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!
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!
