Hello! My name is Victoria Kaijser and I am a Region 9 intern in Chicago.
I am approaching the end of my Sodexo internship, an experience that has been incredibly rewarding, exciting, and challenging! I completed my foodservice management rotation at GE in downtown Chicago which gave me insight into the corporate side of foodservice that I had never been exposed to before. Having previously worked for Sodexo in a University setting, I really enjoyed this placement to broaden my experience. I really appreciate that Sodexo considers our personal preferences and experiences when finding the right setting for this rotation.
After this I began my clinical rotation at Mt Sinai Hospital, which much like other interns, was impacted by COVID. I was able to complete my basic clinical rotation before the hospital sent all the interns and volunteers home. During this time, the program directors were incredibly proactive and helpful to ensure that the affected interns could continue progressing through the internship despite the circumstances. I made use of the numerous different resources, webinars, and modules to work on community and clinical hours remotely.
When I returned to the hospital, I was able to move into my advanced clinical and critical care rotations, which has been the highlight of my internship experience. I was able to see patients with a variety of complex conditions and unique needs. One valuable lesson I learned during this time was how crucial it is to communicate with the other members of the healthcare team in order to provide the best possible care, especially when it comes to enteral and parenteral nutrition. I also learned how important it is to remember our worth as nutrition professionals in the clinical setting and to have the confidence to educate and advocate for evidence-based truths that may not be recognized by other healthcare professionals.
I hope to take the RD exam soon and pursue a career as a clinical dietitian, and I can’t wait to use all the experience gained during this internship!
I am approaching the end of my Sodexo internship, an experience that has been incredibly rewarding, exciting, and challenging! I completed my foodservice management rotation at GE in downtown Chicago which gave me insight into the corporate side of foodservice that I had never been exposed to before. Having previously worked for Sodexo in a University setting, I really enjoyed this placement to broaden my experience. I really appreciate that Sodexo considers our personal preferences and experiences when finding the right setting for this rotation.
After this I began my clinical rotation at Mt Sinai Hospital, which much like other interns, was impacted by COVID. I was able to complete my basic clinical rotation before the hospital sent all the interns and volunteers home. During this time, the program directors were incredibly proactive and helpful to ensure that the affected interns could continue progressing through the internship despite the circumstances. I made use of the numerous different resources, webinars, and modules to work on community and clinical hours remotely.
When I returned to the hospital, I was able to move into my advanced clinical and critical care rotations, which has been the highlight of my internship experience. I was able to see patients with a variety of complex conditions and unique needs. One valuable lesson I learned during this time was how crucial it is to communicate with the other members of the healthcare team in order to provide the best possible care, especially when it comes to enteral and parenteral nutrition. I also learned how important it is to remember our worth as nutrition professionals in the clinical setting and to have the confidence to educate and advocate for evidence-based truths that may not be recognized by other healthcare professionals.
I hope to take the RD exam soon and pursue a career as a clinical dietitian, and I can’t wait to use all the experience gained during this internship!
