Hi! My name is Sarah Adamchak, a region 4 intern based out of New Jersey. I completed just over two months of the internship and am absolutely loving it thus far! In clinicals, I learned great methods to effectively communicate with patients, be confident in my knowledge, and quickly develop a strong work relationship with my preceptors. When I first started, I was slightly intimidated walking the halls of the hospital. However, I quickly became accustomed to how friendly and helpful the entire staff was and felt right at home. One of my biggest takeaways from the internship so far is developing professional communication with my preceptors in an environment where any and all questions are welcome. Regardless of how challenging an environment the hospital may be, my preceptor always reminds me that we have to find smiles and laughter throughout our days.
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It is one thing to learn about diseases and potential nutrition treatments from a textbook but a totally different ball game when having to work with a patient in what are very real scenarios. With that said, interviewing patients has become a very pleasant normality during my time at the hospital. I remember just before my first patient interview I was extremely nervous and afraid to mess up. However, I quickly realized that more often than not, many patients love to just have a newer face to talk to and are interested in nutrition education. After many patient interviews, along with guidance from my preceptors, I gained further confidence in my skills. Since being in advanced clinicals, I have realized that the skills and knowledge I have acquired from the start are still helpful today.

In between my clinicals, I was given the opportunity to complete my patient services rotation and get the behind the scenes view on how the kitchen works. It was awesome to see all the unique roles that play a part in providing exceptional service for patient meals. My favorite task was doing patient orders and doing everything I could to get them excited for their next meal. I enjoyed working with the kitchen staff and getting to know each of them on a very friendly first name basis.
 
As for some advice during clinicals, I would emphasize that it is ok, even encouraged, to ask questions since we are here to learn. It is important to embrace new challenges and to keep a positive mindset. Patients tend to be very open, even eager, to communicate with young professions like ourselves. Putting nutrition aside, it is always nice to listen to patient stories as well as giving a helping hand through harder times. All of the different aspects of our day to day lives as an intern will stick with us and allow us to grow into becoming Registered Dietitians in the near future. 

Hi everyone! My name is Dekeira. I am a region 4 intern from Jersey City, and I am currently completing my intermediate clinical rotations. Clinicals have been extremely challenging but have also been very rewarding as I am able to see myself progress from basic to advanced. Prior to starting basic clinicals, I felt very prepared on the general material that was expected of me to know for this rotation. When I actually started basic clinicals, I realized that although I may know all of this information, I needed to figure out, “How can I apply this knowledge here?”  Clinical dietetics is all about critical thinking, prioritizing your focus on what’s more important & applying knowledge. It’s one thing to know information on a disease state, but as a clinical dietitian, you have to be able to seriously multitask and focus. You are going to have to counsel patients who come from all different backgrounds with extensive previous medical/surgical history and you, as the dietitian, will have to use your clinical judgment in order to figure out which problem is the most prominent issue at the moment that you can address and provide a solution for in order to complete your ADIME.
 
Currently, I have been seeing 4-5 patients a day by myself and overall, it has been a very positive experience for me. I enjoy collaborating with healthcare staff such as therapists and nurses as it has enhanced my communication skills. I love meeting with patients and getting to know them on a more personal level while they’re in the hospital, while also being there to assist them at a very stressful time in their lives. I’ve noticed that when I talk to patients on a more personable level, they are more willing to open up and talk with you. Most times, it is usually a pleasant conversation that leads to building a rapport with the patient while they are in the hospital. It is nice to be able to have a positive influence on someone during their hospital stay, especially if they request to see you again. Throughout clinicals, I have experienced and seen a lot of things for the first time, such as a bedside swallow evaluation, using interpreter services for non-English speaking patients, complicated ICU cases, telehealth counseling sessions, wounds, colostomy bags, and much more. It has been a very eye-opening experience to see what really goes on behind the scenes in a hospital. It can be a little intimidating at times but forcing yourself to break out of your comfort zone is the only way you are going to be able to learn as much as you can.
      
A few tips I recommend for clinical rotations:

1. Study or read over your notes every day! Especially before you start a new rotation. You may encounter a new disease state almost every day and you will not have time to do personal studying or research during your shift.
2. Take as many notes as possible during your rotations & keep them organized!  You will probably receive a lot of handouts at your internship. Get a binder, section it based on your rotation level & add all of your notes and handouts. Review them every night.
3. Keep a to-do list & set reminders/alarms for all of your assignments/task’s due dates, class days & meetings in order to stay on top of all your internship (and/or masters) assignments.

