study tips

  • Dietetics Programs, Student Life

    How to Get Dietetics Experience Before Applying to Dietetic Internships

    True or False: “I need to have clinical experience to be competitive for an internship.” This may be true if the emphasis of the program is clinical. However, broad and unique experiences may sometimes outweigh clinical experience, depending on the program director’s selection criteria for its applicants. And since “a wide variety” implies having more than one dietetics experience, you must seek out experiences before your application year. Let’s get moving!

    Click here to learn more about Get Matched Coaching to get 1:1 support through to get you into your dietetics program.

    If you ask any dietetics student about what it takes to be more competitive with their internship applications, you may hear, “Start volunteering soon and often!” Then, they will emphasize that you should get as many experiences as you can before you are in the process of applying. Your experience says a lot about your interests as well as your personality traits. Be proactive about gaining experiences by taking the initiative. Show that you can juggle multiple things at once.

    A great example is holding a part-time job during the semester. You also want to convey your willingness to learn new skills and show your enthusiasm for learning. Take on a position that may be extra challenging. As directors review your experiences, they will notice qualities like professionalism, multitasking, leadership, and solid communication (to name a few).

    Create Experiences Worth Writing About

    Your experiences are what you will use to show that you have the skills to excel in the internship. If you can’t find good experiences offered through your school or within your community, start a new club or work with an RD that can be your mentor and provide invaluable one-on-one expertise. It shows that you are a go-getter and are not afraid to take the initiative!

    Variety is Key

    During the internship, each rotation may be very different from the others. Racking up the exposure in a lot of different areas will make your training year less intimidating. Getting experience in basic clinical, food service, and community areas are crucial since these are required rotations for every DI. Once you’ve done that, expand to more specialized areas like research, business, entrepreneurship, sports nutrition, pediatrics, or communications. Not only will you have your bases covered with “typical” student positions, but you can also bolster your application with impressive add- ons that allow you to rise above the crowd.

    Making the Ask

    How exactly are you supposed to go about finding these impressive add-ons? Let me be the first to tell you that Google can only take you so far! As dietetics students, we all crave opportunities to prove ourselves in the professional world. However, you must be willing to take some risks. I want to let you in on my secret called “making the ask.” Here’s how it works. If you haven’t already spent some time on the Internet researching companies, hospitals, professional organizations, dietitians in private practice, etc., then it’s time you got started. First, do the obvious. Check and see if they offer established internships or volunteer experiences. If they don’t, make the ask! If you don’t ask, your answer is always NO.

    Not quite “experience-hungry” yet? Keep in mind that a wide variety of experiences will allow you to:

    • Decide what you are interested in
    • Gain contacts in the field
    • Show your willingness to learn and commitment to the profession
    • Expand your skillset
    • Prove to directors that you take the initiative to gain as much experience as possible
    • Take advantage of breaks

    Use Your Breaks Wisely

    If you are lucky enough to have them, utilize those month-long winter breaks to squeeze in more experience or even get started on applications! Here are some ideas to stay busy in between semesters:

    • Volunteer at a food bank or soup kitchen. It will be hectic during the holidays.
    • Help an RD set up their blog and contribute posts regularly (nutrition communications!).
    • Volunteer at a hospital for any holiday events, especially in the foodservice department.
    • Start a blog of your own nutrition-related experiences.
    • Reconnect with your summer job supervisor to see if they could use an extra hand.
    • Use this time to set up shadowing appointments with various RDs to get to know more about the field.
    • Research and apply for summer job options. Many summer internships are filled by January.
    • Collect awards, past work, and projects and create an online résumé using Blogger.com, WordPress.com, or VisualCV.com. Put this link on your application résumé. It’s all the rage!

    PS. There you have it! Ready for more? This was an excerpt from my free e-book Dietetic Internships 101, which you can find in the Application Toolkit!

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  • Student Life

    What I Learned At My First Nutrition Conference

    Attending your first nutrition and dietetics conference is an important and exciting step in becoming a Registered Dietitian.

    I remember it well- the nervousness, intimidation, and the restless night before. I spent hours picking out the perfect outfit, double-checking my purse for a notepad, and packing two pens. Most importantly, I remember stepping in the doors and attending my first nutrition conference. This experience provided some critical takeaways. 

    R.D’s love food- a lot

    This may seem obvious, but it sunk in the first hour of my conference. While I was too nervous to eat breakfast, R.D’s around me strolled in with coffee, homemade smoothies, and snacks. I expected a stuffy room of strict professionals, but most attendees enjoyed a snack or beverage throughout the day.

