MCDPH Dietetic Internship was my first choice when applying for internships. As a second- career dietitian with two school-aged kids at home, staying in the Valley was the only option for me. More importantly though, was the broad range of experiences that this internship affords. Community nutrition/dietetic practice is my passion and the internship through MCDPH offered me opportunities in a variety of settings that helped to solidify my desire to work in this area. What it also did, was push me to experience other areas of practice—such as clinical and school food service—that, while maybe outside of my comfort zone, helped me to become a better, more well-rounded practitioner.
For me, the clinical rotation was the most challenging. The hours were a bit longer and the attention to detail is critical, but the mentors that I worked with were wonderful at guiding me and building my confidence. My favorite rotation was school food service—in large part because it was a longer rotation and it was nice to get to know the individuals I was working with better.
I firmly believe that the MCDPH dietetic internship is solid choice for current and future applicants. It is well run, organized, and offers a wide variety of experiences to its interns. The mentors that I interacted with had the great sense of supervision while encouraging independence which helped me to trust myself and my abilities. Upon completion of my internship, I felt more than ready to study for the exam and enter the workforce.
My advice? Ask questions! Develop good relationships with your mentors. Communicate with them and your internship director. Make friends with your fellow interns and talk about shared rotations. Don’t feel that you have to know everything going in—the point of the internship is to learn! Accept that it will be a challenging rotation, but so well worth it!
Jackie Jones, MS, RDN
