So you’ve been matched to your MS/DI program. Congratulations! What now?
After doing a happy dance, there's a LOT of work that goes into preparing for this step. Getting to know your preceptors and sites as much as possible before your first official day is best, but not always realistic. I'll be focusing on the absolute MUSTS and obviously giving advice and insights on my experiences! Before your first day, if you have away rotations and/or you're doing a distance program, you'll need to (set up your rotations if they're not already scheduled for you and) find housing. Once you have a temporary home away from home, there's planning, purchasing, and packing all your supplies. You'll also have some preliminary studying to do. Fun! Then there's how to survive the rotations themselves. Let's go one by one and go over all the must-know info!
Rotation Schedules
This first section will be all about finding sites, communicating with potential preceptors, and getting your rotations all set up in the first place especially if they're not already all scheduled for you. This was one of the most stressful parts of my whole journey as a distance student. I highly recommend making an organized spreadsheet list, similar to what you'd make to find programs to apply to in the first place, and you can use it for tracking your job applications later!
You can use a spreadsheet to track all of the types and amount of hours you'll need (such as clinical - inpatient acute, clinical - outpatient diabetes, clinical - outpatient dialysis, clinical - long-term care, elective - private practice, elective - sports nutrition, community - WIC...), then list by site, and include preceptor contact information and any addresses or other info that's relevant. Some preceptors will be awesome and make a nice little schedule and calendar for you for your time there, but typically you will need to organize your overall rotation schedule and track your hours yourself.
For finding preceptors in the first place... my main advice besides the usual stuff like networking with your professors, work, friends and family, etc is to get creepy with LinkedIn. I did get some initial ideas from older students, coworkers, and the AAD database, but a lot of my leads didn't work out (especially in the late stages of the height of COVID which hindered my experiences in more ways than one). I had set it up years before, but I got really familiar with LinkedIn while searching for potential preceptors. I had my DICAS resume and a sample work portfolio available on there; you can also use updated versions when looking for jobs! Using my existing connections and my list of possibilities whether they had already rejected me or not, I went through and followed every site and person I could think of, then looked at people who worked there and their connections, and just kept adding and messaging anyone who might have a lead or know someone. I had a standard little template I used to contact people, which explained who I was and what I was looking for. I can share my message blurb and hour tracker later, but I learned that while it was the most stressful thing I ever did, being a distance intern gives you resilience, grit, and resourcefulness - all of which will make a great provider. That being said, you will likely have to ask a bunch of people and you won't hear back from a lot of them. Send a bunch of emails and LinkedIn messages at the same time; don't worry about getting too many yeses, that won't happen. It really helps if you know someone in the hospital system to get you emails or can introduce you to an RD. Get a preceptor that wants YOU. If they say no, move on. You won't get a good experience if someone isn't truly interested in having an intern.
You'd think it would be easy to find someone that wants unpaid help, but keep in mind, they're responsible for teaching you and any mistakes you make. Not everyone has the time, patience, etc to take that on in their current role. Once you do have people willing to take you on as an intern, do your best and at minimum, write them a thank you card! My first in-person rotation had 3 amazing preceptors, and I bought little gifts as well as a handwritten note for each of them. Besides a nice note, I gave a small gift like a $5 Starbs gift card, snacks, sheet mask, badge reel, notepad & pen, candle, stickers, etc. It's not required, and you definitely don't need to spend a ton of money as they understand you're working for free, but it's definitely appreciated! I'll go over this in more detail at the end, but all you can do is your best to listen and learn, and be respectful of their time.
Housing:
I recommend asking around for student housing recommendations to people in the area you'll be temporarily relocating to - friends, family, Airbnb, hotel/motel, the hospital or school may have connections for you so it can’t hurt to ask - this saved me a lot of money! Find out what will be provided for you - bed with or without linens, bathroom towels, dishes, coffee maker and microwave, etc. You'll likely get a furnished place, but how amenity-rich it is will depend. Speaking of friends and family, you can make a wishlist on amazon and let them know you'd appreciate some early birthday and holiday presents in preparation for your supervised practice program!
