Hi! My name is Sarah Shackelford, a Sodexo region 4 intern. Up to this point, I have completed rotations in patient services, adult clinical, and long term care, along with a concentration in pediatrics. Currently, I’m halfway through my staff relief rotation at A.I. duPont Children’s hospital in Wilmington, DE where I completed my concentration. The past 6 months have flown by and I cannot believe I only have two rotations left in the internship!
My pediatric concentration has been my favorite rotation thus far. I’ve been privileged to learn from A.I. duPont’s team of knowledgeable and experienced dietitians who are mentoring me through caring for the pediatric population from a nutrition standpoint. I’ve seen a broad array of conditions from new onset Type 1 Diabetics to Glycogen Storage Disease type 0 (less than 10 cases in the world) and Cystic Fibrosis. Completing both a concentration and my staff relief at a pediatric hospital allowed me to gain experience and confidence working with children and their families- a population I hope to serve in the future.
My pediatric concentration has been my favorite rotation thus far. I’ve been privileged to learn from A.I. duPont’s team of knowledgeable and experienced dietitians who are mentoring me through caring for the pediatric population from a nutrition standpoint. I’ve seen a broad array of conditions from new onset Type 1 Diabetics to Glycogen Storage Disease type 0 (less than 10 cases in the world) and Cystic Fibrosis. Completing both a concentration and my staff relief at a pediatric hospital allowed me to gain experience and confidence working with children and their families- a population I hope to serve in the future.
Throughout my internship I have been able to do one thing I love- teach! During my adult clinical rotation at Jefferson Health Torresdale in Philadelphia, PA, I worked with another dietitian and nurse navigator to educate patients on dietary and lifestyle management of congestive heart failure. Teaching other classes, like nutrition with pulmonary disease and eating around the holidays with diabetes, has been one of my favorite internship experiences.
Sodexo’s internship has truly given me an opportunity to grow as both a provider and a person. Prior to beginning the internship, I was nervous about patient care and making the best decisions for a patient from a nutrition standpoint. Through my rotations I have been able to develop my clinical judgement, hone my communication skills, and grow in my adaptation skills to new settings. My advice to future interns? Take your time to enjoy every rotation, take each opportunity that comes your way, and soak in everything you can because before you know it, you will be finishing up the internship.
Sodexo’s internship has truly given me an opportunity to grow as both a provider and a person. Prior to beginning the internship, I was nervous about patient care and making the best decisions for a patient from a nutrition standpoint. Through my rotations I have been able to develop my clinical judgement, hone my communication skills, and grow in my adaptation skills to new settings. My advice to future interns? Take your time to enjoy every rotation, take each opportunity that comes your way, and soak in everything you can because before you know it, you will be finishing up the internship.