 

​Hi! My name is Yasaman Mirafzali and I’m a region 4 intern with the Fall 2021 cohort. A few weeks ago, I completed the week-long virtual orientation. It was extremely helpful in preparing us for what to expect during each step of our internship and providing little words of wisdom I find myself reflecting on daily, such as “do something everyday” and “be sure to make time for self-care.” The support and dedication to making sure each intern is successful is vividly apparently and well beyond anything I could have imagined.
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​Hi everyone! My name is Jacquie Conner and I am a current Sodexo dietetic intern from Minneapolis, Minnesota! My first rotation I completed in the program was my concentration, which was wellness. I completed this rotation at Bethel University, which is a small university in Arden Hills, Minnesota. This rotation has taught me so much about wellness and promoting positive health behaviors to college students. The bulk of my rotation was to put on events that would engage the students in various health and nutrition topics and get them interested in implementing nutrition and wellness into their everyday life. The staff at Bethel have been incredibly helpful and have taught me so much about Sodexo as a company in the university sector.
 
The first event I helped complete was a Smoothie Bike stand. This event was during homecoming week at the school, and its goal was to get the students learning about pre-workout fuel as well as how to incorporate healthy fruits and vegetables into their diet. The school had blender bikes from the brand Rock the Bike, where a blender was attached to the bike and the students would peddle the bike to blend the smoothie. It was a huge success, and the students were very engaged in the physical activity portion as well as the fiber and fruit filled smoothie!

While the smoothie bike event was fantastic, the main project for my wellness rotation was my tabling event. This entails of a table set up in the university dining hall to promote a nutrition related topic and sample some nutritious foods. I chose to do my event on plant-based protein, and I hosted a hummus bar taste test with three different types of hummus and various snacks to dip. I created social media posts and promotional boards to advertise the event. Recipe cards were given out at the event and the poster shared information on the sustainability and nutrition benefits of different types of beans. Lastly, a giveaway portion of the event consisted of a student entering their name to win a NutriBullet blender to make their own hummus in their dorm rooms! This was a huge draw for people to stop at my table and try some hummus. So many students had not tried black bean or chocolate hummus, and they were so happy they had tried something new. Because of this event’s success, another Sodexo account saw the social media posts and asked if they could have permission to use the idea! This was so exciting for me, and I was so proud of the work I had put into the event. Using my creativity skills in promoting the event on social media platforms unlocked for me a skill did not even know I had!
 
My time in the wellness rotation has only gotten me more excited for what is to come in this journey of becoming a Registered Dietitian! ​

​Hi! My name is Juliana Tamayo, and I’m a dietetic intern for region 5 in Washington, DC. I’m currently in my community rotation, and I'm very excited to get to work with a variety of clients. So far, I have been able to work with a private practice in DC that serves Wards 7 and 8 in the city. This has been very enlightening to me. I love getting to know the Black and Latinx communities of my city. I have also had the opportunity to work with a non-profit organization called SOME (So Others Might Eat) and provide nutrition education to their seniors every week. I love doing this because the seniors are very excited and interested every time and I get to present on topics I love and help them understand the importance of nutrition. Finally, I have been working with another non-profit called El Cuenco, which provides nutrition education and health services to families in El Salvador. Since my first language is Spanish, I have been able to help create nutrition education materials and other documents while also helping with patient-related services.
 
Previously, I was in my food service management and patient services rotation at Howard University Hospital. One of my favorite things I did was the Retail and Marketing Event. In this case, I decided to go with a concept that reflected my Colombian culture. The event was called Arepas! and it consisted of serving arepas, which are fluffy cornmeal pancakes with different toppings and proteins, including Carne desmechada (shredded beef), chicken, beans, coconut rice, sweet plantains, creamy lime coleslaw, and guacamole.

