An Update on Amanda's Rotations

These past couple weeks have flown by with the start of the school year.  I have been spending time in elementary, middle and high schools serving on the lunch lines, helping to prep and clean up the school meals, and cashiering.  So far I have had some amazing experiences working with people of all ages from kindergarteners all the way up to the school kitchen managers.  This week I will begin my clinical rotation at Sarasota Memorial Hospital where I will be working with patients who have diabetes.  I am really looking forward to applying some of the knowledge I gained from my medical nutrition therapy classes to real life situations! 

It feels very odd not preparing for the start of a new school year, as it is the beginning of September, which is the time when the University of MN begins each year.  This time last year I was making lists of all the things I wanted most out of an internship.  It is extremely important that you start sorting out which internships you want to apply to now.  This way you will have narrowed down your list by the time applications are due.  Narrowing down which internships you want to apply to may seem like an easy task, but it is actually quite time consuming.  I spent a lot of time going through each internship considering what each one could offer me.  Here are a few things I considered while trying to sort through all of the internships:

•      The emphasis of the program:  This is where you will spend the majority of your rotation time.  Make sure that the programs you apply to match up with your career interests!
•     Graduate school options:  Last fall I was interested in applying to a coordinated program where I could get both my internship and master’s degree completed.  Although I did not end up applying to a coordinated program, this is definitely an option that requires consideration if you are interested in grad school. 
•      GPA and other requirements:  All internships are unique and many have specific requirements that they are looking for in their applicants.  Make sure you meet all application criteria before applying to a program. 

Remember, if you start on your DI applications early, you will have more than enough time to narrow down your top internships and complete an outstanding application.  Have a wonderful start to your school year!