Advice For Dietetic Interns, from RDs

I asked Registered Dietitians (RDs) for advice for dietetic interns before I begin my dietetic internship next week. Below is what they told me. A huge THANK YOU to everyone who responded and helped collaborate on this post!! 

Cue nerves! 

In just one week I will be starting my dietetic internship (ahhh)! It’s been a long time coming and I’m SO excited to finally embark on this adventure I’ve been working towards for a few years. Even though I’ve been waiting (dreading?) all summer long, I still have a treasure box of feelings welding up inside of me…I’m excited, nervous, happy, anxious…

In case you’re new here, the best way to explain a dietetic internship is to equate it to a physician’s residency program. It’s a hand on learning experience that ranges 9 months to a year where interns learn the ins and outs of the dietetics profession. Some programs emphasize clinical nutrition while others focus on community nutrition. NYU’s dietetic internship (that I will be starting) concentrates on clinical nutrition. 

To calm some fear of the unknown, I reached out to a handful of dietitians who have experience in the vast depth of the field of dietetics…because this career truly is limitless! Some dietitians just finished their internships and others are well established and may just be your favorite bloggers (I know they are mine!)! They all have one thing in common: they are experts in the field of nutrition and have completed a dietetic internship to get there! 

So here’s what I asked: 

What is the best piece of advice you received before beginning your dietetic internship?

and/or

What is the one thing you wish you knew before starting your dietetic internship?

Some dietitians answered both and others just one question, but either way, I hope this advice for dietetic interns helps calm some of your nerves and helps out…I know it totally helped me!

Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RDN, CDN @ http://bonnietaubdix.com/ & author of Read It Before You Eat It

“Take it all in! Don’t have any preconceived notions about which areas of dietetics you’re going to settle in…why limit yourself? Perhaps you’ll have the opportunity to dive a little deeper into an area of particular interest during your internship, but you might discover an unexpected passion for a new area that speaks to you. 

Take lots of notes and make lots of contacts because you’ll never know who you’ll cross paths with again in the not-too-distant future. And always remember to hold your reputation dear to you.”

Rachael Hartley, RD, LD, CDE @ Avocado a Day Nutrition 

“The best piece of advice I received before starting my internship is that each rotation is what you make out of it. During your internship, you’ll be in rotations in areas you hope to work in, and others you have no desire to repeat. Still, you can learn a lot from each experience, so be present each day for learning and growth opportunities. 

Before starting my internship, I wish someone told me about all the career options for dietitians. Between nutrition communications, supermarket RDs, corporate wellness, blogging, the options are endless and I wish I took more time to explore and learn about them as an intern.”

Alanna Waldron, RD @ Eats Real Food

“The best piece of advice I received before starting the internship was keep an open mind. You may think you know what you want to do and/or are interested in, but after experiencing so many areas of dietetics from the internship, it may open your eyes to a completely different area of interest. Oh, and HAVE FUN.”

Jessica Fishman Levinson, MS, RDN, CDN @ Nutritioulicious

“Had I known that I would have morphed my career into nutrition communications with a focus on culinary nutrition, I would have taken more culinary classes, food writing, food photography, and maybe even some journalism classes. I want [you] to know there are so many non-traditional opportunities available for RDNs and don’t be afraid to take a risk and go on a non-traditional path!

Keep an open mind. You may think you want to focus on a specific area of nutrition, but until you are in it, you won’t really know. Go into every rotation with enthusiasm and the same energy you would for a rotation you are really excited for ahead of time. You may be pleasantly surprised!”

Rebecca Clyde, MS, RD @ BeTrulyNourished

“Go into each rotation with an open mind, ready to learn & to make a good impression. Going into my internship, I KNEW I wouldn’t want to work in clinical… I ended up liking it way more than I’d anticipated, and really liked the clinical nutrition team, so when my initial job prospects didn’t work out- it’s been a great placeholder for a full 2+ years so far until I’m ready to make my next move when I finish my grad program.”

Tawnie Kroll, RD @ Kroll’s Korner

“You are about to dive into an incredible field and what RDs do is so amazing. If you have a passion it will shine through. See everything as an opportunity, the good and the bad. Do not compare yourself with others…I found myself often doing this and it is just discouraging. There will always be someone with better grades, more work experience, or more volunteer experience.

Ask questions, speak up, and be bold. So many people in my undergraduate classes did not take advantage of speaking up in class. Be open to difference cultures and different personalities and check your judgment at the door. This includes people you may be providing a service to in the future, your professors, other RDs you meet, and your peers. 