​Hey everyone! My name is Mark Hanna, I am a region 4 intern based out of New Jersey. I am currently 2 months into my internship. I have completed my foodservice management rotation at Bristol Myers Squibb in Lawrenceville, NJ and it was an eye-opening experience. I had prior experience with foodservice in the hospital setting, so it was interesting to see how vastly different foodservice in the corporate setting was. The corporate setting has a lot more freedom when it comes to food and can quickly implement change requested by the cliental on site. Corporate foodservice’s main purpose is to enhance the experience of the cliental on site and add value to the facility. I attained so much hands-on experiences in a short amount of time at BMS. During my rotation they opened micro-markets across the facility to offer lunch items closer to the employees’ workstations and I was able to assist in the process of set-up as well as observe the health inspection process. I had an amazing time building rapport and working with the foodservice staff/managers. It was hard transitioning to a new rotation after the fact because it felt as though I was a part of the “family” at BMS, but I still stay in contact with the staff, updating them on my progress.

I am now in my long-term care rotation at NJ Eastern Star Nursing Home in Bridgewater, NJ. This is my first clinical experience in the internship and so far, I have completed two weeks at the facility. It is very interesting to see how nutrition concerns and recommendations differ for the geriatric population. I work closely with the dietitian at the facility to ensure residents are stable and/or improving and make recommendations accordingly for residents who are either showing a decline in health status or a risk for malnutrition.
 
From my experiences at both locations, I have learned how to function independently and gained confidence in being a nutrition expert. I am excited to see what future rotations have in store for me and to see what I can offer to those facilities.
 
My advice for prospective interns is to go into each rotation with an open mind. Explore every aspect you can at each facility both within the nutrition department and outside of it. Try to establish connections with everyone you encounter, you never know where you may end up in the future or what connections might assist you in landing a job. One tip I learned from one of my preceptors is to work smarter not harder throughout this internship and make sure to ask questions whenever you’re unsure. Remember this internship is a learning experience to not only to prepare you for the RD exam, but to also give you the confidence to be a nutrition expert in whatever field you choose. ​

​Hello! My name is Jason Caber, and I am a Sodexo Dietetic Intern in Region 3 in New York. I am currently in my community nutrition rotation with the Nutritionist4UPC outpatient dietitian. I only started my dietetic internship two months ago, but my love and interest in nutrition have even grown more in these last two months.
 
My first rotation was my food service management. I did my hours at an upscale cafeteria in midtown for one of the most successful law firms in the city. I remember being scared at the beginning because I didn't know what exactly to expect. I couldn't stop thinking about how busy it was and how it could throw everyone else off, like in the movies, if I made one mistake. I was wrong! I guess that's why people always say don't believe everything you see in a film. From day one of my food service rotation, the welcoming aura I felt made me feel like I had been an employee there for years. My preceptors walked with me every step they felt was needed to help me grow as a food service manager. The kitchen staff was experienced and knowledgeable; this allowed me to absorb even more techniques and knowledge during this rotation. I was taught how to understand and look at all the factors that need consideration for determining a budget. In addition, Mary, another intern, and I added three dishes for the new plant-based station that was opening the following months. By the end of my food service rotation, budget talks, developing menus, and completing managerial duties went from being super intimidating to just a part of my remarkable 9-5 shift. In conclusion, I can proudly say that Sodexo helped me discover a side of food service I never knew existed.
 
Now, I am halfway through completing my community rotation. The site where I am interning has allowed me to explore what might be the next big thing in nutrition, and that's online counseling. In less than three weeks, my confidence to provide nutrition counsel to patients and my knowledge of providing counseling through online platforms have significantly improved. In addition, thanks to Sodexo's flexibility, I have been able to explore other sides of community experiences. I have also been working with food banks and schools. I can't wait to see how many different things I will get to experience during this rotation.
 
Even though each rotation has its challenges, remind yourself that everything that holds value is worth the fight! There's so much to learn from each rotation that it makes one month feel like a week. My advice to future interns is to let yourself get absorbed in the experience. Also, remember to ask questions, connect with people, and get out of your comfort zone! Use this internship to help you find the path you want to follow in the nutrition field!

​Hi everyone! I am Claudia DeMatteis, a Sodexo Dietetic Intern in Region 2. I am currently in my intermediate clinical rotation at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington, CT. UConn Health is a 224-bed teaching hospital. It has been especially great to complete my clinical rotation in a teaching hospital because so many students from other disciplines are learning alongside me daily.
 
I have spent over 200 hours in the inpatient setting, and I cannot believe how much I have grown personally and professionally during the last few weeks. I recently graduated from my undergraduate DPD program in May. Without any clinical experience under my belt, I previously thought of participating in a patient's care plan and putting my knowledge into practice to be nerve-racking. But I have found that having courage gives you the ability to put aside your fear of failure and grow.
 
