My name is Shinta Galej. I am a region 7 Sodexo dietetic intern, and on the online MS track with the University of Rhode Island. I completed my undergraduate degree from Queens College in January of 2020. During my undergraduate studies, I was working as diet tech at Mount Sinai Queens and volunteered in various private practices with dietitians throughout Queens and Manhattan. I highly recommend gaining some experience in the dietetics field and being involved in the community to prepare you for an exciting journey in the dietetics world.
I had an amazing opportunity to complete my rotations at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare, home to the area's only state-designated trauma center and the Big Bend’s only accredited community hospital cancer program. I started my rotation with my CNM and patient services rotation. She took me under her wing right from the start. She oversees all aspects of patient services from tray-line services to scheduling. I learned the importance of caring for patients and to always go above and beyond to make a difference in the health of the community. She taught me to be hands on, honest, fair, and assertive as a manager, and to always go above and beyond caring for patients. There is never a dull moment working with my CNM, whether it’s working on raising donations to reduce food insecurity from a fun Mardi Gras theme event or leading multiple in-service presentations on diet education for the hostesses.
I had an amazing opportunity to complete my rotations at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare, home to the area's only state-designated trauma center and the Big Bend’s only accredited community hospital cancer program. I started my rotation with my CNM and patient services rotation. She took me under her wing right from the start. She oversees all aspects of patient services from tray-line services to scheduling. I learned the importance of caring for patients and to always go above and beyond to make a difference in the health of the community. She taught me to be hands on, honest, fair, and assertive as a manager, and to always go above and beyond caring for patients. There is never a dull moment working with my CNM, whether it’s working on raising donations to reduce food insecurity from a fun Mardi Gras theme event or leading multiple in-service presentations on diet education for the hostesses.
My community preceptor is awesome, constantly cares and values my input and opinions. I had the opportunity to write an online article, published by TMH: Tips for Building a Strong Immune System during COVID-19. I was learning so much about interactive zoom presentations throughout my community rotation. During COVID-19, I learned how to create interactive & engaging online presentations. My favorite Zoom presentation was for children on basic carb counting for children with T1DM. I was also learning from the RDs in the Florida Department of Agricultural & Consumer Service (FDACS) about the national school lunch program (NSLP), which is very interesting and informative. All were done online through Microsoft Teams meeting.
Surprisingly, I am enjoying my clinical rotation the most. There are endless learning opportunities during my rotation. I feel like a walking sponge that is constantly absorbing and learning. My favorite experiences during my clinical rotation were seeing a barium swallow test, going to ICU rounds, learning about leaky gut for my upcoming PRP, calculating EN/TPN formulas for oncology patients, and I even had the opportunity to assess a scurvy patient. Everything I’ve learned has come to life, and it is extremely rewarding. My experience and journey with Sodexo has been by far nothing but amazing. My advice is to be open minded, work hard, and have confidence in yourself. You possess the knowledge, and YOU ALL GOT THIS!
