was completely new to me. After some time, I became comfortable in this new environment and was able to understand the difference between working with peds and adults. I really enjoy working in an interdisciplinary team, so I greatly appreciate being able to interact frequently with speech pathology and wound care while treating different patients. I was also able to observe a bariatric surgery (and didn’t even pass out!!). I will be at Nazareth Hospital until the end of January and will complete my pediatric concentration at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in February.

In addition to clinical rotations, I have had many community opportunities. I participated in running the nutrition booth at Nazareth Hospital’s health fair, assisted in teaching lectures about pulmonary disease at Jefferson Torresdale hospital, and spent three days with the nutritionists at the North Philadelphia WIC office. Recently, I spent the day with a retail dietitian at a ShopRite in northeast Philadelphia. We created a colorful display for the new recipe of the month, and we taught a class at a local library about mindful eating during the holidays. My favorite, and most impactful, community experience has been working at St. Barnabas Women’s Shelter in West Philadelphia. Every Thursday evening, they have a class called Women’s Wellness. This is an opportunity for women living in shelter to come together for a class about different women’s health topics. I conducted one of the sessions about healthy eating and simple weight management tips. I really enjoyed meeting the women and children living in this shelter, learning about their difficulties with nutrition, and hopefully providing them with simple tips so they can work on making healthy lifestyle choices that are also sensitive to their current living situation. I am so excited to continue spending time at Women’s Wellness events, and I am scheduled to run a session about shopping on a budget in the new year.
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If I had one piece of advice to give to any current or future interns, it would be to try everything! I entered this internship being very one track minded: I wanted to be focused only in pediatric nutrition. While that is still my primary interest, being in this internship has opened my eyes to the vast world of opportunities there are in nutrition. This is your time to have experiences and meet people you would not ordinarily interact with; maybe one of them could change your career path entirely and change it for the best!

​Hello everyone! My name is Hayley Miller and I am a Region 7 (FL) intern. I am currently in my food service management rotation at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. I just finished my clinical rotations! To be honest, I was quite nervous to begin my clinical rotation; prior to starting the internship I had experience in most areas other than clinical. Additionally, I was originally supposed to start my rotation with food service management and then clinical, but on my first day my preceptor informed me I would actually be starting clinical. To say I was nervous would be an understatement. However, my nerves quickly grew to excitement and eagerness to learn. I never expected to love clinical as much I do!
 
During my clinical rotation, I participated in daily interdisciplinary rounding in both the med/surg floor and ICU. I have been able to learn from other clinicians which has helped me grow and further develop me knowledge and skills. My favorite part of clinical is providing nutrition education to patients with newly diagnosed diseases, I have noticed that these patients can be overwhelmed, so providing them with achievable nutrition strategies is essential. We also have a high prevalence of malnutrition at my facility. My undergraduate program briefly touched on malnutrition, so I am grateful that during Sodexo’s orientation we went over how to perform a nutrition focused physical exam. I have a lot of autonomy at my facility and I am now well versed in performing the nutrition focused physical as well as documenting it.
 
So far during my food service management rotation, I have created specific menus for certain diets such as diabetic, renal, low-fat, and GI soft, and I have created a handout with tube feed substitutions in case we are ever temporarily out of stock of a formula. I will also be assisting the patient service manager and clinical nutrition manager with developing a temporary kitchen menu for a mobile kitchen when the kitchen at our sister hospital gets re-done.
 
My advice to future interns is to be open-minded to new and all experiences! I encourage you to ask questions and engage with the rest of the interdisciplinary teams. I am learning something new every day and genuinely loving my experience thus far. I am excited to complete the rest of my rotations and continue to grow my knowledge and experience of the field!

​Hi everyone! My name is Deb Miller and I am a region 1 intern in the Greater Boston area. I am currently at the end of my advanced clinical rotation at UMass Memorial Health Alliance in Leominster MA, where I will also be continuing my CCU concentration! I have been lucky to experience many different opportunities while being at this location. The acuity of the patients is very high, allowing me to see a variety of disease states, and utilize my knowledge and skills from the clinical packets and put in to practice. I have enjoyed working with many members of the interdisciplinary teams and observing how each different role integrates into the patient’s care. I have observed a bedside swallow, trach suctioning, read X-rays, and have a PEG procedure viewing planned to observe in the next few weeks! The nutrition staff has made me feel like I am a key part of their team, making me feel prepared to be an entry level dietitian. I have been able to learn so much that I am so grateful for.
 