My time in the inpatient setting has been profound. Having an unobstructed view of the American healthcare system has allowed me to see firsthand the social determinants of health and the health disparities in our communities. In our undergraduate medical nutrition therapy courses, we often learn about one disease state at a time. But upon starting my clinical rotation, it quickly became apparent that it is far more common to see a patient with numerous comorbidities than it is to see a patient with a free-standing medical condition.
 
I have cared for patients in various disease states, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, psychiatric illness, cancer, renal disease, and severe malnutrition. Most patients simultaneously have at least two or three of these conditions upon admission, making prioritization essential when assessing a patient.
 
Along the same lines, I have learned that two patients with similar illnesses are likely to have vastly different plans of care. It is essential to take an individualized approach when addressing a patient's nutrition-related needs to create more meaningful and effective interventions.
 
It has been a rewarding experience to participate in an interdisciplinary healthcare team, especially when we are consulted for enteral and parenteral nutrition recommendations. I feel incredibly welcomed and encouraged by the Registered Dietitians at UConn Health. They allow me to act independently yet have been there for support every time I need it. Most importantly, they have taught me the value of providing quality and compassionate nutrition care. My clinical rotation has provided me with invaluable lessons, stressing the importance of having confidence, flexibility, respect, attention to detail, emotional stability, and most importantly, empathy.

Hello everyone!  My name is Jenna Deak.  I’m from region 5 and reside in Baltimore, MD. I have recently completed my food service management rotation and I’m in my last week of my patient service management rotation at Greater Baltimore Medical Center. All of the management and employees at this facility have been so friendly, helpful, and amazing to work with.
 
During my food service rotation, my preceptor, the executive chef, taught me how to conduct inventory, place orders, develop menus, manage a budget, and supervise and lead a team. As I reflect on my experience thus far, not only have I learned these food service management skills, but I have also learned to be more of a leader, comfortable taking risks, and confident in adapting to new experiences. I used the skills I gained to market and generate sales for my retail marketing and wellness project. For this project, I created a Halloween themed lunch with an innovative meal and provided nutrition information to customers by walking around the cafeteria at peak hours and handing out pamphlets. In order to prepare for the lunch, I created a menu, ordered food within my hospital’s budget, posted flyers around the cafeteria, and provided decorations that coordinated with my event. This has been my favorite project thus far because I was able to use the skills I learned alongside my creativity to completely conduct the vision I saw for this event and teach customers about the nutrition.
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I didn’t expect to enjoy the food service rotation as much as I did. I will carry these skills I’ve gained thus far with me through the remainder of my internship and my career that follows to succeed in my future career as a Registered Dietitian. I look forward to continuing my rotations at Greater Baltimore Medical Center, where I will also be doing my clinical rotations at the hospital’s inpatient units, and working with the lactation consultant and pediatric dietitian for my leadership concentration in the NICU and PICU. I am so happy to be a part of Sodexo’s dietetic internship; I would recommend this program to everyone. I'm eager to continue the rest of my journey as a dietetic intern and soon-to-be registered dietitian!

​Greetings from Region 6, Lexington Kentucky.
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Hi everyone I just started my first rotation in community. My community rotation is with the community outreach director at the University of Kentucky. She has already taught me so much and has really gotten me involved with projects she’s been working on. I have mostly been working with the University of Kentucky’s Campus Kitchen. Campus Kitchen retrieves still usable groceries including fruits, vegetables, and meats from local groceries such as Kroger and Whole Foods. These items are then made into meals that are distributed to students on campus that need meals, and also sent out into the local community here in Lexington to those in need. I have been helping to plan meals with the food that is retrieved from these stores. Sometimes it is difficult to come up with recipes because you never know what’s going to be brought in, so we have to get creative. So far, we have made several casseroles and stir fries that have been distributed throughout the local community. It gives me a great feeling knowing I’ve played a hand in helping feed someone in need of a hot meal.
 
I have also been helping write a grant proposal in Get Into Motion, an app that will be used by local groceries as a database for community kitchens to let them know what’s available for retrieval. It’s been so great to see all these items that would have been wasted transformed into nutritious meals for those in need of a meal. In the short time I have been with my preceptor and Campus Kitchen, I feel like I have been exposed to so much. I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience thus far, and I am looking forward to seeing what we accomplish in the coming weeks.