Summary Statement
“You will recognize your own path when you come upon it, because you will suddenly
have all the energy and imagination you will ever need.”
Jerry Gillies
The Coordinated Program (CP) has been an unforgettable opportunity filled with learning experiences from which I will continue to draw in my professional life. Before beginning the program, I was excited to finally connect the dots between my undergraduate nutrition degree and real life internship experience; however, I was apprehensive regarding the academic aspect, which was obtaining the masters degree. Though I had not originally planned to enter a graduate program upon completion of my undergraduate studies, the opportunity to complete both the supervised practice and masters degree within four semesters was one too great to decline. As I complete the CP, I now have not only a deeper understanding of nutrition but also a diverse compilation of practice experiences from which to draw as I begin my career in dietetics.
Assembling the portfolio allowed me to achieve even greater insight into the benefits of completing a Coordinated Program. The process of pinpointing the artifacts for each learning outcome gave me the chance to reflect on and take pride in all of the work I have done this year both academically and in various supervised practice rotations. Striving to meet each learning outcome forced me to identify my personal and professional strengths, weaknesses, likes, and dislikes, and to recognize my anxieties and fears. As a result, I was able to implement strategies to overcome them. Although this year has afforded me the opportunity for immense professional and intellectual growth, it has also given me the opportunity for personal growth with equal measure. Because I believe that growth is a holistic process engaging all facets of an individual whether it is spiritual, emotional, or intellectual, I am grateful for this past year as it has prepared me for what I believe will be a promising, challenging, and rewarding future in dietetics.
In reviewing the artifacts chosen for each learning outcome, it is clear to me that I have chosen to highlight examples of my work that do not reflect perfection, rather, they showcase how I have developed my strengths and overcome my weaknesses. Before beginning the program, I would have identified my strengths as writing, listening, punctuality, professionalism, integrity, passion, willingness to learn, and the ability to catch on quickly. Likewise, I would have stated my weaknesses as discomfort with confrontation, not speaking another language, unfamiliarity with unique foods or those foods specific to certain cultures, and my preference to work alone rather than with a partner or in a group. Though these lists remain similar at the completion of this program, through classes and practice experiences I have been taken out of my comfort zone. I have learned that though I would prefer to avoid conflict, there are appropriate times both professionally and academically to confront a fellow student or someone with whom I am working in order to facilitate change. Although I did not learn another language this year, I have made it a goal to learn Spanish within the first five years of my professional life in order to make myself a more valuable dietitian to employers as well as patients and clients. Additionally, I plan to expand my horizons with regard to other cultures and dietary habits. Most surprisingly, by the end of the program, I found myself enjoying working with my fellow students as it not only solidified important nutrition information but also friendships I will maintain for years to come. Similarly, I have identified new strengths as well as variations on those I have. For example, completing my diabetes rotation taught me that I am not only a good listener in one on one counseling situations, but I also present information well to larger group settings. Though I had previous experience with public speaking, I was not confident in providing diabetes education to a group; however, my preceptor praised my performance and informed me that I maintained control of the group while balancing education with facilitating discussion. Throughout the program I was given many opportunities to continue developing my writing skills, and though I always received excellent grades on papers and written assignments, I discovered a subset in the field of writing in which I did not always excel. As I learned through completing the case study for my acute care rotation, technical writing is not my forte and it takes practice to improve. Acknowledging this limitation will help me become a better dietitian by expanding my skills set, taking the criticism from this assignment and applying it to other projects in the future. Though the program was difficult and often tiring, my passion for the field of nutrition and willingness to learn still remain among my greatest strengths. My desire to be involved in this profession has only grown this year and though it was challenging; I have no regrets and would not change my course given the opportunity.
Above all, I see that this program has taught me about relationships. This year prepared me for the challenges that I will face in the professional world as I deal with relationships with employers, other employees, physicians, patients, and clients. Additionally, it has prepared me for similar challenges in my personal relationships. Lastly, as a result of this program I have a better understanding of relationships with food both on a personal level as well as from the perspective of various individuals with whom I might work. Seeing patients and clients across the spectrum from unhealthy to healthy has reinforced the need for my services and the gratification that comes with helping another person. In an effort to maintain my value to the nutrition community, I plan to continue as a member of the American Dietetic Association, to always practice with integrity, and to take seriously the commitment to continuing education. Though my nutrition philosophy remains the same, that behavior change cannot and will not occur until one understands the reason behind and the importance of behavior change, my experience in the Coordinated Program has revealed my belief in the individualized nature of dietetics practice with client centered interactions. It is through these actions that I will fulfill not only my goals but also those of my patients and clients. Currently my professional goals include gaining clinical experience for the beginning years of my career and eventually working with eating disorders in an inpatient facility. My ultimate goal is not my own success but that I become an integral part of the field of dietetics, and that my endeavors will always be for the benefit of those individuals with whom I work. I hope that at the end of my career, I am able to say that I made a difference in someone’s life simply by doing what I love to do. I consider myself lucky to have a passion for the field of dietetics, and an opportunity to explore and develop that passion into a career.