Alumni and Intern Insights

• RDN at The Aliveness Project, a federally funded healthcare facility for individuals with HIV/AIDS in Minnesota:
  • RDN Responsibilities: provide MNT to members and link them with food assistance programs.
  • How the UMN DI helped me prepare: "I had a lot of great MNT and clinical experience that provided me with the clinical judgement I needed to serve my patients. Additionally, I did my staff relief at the West Bank mental health inpatient side that helped me to learn how to work with persons in crises and with confounding issues such as substance abuse and homelessness."
• RDN deciding between offers in the the clinical setting
  • How the UMN DI helped me prepare: "The UMN prepared me for these positions by providing a wide range of patients and professional experiences. Because I have practiced in so many settings it calms my nerves and makes me confident that I can start as an RD in any setting. There is a lot of pressure and a high workload as an intern, so after completing this internship it is so fulfilling and a true confidence boost that you can do anything!"

• "It's difficult to say what the most valuable learning experience was because there were so many different learning experiences that were all very valuable! This is personal- but as a mom, it was incredibly encouraging to me to see how other dietitians who are also moms are practicing in many different ways that work for them and their family. Some work full-time. Some work less than full-time and some have a mixture of work in clinic and work from home days. It allowed me to try to envision what will work for me and for my family too. Clinically, the opportunities were incredible. It was so helpful to see the wide variety of patients and disease states that a dietitian can use the Nutrition Care Process to make a real impact on patient care." - Class of 2026 Intern
• "The most valuable learning experience for me was the career portfolio. This is because it was a summary of everything I accomplished during the internship. It was eye-opening and worth a moment of reflection to see/notice/process all those experiences and learning opportunities. This assignment evoked pride and confidence as I looked forward to the near future. It solidified my identity as a nutrition professional within myself, and for that, it was invaluable." - Class of 2026 Intern
• “It was the hands-on experience at The Emily Program.” - Lilah D., Class of 2025
• "The most valuable learning experience was my clinical practicum because it helped push me out of my comfort zone and use my skills independently, which ultimately helped me feel very confident in my own abilities as an entry level practitioner." Christina K,, Class of 2024
• "I think the opportunity to experience a variety of settings for RDs was the most valuable. It was great to get a feel for what actual careers may look like in the future." Erin M., Class of 2024
• "The most valuable learning experience for me has been through practicing in the clinical setting and applying this clinical knowledge to other spaces where chronic diseases exist. It has really given me an opportunity to learn more about myself, my interests, and where my goals are in the future."  Kerrie R., Class of 2024

• It is possible! Most interns who work during the internship have a casual position at a hospital such as Fairview or Abbott as diet techs, nutrition service associates, and/or nutrition aides. However, there are interns that have had serving jobs for a few years and are able to work out a flexible schedule with managers.

• "The biggest advice I have is to utilize every opportunity that is given to you or available. Ask every question. Ask to see patients you might not be assigned but know would be a great experience. Ask the reasoning behind a dietitian's interventions. Ask to follow/shadow other health care professionals such as Speech Language Pathologists. Fully immerse yourself in the experience, because this is the time to learn. With that and within reason, fully immerse yourself in the outside work. Do the additional research with homework, ask questions within the class day presentations. There are so many small experiences available to you that could lead you to a bigger path (such as me asking to cover the mental health inpatient staff relief instead of my original assignment, and obtaining valuable experience for my current job)."
• "My best piece of advice for being successful during the internship is to make the most of it! That is kind of broad, but for me I took every rotation (whether it was good, challenging, not an interest of mine, etc.) and tried to keep an open mind and take everything and anything I could from it. You will get homework and assignments from your preceptors, but also ask your own questions or even ask for more materials and how you can be a better professional if you were to ever pursue that unit/specialty as a future RD. Some other advice I have is to do daily morning affirmations, reminding yourself that you are here for a reason, you are smart, brave and to always take it one day at a time. Lastly, what helped me remember the good/challenging/highlights of everyday in each rotation was journaling in the notebook the DI directors provided us. I would reflect on my progress and write down personal goals for the next day or questions I had thought of after the day was over. This is fun to still look back on and read to see how far I have come as well as use those scenarios in preparing for job interviews!"

What has been the most valuable learning experience for you in the internship?