While I have been completing most of my clinical hours, I have also been able to connect with other RDs and gain some community experience. I have done a presentation at Leominster high school, a presentation for post heart transplant patients at the UMass Medical school, and I was able to spend the day with a corporate RD at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. During this experience we had a table of recipes, cooking demos, and samples on how to make classic holiday dishes a little healthier. This was an amazing experience because I was able to ask the RD about her day to day life which entails more business and sales tasks such as pitching to potential clients.
 
To future interns, don’t be afraid to ask questions! Now is the time that you are able to see and experience anything that you are interested in. Many preceptors will be happy to help network or set up opportunities that will provide you with different experiences. Also, always say yes to any opportunity you are offered, as you may never have the chance to do it again.

​Hi everyone! My name is Meghan and I am a Region 1 intern (MA). I am currently in middle of my intermediate clinical rotation at Winchester Hospital (Winchester MA) and loving it! The beginning of winter has brought a lot of diverse and high acuity patients to the hospital, allowing me to further develop my knowledge and skills. I have had the opportunity to train in the oncology center and collaborate with the outpatient RD, ensuring continuity of care for our patients after they are discharged. I was also able to observe a modified barium swallow and study the patient’s x-rays, with the help of a speech pathologist, to recommend an appropriate diet order. I am looking forward to strengthening my MNT knowledge, recommendations, and patients’ experiences over the next three months!
 
Prior to starting my clinical rotations, I completed the majority of my community hours at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) working with their campus RD. While on campus, I was able to counsel students and staff on various nutrition topics, from general healthy eating to eating disorders to new onset diabetes. It was surprising to see how many individuals are unfamiliar with nutrition basics, highlighting a knowledge deficit and need for our expertise in this population today. Another responsibility of mine was manning the fueling station – educating student athletes on appropriate pre- and post- workout snacks, as well as meal composition and timing before performance. Throughout my time at SNHU, the RD and I were able to create some popular tabling events for the students, such as Sustainable Snacking and Farm to Table Apple Day. I had a wonderful community experience and was able to see a different realm of school nutrition that I was not expecting!
 
My advice to current and future dietetic interns: Don’t be afraid to ask questions/look things up! I am constantly researching conditions and their respective MNTs, as well as medication interactions. Our preceptors do not expect us to know everything regarding nutrition; they are there to answer questions and help for a reason. Asking questions shows preceptors your willingness to learn and prepares you to be a great RD!

​Hi everyone! My name is Leah Kern. So far, I have completed my food service management rotation and I am currently in the middle of my wellness concentration rotation.
 
For food service, I was at a corporate account in Manhattan called Soceiete Generale. To be honest, I really did not like the experience at first. I was frustrated because I felt like I couldn't see how it would be valuable to be an RD in the food service management role. Though I was frustrated, I went in every day with a goal to talk to the employees and customers, getting to know as many people as possible.
 
With time, I came to realize the different ways that an RD could use their nutrition knowledge to influence the kinds of food being offered at the account. Additionally, the RD acts as the point person to answer any questions about the food including allergens, dietary restrictions, and mindful options. If customers want to understand what makes something mindful, an RD is the perfect resource!
 
Though I’m glad I got to learn how an RD plays a role in food service management, this was not the main lesson I took away from this rotation. The most valuable experience I had during my food service rotation was getting to know the employees. Most of the employees at this account had been working there for 4-5 years (since it opened). So, coming in as the new intern was pretty intimidating. I realized it would take time for them to warm up to me. They all have their routines and they work together in such an unspoken flow. As a result, I knew at first, I would have to just observe.
 
Each day, I would get to know one or two employees. I asked them where they are from, how long they’ve been with Sodexo, if they’ve moved positions within the company, etc. With time, the employees got more comfortable around me and in no time, we were joking and having fun together.
 
From this experience, I learned the importance of getting to know your employees (and/or coworkers). Though it was intimidating at first, ultimately people are just people and they want to feel seen and heard. If you ask someone their story- even if it's just a few questions- it shows them that you see them, you hear them. This is one way you can establish a mutual respect, which is crucial between a manager and their employees.
 
I went into food service expecting to learn how to manage a kitchen, write a budget, and price out a menu. Though I certainly learned all those skills, the most valuable skill was one I never expected to learn: The value of taking time to get to know the people you work with.
 
Though English was a second language for a lot of the employees, we worked to understand each other. We stumbled through, laughing at the inevitable misunderstandings, until we eventually got the point across.
 
I will never forget the importance of this skill in my future work endeavors.
 
Here is a photo of myself and one of my favorite people to work with at the account.