All views and opinions expressed on this blog post are purely and entirely my own and based on my own unique experiences

My name is Erin and I am a current dietetic intern at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). I have been lucky enough to learn from so many talented dietitians during my time here. For my last week I am working with Ashley (author of this beautiful blog!) to learn more about blogging and nutrition promotion. As the week comes to an end, Ashley has been gracious enough to let me try my hand at writing a blog post. Together we came up with the topic of what being a dietitian means to me as a way to reflect on my training for the past year.

What an appropriate question as I reach the end of my dietetic internship and find my place in the world as a Registered Dietitian (after I pass the RD exam, of course!). I think my definition has changed a lot over the course of this year in my internship at the Medical University of South Carolina. Exploring 22 different rotations in 10.5 months you can see my fickleness! From dialysis to weight management counseling, bariatric surgery to food service, the list is (almost) endless.

For me being a dietitian means a combination of three of my favorite things: helping people + loving food + being creative. It’s about taking the food that best nourishes our bodies and using creativity to help others learn what that means in a way that is appealing to them.

First and foremost helping others: During my internship I have delivered countless nutrition education sessions in various settings, and the lack of nutrition knowledge has been made evident. It’s amazing how much a healthy lifestyle can enhance quality of life; if people are equipped with the right tools. There is nothing more rewarding than having a client or a patient genuinely make a revelation about their health because of something you taught them.

I have always loved food. Good food, fresh food. Trying different food combinations and recipes I haven’t tried before. I tend to take over in the kitchen; this is the one place I don’t work well with others. I found a diary entry that I had written when I was 7 saying that I was mad at my mom because she wouldn’t let me make dinner for our family of 6 all by myself. I have become more realistic since then but I continue to love cooking for family and friends.

For the creative piece: It’s all about personalization. There is no blanket diet, everyone has different needs and that’s where the fun part comes in (besides talking about food all day). Whether it’s creating an engaging handout, modifying recipes, or giving a group presentation; I love using my creative side to get through to clients. I really like to think outside the box and get peoples attention.

Thanks for reading my first blog post ever! And thank you to Ashley for letting me pop up on her page.

-Erin