Learn from everyone you meet. Utilize your classmates and professors as support. There will be days when you want to cry, trust me I did too! Your classmates/interns will become your 2^nd family and the relationships you will build with them and professors/preceptors are invaluable. You are paying for your education, so make the most of it.”

(Here are more of Tawnie’s tips!)

Alexandra Caspero, MA, RD, CLT @ Delish Knowledge

“I wish I was told that there are so many other options for RDs instead of the hospital. While there’s nothing wrong with clinical nutrition, I knew it wasn’t for me. Thankfully, I met mentors along the way (in the NE DPG group) who showed me other career options.”

“My best piece of advice is to make the most of wherever you are interning, even if it isn’t a perfect fit or exactly what you want to do in the future. Even if you think the internship isn’t relevant for what you want to do later, you can always learn something from it or make connections thanks to it that will be helpful in your career.

This is something that I already knew, but it’s worth reinforcing: no question is dumb. It will only help you (and your preceptor) later if you know what’s going on. The more networking you can do, the better, and the more you learn about other people’s careers, the easier it will be to figure out what you want to do!”

Julie Harrington, RD @ RDelicious Kitchen

Lindsay Livingston, RD @ The Lean Green Bean Blog 

“Make as many connections as possible. You’ll be meeting tons of great RDs throughout your internship rotations and you never know when one of those connections could lead to a job in the future. Take advantage of the opportunity to learn from a wide variety of RDs and then work to find your own way of doing things that works best for you.”

You’re not limited to traditional dietetics. Before my internship I knew I didn’t want to end up doing clinical dietetics so I focused my internship more on community opportunities. But even while I was interning, I never dreamed I’d be able to end up doing what I do now. If there’s something you want to do and you have the skills to do it, go for it! Don’t ever feel like just because you’re an RD you have to fit the “traditional RD stereotype”.”

Amanda Foti, MS, RDN, CDN, Dietitian at Selvera (Instagram @RD_eats) 

“Be a sponge! Every minute of every day will be stimulating and it will all be exciting. Regardless of the rotation and whether or not you want to go in that direction once you’re an RD, there is always something to learn. If you approach everyday ready to dive in it will make you grow and learn so much, not only on an intellectual level but a personal level too. You will be pushed and challenged but it will be rewarding in the end. Get organized and stay on top of your responsibilities from day one…it will make your experience more enjoyable. One day of slacking can turn into a hell storm quicker than you think!

It goes by slow and fast all at the same time. Don’t rush to the end just to be finished and get a job. Enjoy this opportunity to explore various avenues of the dietetics field, networking with well-established dietitians, bonding with other colleagues and enjoying this time of being an intern. This internship is more than just checking a box to get to the next step of becoming an RD. It will start to define you as the type of dietitian and health care provider you become. So dive in and take advantage of this time! Trust me it’ll be over before you know it!”

Nicole Groman, MS, RD @ The Hungry Clementine

I wish I had known to ASK. FOR. MORE. FEEDBACK.  During several of my rotations, I didn’t receive much feedback on my notes, and I thought, “Great! No new is good news – I must really be doing something right!” But then – often when I worked with more senior RDs – I received criticism that I hadn’t gotten before, about things that at that point, I had carried through with me from previous rotations. I learned close to the end of the DI to ask for feedback constantly (depending on the preceptor of course, because question overload isn’t always appropriate). But I improved more in those end weeks that I had in the many previous weeks by asking for specific feedback. In fact – I would suggest asking your preceptor specifically about what you had been criticized about the week before. For example, if you’re told during week 3 that your notes aren’t detailed enough, then during week 4, ask your new preceptor for feedback on that same area. You will improve MUCH more quickly and be a STELLAR intern – very prepared to handle staff relief.” 

Caroline Kaufman, MS, RDN @ http://www.carolinekaufman.com/

“It was such a wonderful (and insanely busy and challenging) experience and I wouldn’t change a thing – it unfolded as it was meant to, and nothing I could know in advance could have prepared me more than just trying my best to live the experience and be as present as possible. I made wonderful friends and colleagues, and was exposed to the best preceptors I can imagine, who continue to support me and give me the confidence to go out there and do my best.”

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Are you a dietitian? What advice do you have for a newbie dietetic intern? 

Are you an intern? What are you most excited/nervous about? Good luck!
XO

Disclosure: Some responses were edited to cut down on length, but no advice was altered in the progress!!

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Check out these other “Becoming an RD” resources:

What is a Registered Dietitian?

Why I am NOT the Food Police

The Meaning of Food