Nutrition Internships: The Pressure to be RD

The program to become a Registered Dietitian (RD) in the United States is very rigorous and in some ways limited. The entire nation has only one "matching" program that places you in a dietetic internship based off of your preference and qualifications. Some people are not even matched to an internship and are left to apply again the following year. Although the program for the dietetic internships is extensive and very practical, I do think that there are some serious limitations on students wanting to become a RD. First of all, there is only one method in which to become a Registered dietitian. A student must complete a bachelor's degree in Nutrition from an accredited CADE school, then apply and do an internship after they graduate that serves as a practicum. I don't like that there is only one way by which to become a RD because the internships are not incorporated into the bachelor's degree and require extra schooling after one has graduated. The internships are like 8 to 5 jobs, yet most do not pay. I also think the program is limited because the ability to become a RD is controlled almost completely by CADE requirements and by the American Dietetic Association. I know there are many positive aspects to having it under one organization and for having the internship occur after one finishes their bachelor's degree, however I think that at there should be one or two alternative routes available for those seeking to become Registered Dietitians.

A Tangled Mess

Tomorrow my roommate will be turning 22. Our close friend planned a surprise party for her at midnight tonight and wanted all of her roommates to come. I love my roommate, and I love my friend, but I mentioned that I might not be able to come because I needed to write a paper. I thought this would be an understood and excused reason for missing the nights festivities, but apparently I really hurt my friend's feelings by telling her I wasn't going to go. I am not skipping out because I don't love my roommate or don't care for my friend, its simply that I have way too much to do this week and don't know if I can get it all done, especially if I don't have a little bit of sleep in between the madness. At first I was frustrated that my friend was upset with me for not coming. I thought, but why? Doesn't she understand the huge pressure I am under this week? And then I realized, that's the problem. I never clearly communicated to her what the pressures were that I was feeling and what all the compounding factors added up to, that made me need to skip out on this party. Because I didn't communicate well with my friend, her feelings were hurt at my seemingly insensitive response and in return I was hurt that she would harbor harsh feelings toward me for not going when I had legitimate reasons to forgo my invitation. Oh how important it is to be clear and honest in communication!

Taking Things Into My Own Hands

Food Service Systems Management is not necessarily the most appealing title for a Nutrition class, at least, not in my opinion. However, hiding behind the technical title is a jewel of a class which I hope to enroll in for the summer session. This course is a mega-course that requires much time and effort. Upon completion of the class a student will receive 5 credit hours for the class! Food Service Systems Management was developed to provide students with knowledge of the principles of food service management that are used in preparing and serving food. The course has an emphasis on menu planning, quality control, purchasing, equipment, layout and design. The extreme amount of cooperation and time required for the class allows for the student to actually apply basic food service management principles from financial planning to personnel issues. Unlike many courses, this one is not based solely in textbook knowledge, but actually provides time and the necessary mentoring for application of textbook concepts. In consideration of this, I hope to gain experiential knowledge about the food service industry from this course. I am confident that this will take place as I have heard from classes in the past that a large portion of the class is dedicated to a semester long project to plan, market and prepare a formal dinner for the nutrition faculty and their guests. I have already taken classes on food handling that will equip me with formidable knowledge of food safety in the area of food preparation. However, I believe that this class will offer many opportunities for growth in areas of nutrition that I have never explored, of actually planning and marketing a function and managing the personnel and budget, while providing guests with palatable and healthful foods. With the prior knowledge I have of this course, I can only look forward to the opportunity to engage in such an interactive class and wait expectantly for the challenging environment it will involve.