By: Katie Dunn, Dietetic Intern
Being a dietetic intern is so exciting. It’s short time frame in our path to becoming a registered dietitian sandwiched between graduating college and beginning our professional career. In a sense, we are “baby dietitians”.
We are baby professionals in a field which has been referred to as a “baby science”. They call nutrition a “baby science” because we’ve only just begun to see the tip of the iceberg in nutrition research. Nutrition sciences have come a long way, but there's still so much to learn which means I’ve chosen a career path that’s far from dull.
They don’t call nutrition a “baby science” because it’s a field for babies. In fact, that couldn't be farther from the truth. It takes confidence, wit, and compassion to be a dietitian. We are constantly bombarded by the latest fad diets and detox teas promising weight loss solutions backed by pseudo science. We are challenging the status quo in healthcare with innovative preventive measures that are often overlooked. We are proving our value in acute care settings with thorough assessment and effective interventions.
I didn’t truly understand this when I chose to study nutrition and dietetics. I just knew that I loved food and I was fascinated by human metabolism. In fact, like many dietitians will admit, I didn't even really know the full scope of what a dietitian does until this internship.
The problem is that there are many people that just don’t know exactly what dietitians do or how we can help. This includes people who are seeking nutrition advice as well as other healthcare professionals such as physicians, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, etc.
We are baby professionals in a field which has been referred to as a “baby science”. They call nutrition a “baby science” because we’ve only just begun to see the tip of the iceberg in nutrition research. Nutrition sciences have come a long way, but there's still so much to learn which means I’ve chosen a career path that’s far from dull.
They don’t call nutrition a “baby science” because it’s a field for babies. In fact, that couldn't be farther from the truth. It takes confidence, wit, and compassion to be a dietitian. We are constantly bombarded by the latest fad diets and detox teas promising weight loss solutions backed by pseudo science. We are challenging the status quo in healthcare with innovative preventive measures that are often overlooked. We are proving our value in acute care settings with thorough assessment and effective interventions.
I didn’t truly understand this when I chose to study nutrition and dietetics. I just knew that I loved food and I was fascinated by human metabolism. In fact, like many dietitians will admit, I didn't even really know the full scope of what a dietitian does until this internship.
The problem is that there are many people that just don’t know exactly what dietitians do or how we can help. This includes people who are seeking nutrition advice as well as other healthcare professionals such as physicians, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, etc.
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This has become evident to me as I sit with my preceptors in “rounds” (a meeting with all members of a healthcare team meet to discuss the plan of care for patients), and through my Interprofessional Team Seminar (IPTS) meeting with other students in healthcare professions. They know that we can recommend nutrition supplements and talk to patients about food, but that seems to be it.
Our expertise are valuable in today’s world. We are educators, counselors, motivators, researchers, teachers, managers, and so much more. We seek out evidence based research to facilitate healing in acute settings like hospitals, as well as motivate our clients to make lifestyle changes for wellness and longevity. We are changing lives of others, helping them to cultivate better relationships with food and understand why it’s so important.
Ten years from now, I want more people to recognize the full scope of a dietitian’s role, especially healthcare professionals. This means I must advocate for my profession and encourage other dietitians to do the same, and I will proudly do so.
Our expertise are valuable in today’s world. We are educators, counselors, motivators, researchers, teachers, managers, and so much more. We seek out evidence based research to facilitate healing in acute settings like hospitals, as well as motivate our clients to make lifestyle changes for wellness and longevity. We are changing lives of others, helping them to cultivate better relationships with food and understand why it’s so important.
Ten years from now, I want more people to recognize the full scope of a dietitian’s role, especially healthcare professionals. This means I must advocate for my profession and encourage other dietitians to do the same, and I will proudly do so.
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