If you’re flying or have limited space in your car, you can buy food, linens and small appliances if you need them once you get there. In a small suitcase/carry on, pack the backpack items listed below with an extra outfit and your toiletries, then clothes and the other non-essentials in a bigger suitcase/checked bag. Assuming you’re driving to your away rotations and have adequate space in your car like I did, here’s a packing checklist of what I recommend:
Backpack/Laptop Bag
I organize mine with things like this multipocket case and little makeup bags I use as mini packing cubes. Each section has its own stuff.
wallet in easily accessible top pocket
Travel umbrella in the side open cargo pocket, beverage in the other
if the bag has a dedicated laptop/big section:
Laptop (if you need one, I bought this Macbook Air for under $200)
Kindle, iPad, etc for your digital books - highly recommend rather than lugging your books with you. I brought one recreational/non-school book with me just in case but I never touched it; I was pretty much just working, studying, sleeping, or just watching Netflix because I didn’t have energy to do anything else
Planner and/or journal
Big 3 or 5 subject notebook to keep notes organized and in one book (I used this one)
You may also want a folder, but may also be given one, for the many cheat sheets and handouts you’ll inevitable receive from preceptors
clinical pocket guide books like pocket guide to clin nutrition, NFPE, assessment
Tech stuff:
calculator
Airpods or dupe
portable chargers for your laptop and phone (that one has cables built in)
portable laptop stand, wireless keyboard and mouse to save your neck & shoulders
school & work supplies (may need to put in multiple pouches depending on size of what you have)
School supply pouch (that also happens to double as a clutch if you go out) with colorful pens & highlighters
Lip balm, mini lotion, hand sanitizer, hair ties, bobby pins, safety pins, etc. in with the above or below bags
Personal care/emergency kit: bandaids, mini pack of tissues, tampons, extra pair of underwear, mini bottle of ibuprofen or acetaminophen, stain stick, etc.
Post-its (colorful and transparent) & colorful sticky flags (usually used as reminders & tabs in my planner & notebook)
snacks (recs below)
Kitchen (or kitchen area)
Food - think easy, cheap, fast meals that aren't Taco Bell or McDonald's, etc. Here's a free mini cookbook with recipes by and for future dietitians
Oats or oatmeal packets, mac & cheese, granola bars, PB, tortillas, bread, canned produce and beans, fresh fruit, fruit cups, protein powder, cereal, microwave rice, low-sodium canned soups & frozen TV dinners, jam, tofu and/or deli meat for sandwiches, Babybels or string cheese, salad kits for easy salads as well as greens for sandwiches, milk for cereal and shakes, frozen fruits & veggies, homemade smoothie packets, etc.
I tried not to snack a lot to save money, but some healthy snacks under $1 include apples with PB or string cheese, carrots and dip made with Greek yogurt & ranch powder, HB eggs, homemade trail mix or energy balls, string cheese and nuts, snack bars such as Kind, Orgain, Think, Clif, Trailnuggets PRO, Larabar, RX
I made a lot of oatmeal (oats, liquid, PB, cinnamon, cardamom cooked or just refrigerated overnight topped with bananas I sliced in the peel with a spoon and optional honey drizzle) for breakfasts, deli sandwiches/wraps or PBJs with fresh fruit or fruit cups for lunches, rice & beans or quesadillas for dinners
Coffee maker or electric kettle (I brought my Nespresso as I prefer that to drip coffee now but in college I made myself coffee every morning so personal preference)
Blender or blender bottle for protein shakes & smoothies (click here for my favorite Chocolate Brownie smoothie recipe)
Microwave and minifridge if it’s not provided (should be)
Dinnerware, flatware & knives (mine were provided but these are cheap if you don't already have some or want to order and send to your new place)
Reusable containers for packing your lunch (I ended up forgetting these, so I had to pick up these at the Walgreens in my new town)
Travel mug for coffee & tea - this one is my top fave, even over hydroflask or Yeti
Bedroom (or bedroom area) & bathroom
Bed linens, towels, etc. and hangers for the closet IF your housing doesn’t already include that stuff - mine did include that stuff, which is why I mentioned it earlier to find out beforehand!
