Student Corner Interview

Rachel Ernzen, BS
Dietetic Intern
VCU Health Systems, Richmond, VA

Rachel, please introduce yourself, your education, and dietetic internship. I received my undergraduate degree in Dietetics (Nutrition and Fitness emphasis) from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO, in 2004. I completed a dietetic internship at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, VA in 2005. This is an 11-month generalist program with rotations in clinical dietetics, foodservice management, and community nutrition including five weeks of "affiliation" time. My internship exposed me to a wide variety of nutrition avenues and also provided me with flexibility to explore.

Tell us about the "affiliation" rotation within your dietetic internship and your choices for that requirement. Interns may spend up to five weeks of "affiliation time" typically under the direction of a registered dietitian in an area of choice or interest. We may choose from a list of pre-approved affiliations or locate one on our own. Finding your own affiliation is more work as the intern becomes responsible for locating and establishing a contact, formulating objectives, and ultimately gaining approval for the experience by the intern director. This is the route I chose.

Let's start with the wellness affiliation. How did you set-up the experience? How long was the experience? I posted notices on SCAN's Cardiovascular and Wellness listservs to locate a mentor and a site for the experience. Although initially disappointed by a lack of responses, one response was fruitful. I contacted Elizabeth Watt, RD, and had the pleasure of spending a week with her at The Wellness Center at Meadowmont in Chapel Hill, NC.

What did you do during the wellness affiliation? What were your personal goals? Were they achieved? Some of the neat things I did with Mrs. Watt were the following: volunteering at the Wellness Center's first annual triathlon-sprint, observing one-on-one counseling of patients in the cardiac-rehab program referred through University of North Carolina (UNC) hospital, and learning how to use a Med Gem to calculate basal metabolic rate. The personal goals I had for this experience involved observing counseling sessions and staff meetings and assisting with projects, seminars, and presentations. Basically I wanted to learn about the opportunities for RDs in rehab and fitness settings. I believe all my goals were achieved. I was able to contribute to the counseling sessions, grocery store tours, staff meetings, etc.

Now describe the sports nutrition affiliation at Carmichael Training Systems (CTS).  How did you set-up the experience? How long was the experience? I've been interested in sports nutrition for many years, and saw my affiliation time as a great opportunity to explore career options in this area. Jackie Berning, PhD, RD, one of my former professors at the University of Colorado, suggested that I contact Jay T. Kearney, PhD, RD, Vice President of Health and Sports Services, Carmichael Training Systems (CTS) in Colorado Springs, CO.  Dr. Kearney introduced me to Fiona Lockhart, BA, BS, CSCS, a CTS Coach who mentored me during my three weeks at CTS.

What did you do during the sports nutrition affiliation? What were your personal goals? Were they achieved? During my affiliation I assisted in the development of 6-Essentials, an on-line nutrition newsletter. I researched peer-reviewed journal articles on sports nutrition topics, wrote articles (reviews of potential nutrition applications of the glycemic index and of the supplement CoQ10), and also developed nutrient-specific reference materials. The article I wrote on glycemic index can be accessed at the following link: http://www.trainright.com/essentials/nutrition/aug/intheNews.asp

My experience working and interacting with the CTS staff of exercise physiologists and collaborating with Kelly Boyle, the Registered Dietitian at CTS was very positive. Also, I had the pleasure of meeting Chris Carmichael, founder, CEO, and President of CTS. I found that the company practiced the training and fitness ideals they advocated and also created an environment for continued staff education. This opportunity provided me with a real life glimpse into a broad scale, comprehensive coaching approach.

Have these experiences affected your career goals? If so, how? Yes, both experiences brought me great joy, inspiration, and hope for the future of dietetics, particularly in the areas of sports nutrition and wellness. It is exciting to know that opportunities for RD's are growing in these areas, and comforting to find supportive environments where nutrition professionals are valued, contribute, and also learn from co-workers and clients.

Would you recommend experiences such these to other dietetic students? If yes, why? Absolutely. Whatever your passion may be, pursue it! How else can you find out if something is a good fit for you? Plus---the people, contacts, and mentors you meet along the way are truly priceless.