Being a Sodexo dietetic intern in 2020 has been a whole new experience on its own. My community rotation began in February, as expected. I rounded up my preceptors at Wild Willow Farms where I participated in their compost creation and education workshops for their volunteers. I had the chance to be outdoors, be hands-on, and get dirty while learning about the millions of bacteria that create healthy soil that nourishes our local organic farm to produce the most amazing crops.
I then met with my local elementary school district’s registered dietitian and the school’s volunteer coordinator to plan an event for the children at Bayside Elementary for National Nutrition Month. I also Volunteered with the San Diego Food Bank at various distribution sites where seniors and adults received their monthly pantry needs.
I then met with my local elementary school district’s registered dietitian and the school’s volunteer coordinator to plan an event for the children at Bayside Elementary for National Nutrition Month. I also Volunteered with the San Diego Food Bank at various distribution sites where seniors and adults received their monthly pantry needs.
Lastly, I went back to Pacific Point Retirement Living, where my uncle Frank once lived, to meet with seniors during their dinner service to potentially plan my lesson plan around their topics of interest. Everything was going as planned and was on schedule until mid-March came around; it all halted in its tracks. COVID-19 hit California and had other plans for us. It sent all the children home from school, closed the doors to the retirement community, ceased the volunteers from returning to the farm, and limited the amount of Food Bank workers allowed at distribution sites. Yet one thing remained stable, my job at Sharp Coronado Hospital as a diet tech and front-line food service worker.
Unexpectedly, I began to serve my community in a whole different fashion. My schedule became saturated with cook shifts. I began cooking food for the surge in doctors, nurses, and hospital staff that were brought in to assist during the pandemic. During this uncertain time, the Sodexo Dietetic Internship continued to deliver clarity to my passion of serving others through the field of nutrition. I then applied the many hours spent cooking and serving food for our Hospital Staff towards my Community Rotation and I feel as if a more rewarding experience could not have occurred.
Unexpectedly, I began to serve my community in a whole different fashion. My schedule became saturated with cook shifts. I began cooking food for the surge in doctors, nurses, and hospital staff that were brought in to assist during the pandemic. During this uncertain time, the Sodexo Dietetic Internship continued to deliver clarity to my passion of serving others through the field of nutrition. I then applied the many hours spent cooking and serving food for our Hospital Staff towards my Community Rotation and I feel as if a more rewarding experience could not have occurred.
I gained a new level of satisfaction being a Café grill cook as doctors and nurses came in seeking a moment of peace from the chaos that was surrounding them. Hearing them express their sincere gratitude after I prepared their comfort foods made the turbulent experience occurring in the world extremely gratifying inside the hospital setting. I was able to provide them with a meal and nourishment to keep going; we were all doing our part to serve and care for others. Fast forwarding to now, I have worked past my food service rotation and have been able to apply my previous 9 years of food service management experience toward this rotation. I am grateful that the Sodexo Dietetic Internship recognized my years of service within Sodexo’s food service team and allowed me to advance to my clinical rotation which starts in September 2020. Throughout this uncertainty, our internship directors continued to check in on us and ensured we were able to access the new on-line resources that were developed to enhance our education. I feel confident that this whole experience will continue to develop the skills needed to soon graduate from the Sodexo Dietetic Internship and successfully become a registered dietitian.