"Learning how to communicate effectively with patients and tailor nutrition education to their individual needs has been the most valuable learning experience for me" - Class of 2026 Intern

"The internship has given me the opportunity to learn more about my strengths and areas for improvement." - Class of 2026 Intern

"The variety of clinical rotations in the MNT concentration was the most valuable learning experience as it exposed me to so many patient populations." - Class of 2026 Intern

“Personal growth and development” - Annie Balk, Class of 2025
“Practicum was the most helpful learning experience!” - Natalie Gerkin, Class of 2025
“My rotations.” - Molly Cozad, Class of 2025
“It was the hands-on experience at the Emily Program.” - Lilah Doster, Class of 2025

“The internship year has far exceeded all my expectations! I have already recommended the program to other DPD students, as I think it is a really well-rounded program that offers great learning experiences.” (MNT Intern, 2021)

“I think how quickly we rotated through rotations and preceptors was the most valuable learning experience for me! It was a new first impression every week, a new place to park, and a new hospital/chart note format to become orientated with. We are so adaptable and resilient. It has helped me stay on my toes, engaged and eager to learn more and more!” (MNT Intern, 2021)

“The Emily Program provided me such a unique, once in a lifetime experience…I’m so lucky to have been chosen for this.” (MNT Intern, 2021)

“This is a wonderful program. I can see how much work goes into improving the program and I can tell that leadership genuinely cares about intern success. I appreciated the emphasis leadership gave at the beginning of the program on prioritizing self-care and personal sustainability, particularly during the pandemic. You challenged us to be the best version of ourselves and supported us to the best of your ability when life got heavy. I am so grateful to have been selected for this program, I feel ready as ever to join the field.” (ED-TEP, 2021)

“I enjoyed the opportunity collaborating with the MNT students about ED and clinical practices. I also enjoyed doing the case study and pushing myself to present hard information to a large group of people.” (ED-TEP Intern, 2023)

“It has been interesting to get more exposure with just working with all kinds of people with different social, cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds and to learn how to care best for each patient and do what I can to help them meet their goals.” (ED-TEP Intern, 2023)

“I really am grateful for the opportunity to be in a new location so frequently and to be fully supported by the director. It forced me to grow, to learn to speak up and it provided so many opportunities to learn. I’m not only more knowledgeable, but I am a better person because of these opportunities.” (MNT Intern, 2023)

“Thank you for everything! Still raving about my internship a year later.” (MNT Intern, 2022)

Therese Liffrig

• "Ms Therese was an important role model throughout my internship experience. I learned not only from her knowledge and guidance, but also from observing how she communicates, behaves, and responds to challenges. One quality I especially admired was the way she managed stress with professionalism and composure. her leadership style demonstrated the importance of remaining calm, thoughtful, and solution-focused, which created a supportive and productive learning environment." - Class of 2026 Intern
• “Therese's leadership, compassion, and dedication truly shaped my internship experience in a positive way. “ - Lilah D., Class of 2025
• “Her responsiveness, encouragement, and ability to provide clarity during challenging situations made a big difference. “ - Lilah D., Class of 2025
• “Always advocating for us and listening to any concerns we have.” - Molly C., Class of 2025
• “She is just the sweetest, very kind, very invested in each of our successes “ - Natalie G., Class of 2025

Doreen Davis

• "Doreen provided exceptional planning and attention to detail, ensuring a smooth and well-organized experience for all interns. She is also very caring and approachable, always available to offer guidance and support." - Class of 2026 Intern
• “Doreen's dedication and efficiency made a significant impact on my internship experience. “ - Lilah D., Class of 2025
• “Doreen is great at keeping everything as organized as possible and explaining logistics about the internship to us.” - Molly C., Class of 2025
• “Doreen has been incredibly helpful in providing support with planning and scheduling.” - Lilah D., Class of 2025
• “She is super on it with materials for class days, I always appreciated when she had a clear agenda for the day and she managed it very well” - Natalie G., Class of 2025

Kirsten Nielsen

• "Kirsten- thank you for sharing your expertise with our cohort. Your passion for making a difference in ED is inspiring and motivating." - Class of 2026 Intern
• “Kirsten's passion for eating disorders and her dedication to supporting interns truly stood out.” - Lilah D., Class of 2025
• “Kirsten has been an incredible support throughout the internship, especially in providing encouragement, clinical insight, and thoughtful feedback.” - Lilah D., Class of 2025

Kristen Priore

•  "Kristen has consistently been present and approachable, offering support, mentorship, and guidance whenever needed. Her experience working at UMMC provides valuable and meaningful mentorship for interns." - Class of 2026 Intern

• "Kristen was extremely helpful in orienting the interns to the Fairview hospital system, the parking system, and getting us oriented with EPIC. She also helpful when I had questions regarding the Case Study project and provided me with some ideas on how to approach it." - Class of 2026 Intern

• “Kristen really helped me succeed and keep me on track, she was very on it with all materials” - Natalie Gerkin, Class of 2025