Sleep/eye mask & silicone ear plugs are a MUST when you need to block out external stimuli because you're switching shifts, need to get a few hours of sleep, or you're stuck sleeping in a weird place in the hospital or airport #beentheredoneallofthat
Desk and/or bedside lamp that is completely adjustable and portable, has dimmer settings, and a USB outlet to charge your phone
Lap desk (especially useful if you don’t get a desk or dining table with your temporary space; I was lucky enough to get both at my place for my first away rotation)(this one is adjustable and apparently has storage)
Toiletry checklist: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, razors, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, minimal makeup (I mostly kept it simple with just mascara, but sometimes I'll do BB/CC/tinted sunscreen, this awesomely nostalgia-inducing 4-in-1 makeup pen that has an eyeliner, highlighter, lip liner, and and eyebrow pencil in one chubby pen, and then maybe a mini liquid eyeliner or cream eyeshadow. I did also love this nice soothing & cooling eye roller gel that doubles as eye makeup remover
Clothes:
Packing cubes and/or a garment bag packing cube combo for organizing clothing, shoes, etc into portable "dresser drawers"
Rain jacket, winter coat, or both depending on season
A week’s worth of casual clothes for chillaxing
Workout clothes and shoes
A full week’s worth of business casual outfits and/or scrubs and appropriate shoes (your rotation site will likely tell you the dress code for that facility but it's usually biz casual and/or scrubs with or without lab coats, like the picture below)
Cardigans and sweaters to go over outfits because hospitals are cold
10-15 of each category of undergarments/minimum of a full week's worth of underwear, etc with extras
2 sets of PJs
Don’t forget laundry stuff! I brought a laundry basket to haul my detergent & clothes (and handy for moving in and out coffee maker, etc.). You can also bring wrinkle spray or steam your clothes in the shower.
Whew! Now that that's done, you get to pack all of that shtuff into your car and move. This is a great time, if you haven't already, to go over your budget especially with the increase in gas money and little to no income coming in. I also recommend thinking about timing; I barely gave myself a weekend - moved & settled in Saturday, used Sunday to explore the new town, and started work Monday!
If you don't already have your car prepped for emergencies, I'd also pack the following so you don't have added stress if something were to happen with the weather or an accident:
Snowbrush, scraper. and other weather-related supplies
Emergency kit including first aid, hand warmers, bottled water, energy bars, emergency blankets, portable car starter and/or jumper cables, overnight bag with extra clothes, etc in case you have to unexpectedly spend the night in a hotel somewhere
Camping equipment, picnic stuff, beach/park activities for any impromptu outside fun
Actual Experience
Once you arrive on your first day, get ready to listen & learn.You'll likely start out with a tour of the facility, get to know the policies for assessments, get a quick & dirty EMR lesson, and then shadow & observe. You'll likely also have homework assignments and projects from your program as well as from your current preceptor. Remember you've already had to juggle multiple things before so get out that planner and get your study schedule going,write down your various deadlines, and prioritize.
Don't be afraid to ask questions, you're there to learn! A big challenge is imposter syndrome and knowing what to say to patients. Being a student for so long, I felt nervous to go into patient’s rooms and educating nutrition for their specific diagnosis. I remember my first patient edu was for a wound consult. I felt like I did not know everything and was worried about not knowing the answer to their questions. However, with more practice, I became comfortable with visiting patients and grew in my counseling skills.
Just know that you will not always have the answer to every question and that is okay. As mentioned above, that was what I struggled with starting out. As students, we are ingrained to always know the correct answer. However, in practice, I found it’s important to be honest with your patients. It's ok to say "I don't know" or "I'm not sure, but I'll go find out!" - you may need to research more and come back a second time, and that is okay. Trust yourself and have an open mind.
Starting your clinical experience conjures excitement and anxiety as we anticipate being tested on many of the scientific principles we study over the years. Use time wisely while you’re at work but also take time to learn and then decompress when you’re off. We're encouraged not to work outside jobs, but many people make it work. Remember to lean on your support system!
Once you graduate (Yay! FINALLY!), the last hoop remains: studying for boards and passing the final boss of an exam! Click here for the ultimate guide to studying for and taking the RD exam!
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