    You will hear excellent presentations…

    Sometimes, it can feel like you are all alone in your homework and textbooks. But when you finally sit in a room of like-minded, passionate individuals, you will be reminded differently. You will engage in presentations about things you didn’t realize were a part of the nutrition and dietetics scope. You will hear presentations that inspire you, terrify you, and validate your passion for this field.

    … And some not-so-great presentations, too

    Not everyone is a performer. Just like your food science presentations in class, some dietitians aren’t great presenters. Regardless, hearing imperfect presentations may help you feel a little less intimidated at a big event like a nutrition conference. This reminds you that RDs are people, too, just like you.

    Dietitians love to mingle.

    While presentations are a large part of a nutrition conference, socializing is, too. Dietitians live for small breaks throughout the day to get to know each other more. While some of the attendees may be your professors or classmates, others may be gathering research about lentils or working with eating disorder patients. Whatever the case may be, you will meet a variety of R.D’s who do just about everything. When you find someone who stands out to you, make sure to make a lasting impression. You never know where mingling with a few R.D.N.s will take you!

    You may feel overwhelmed.

    During and after my first nutrition conference, I felt a lot of confusion. I was confused not only about the content of some presentations but about myself, too. Connecting with R.D’s taught me that nutrition is a wide-open field. Finding your population, role, and niche in nutrition takes time, which many students haven’t quite figured out. By attending conferences, you are one step closer to learning what your place is.

    My first nutrition conference exhausted me. I was physically tired from being nervous about the little things like my hair and outfit. But mentally, my first nutrition conference excited me. It inspired me to head back to my classrooms and study harder, gain external experience through research and volunteering, and ultimately communicate with those all around me and connect over a passion for this field. Your first nutrition conference will be something you will never forget, and I know it will be an experience to push you forward.

    P.S. What was your first nutrition conference? If you haven’t attended one, check out FNCE for a great place to start!

    P.P.S. Are you applying to dietetic internships? Join the Get Matched Course to find clarity and confidence in your application and land the dietetic internship of your dream! 

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  • Productivity, Student Life

    Exam Study Strategies for #RD2Be’s

    Studying for exams as a nutrition major can be difficult. These study strategies can help you succeed in becoming a Registered Dietitian.

    P.N. and EN equations, Krebs cycle enzymes and intermediates, the steps in the Nutrition Care Process-  there’s a lot of information that a future dietitian must know.  Future RD’s must get good grades in classes and excel in the internship and then pass the R.D. exam. Gone are the days that you have only your textbook and pen and paper to study. Now there are so many online tools that are designed to help you get better grades. Here are five strategies that will help you be more focused and better prepared for your exams.   

    1. Use Flashcards

    You can even save yourself the money you typically spend on 3X5 cards to make flashcards using Study Stack. You can search for flashcards that other students have already made, create your flashcards, and then practice and play games with your online flashcards. Flashcards are a great way to study for any exam. 

    2. Avoid Distractions

    How many times have you clicked on Facebook when you should be studying for that next biochemistry exam? Use ways to help monitor your distractions, like StayFocusd. StayFocusd is an extension for Google Chrome that allows you to configure how much time you spend on specific pages. Once your allotted time has been used, the site will be inaccessible for the rest of the day. With nearly 5,000 reviews, this support tool has helped a lot of people stay focused. 

    3. Create Study Groups

    If you live close to your classmates, form a regular study group with study goals set at the beginning of each session. If you would like to connect and study with students virtually, you can use  StudyRoom. StudyRoom allows you to communicate with your classmates by setting up a dashboard and sharing materials or asking questions. You need your school email address, and then you click into specific classes.

    4. Plan studying into your Calendar

    Cramming for a test lowers your ability to retain information. Create a balanced study schedule to help your brain keep what you learn. GoConqr allows you to create a study schedule and manage and track tasks. It also allows you to develop other study tools to gain insight into which topics you are mastering and which ones you need to study more.

    5. Take Breaks to Eat and Move During your Study Sessions

    When you study, you are using energy, so take time to refuel. And take time to stretch and move your body. If you need a reminder, Stand Up! is a flexible work break timer that allows you to set timers within your schedule.

    Finding the right study tools and techniques may be a trial and error process but find what works for you. Have you found an online study tool that has helped you master your nutrition classes?

    P.S. The Study Smarter Method has helped hundreds of RD’s pass the exam. Learn more about Pass The Exam Prep. 

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