Hi everyone! My name is Katlin Erdal, and I’m a distance intern from St. Louis, Missouri. I started my internship in May, and boy does time fly fast during your rotations! Like all interns in the beginning, I was very nervous, not really knowing what to expect throughout my internship. I am currently finishing up my clinical rotation where I’ve spent most of my time at SSM St. Mary’s Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri.
I was also able to intern for a few weeks at St. Louis University Hospital that included bone marrow transplant, renal, and kidney/liver transplant focus areas. Even though I’ve worked for 4 years in a hospital setting as a room service assistant (helping patients order meals based on their dietary restrictions), I felt overwhelmed to familiarize myself with a brand-new hospital and new workers. However, as you’ll learn throughout your internship, change and new experiences are good things to better yourself as a future dietitian! I can already notice some improvements with my communication skills and overall confidence level.
Although there are many to choose from, one of my favorite experiences I’ve had was working with the transplant team at the St. Louis University Hospital. I got to attend selection meetings where the healthcare team provided their input and could advocate for patients to be added to the transplant list. I also lead a couple pre-selection dietitian meetings with potential transplant patients as well as provided pre-/post-transplant dietary education. My first pre-transplant diet education was with a potential kidney transplant candidate and his wife who would be his primary caretaker post-surgery. Later, I learned from my preceptor that my input and information helped the patient to be added to the transplant list. This was a very rewarding experience to know that I was able to help someone in need who was a very deserving candidate.
Advice I would give dietetic interns during clinical rotation is to be flexible and open-minded to trying new things, especially when you are given the opportunity. My whole life, I never thought I’d be able to watch medical procedures involving incisions, blood, or needles without becoming faint or passing out. But now I can say to my family and friends that I’ve seen paracentesis procedures and an angioplasty! I was also fortunate enough to observe an EGD, colonoscopy, barium swallow evaluations, and dialysis treatments. These opportunities allowed me to see human anatomy up close and then determine how nutrition could benefit the patient’s health status. One last and important tip I want to leave everyone is to utilize your preceptor’s information and critiques they may provide to you. Preceptors are a very useful resource to further develop your knowledge and skills to become a better dietitian!
I was also able to intern for a few weeks at St. Louis University Hospital that included bone marrow transplant, renal, and kidney/liver transplant focus areas. Even though I’ve worked for 4 years in a hospital setting as a room service assistant (helping patients order meals based on their dietary restrictions), I felt overwhelmed to familiarize myself with a brand-new hospital and new workers. However, as you’ll learn throughout your internship, change and new experiences are good things to better yourself as a future dietitian! I can already notice some improvements with my communication skills and overall confidence level.
Although there are many to choose from, one of my favorite experiences I’ve had was working with the transplant team at the St. Louis University Hospital. I got to attend selection meetings where the healthcare team provided their input and could advocate for patients to be added to the transplant list. I also lead a couple pre-selection dietitian meetings with potential transplant patients as well as provided pre-/post-transplant dietary education. My first pre-transplant diet education was with a potential kidney transplant candidate and his wife who would be his primary caretaker post-surgery. Later, I learned from my preceptor that my input and information helped the patient to be added to the transplant list. This was a very rewarding experience to know that I was able to help someone in need who was a very deserving candidate.
Advice I would give dietetic interns during clinical rotation is to be flexible and open-minded to trying new things, especially when you are given the opportunity. My whole life, I never thought I’d be able to watch medical procedures involving incisions, blood, or needles without becoming faint or passing out. But now I can say to my family and friends that I’ve seen paracentesis procedures and an angioplasty! I was also fortunate enough to observe an EGD, colonoscopy, barium swallow evaluations, and dialysis treatments. These opportunities allowed me to see human anatomy up close and then determine how nutrition could benefit the patient’s health status. One last and important tip I want to leave everyone is to utilize your preceptor’s information and critiques they may provide to you. Preceptors are a very useful resource to further develop your knowledge and skills to become a better dietitian!
