2 answers
Corbin
Student
Stillwater, Oklahoma
1
Question
Updated
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How do registered dietitians determine which specific field they want to build a career in? I'm starting a dietetic internship and graduate school soon and there are so many interesting options!
How do registered dietitians determine which specific field they want to build a career in? I'm starting a dietetic internship and graduate school soon and there are so many interesting options!
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2 answers
Dina R. D'Alessandro, MS, RDN, CDN
Registered Dietitian
7
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Dina R.’s Answer
Hi, Corbin!
As Lisa mentioned, in your internship, you should be given many experiences to help you determine what you'll be most interested in, so that's a start.
I also encourage students/interns to ask questions and request feedback from their preceptors/supervisors/teachers/classmates to determine how others view their strengths and areas of improvement. Sometimes it's hard for us to get out of our own head or going through an internship can feel quite daunting that we're just going through the motions until completion. Instead, pay attention to how others engage and interact with you. For example, they might say that you're really good with kids, so maybe that might strike an interest in working with a younger population; or they might observe that you have a very gentle approach in helping people manage their conditions, so you might look into working with eating disorders since they're usually recovering from intense trauma or body image issues and could benefit from your compassion and sensitivity.
Lastly, consider what you enjoy when you're not at school. If you're into sports/athletics, ask your program director if you can get some internship hours working with a sports nutritionist. If you love the culinary arts, or cooking and baking, keep an eye out for your food service rotation where you'll learn the ins and outs of running a commercial kitchen.
Hope this helps. Best wishes on your next steps!
As Lisa mentioned, in your internship, you should be given many experiences to help you determine what you'll be most interested in, so that's a start.
I also encourage students/interns to ask questions and request feedback from their preceptors/supervisors/teachers/classmates to determine how others view their strengths and areas of improvement. Sometimes it's hard for us to get out of our own head or going through an internship can feel quite daunting that we're just going through the motions until completion. Instead, pay attention to how others engage and interact with you. For example, they might say that you're really good with kids, so maybe that might strike an interest in working with a younger population; or they might observe that you have a very gentle approach in helping people manage their conditions, so you might look into working with eating disorders since they're usually recovering from intense trauma or body image issues and could benefit from your compassion and sensitivity.
Lastly, consider what you enjoy when you're not at school. If you're into sports/athletics, ask your program director if you can get some internship hours working with a sports nutritionist. If you love the culinary arts, or cooking and baking, keep an eye out for your food service rotation where you'll learn the ins and outs of running a commercial kitchen.
Hope this helps. Best wishes on your next steps!
Lisa Righter
Registered Dietitian
5
Answers
Washington Crossing, New Jersey
Updated
Lisa’s Answer
As you go through your dietetic internship you will become aware of which rotations interest you the most. The rotations generally include Clinical inpatient (cardiac, renal, ICU..) , Community (public health departments, WIC program), Management (foodservice), Elective ( private practice, sports nutrition). This should help you to decide which area of nutrition you'd like to focus on. Best of luck to you.