By Hans Chiang
I used to be very picky with my food as a child. My parents tried multiple ways to keep me on a well-balanced diet. My interest in nutrition sparked when my parents persuaded me to eat carrots by claiming “carrots are good for your eyes.” While I did not have the scientific fundamentals and resources to research the biochemical mechanism that validates their claim at that age, I trusted my parents, labelled carrots as “good food” and tried to incorporate them into my food choices. When taking biochemistry in my undergraduate studies, these mysterious interactions between foods and the human body unfolded as I learned the science behind how nutrients actually work. Realizing how dietary intake plays a huge role in disease prevention and treatment, I wanted to advance my nutrition education in medical school so that I can provide relevant nutritional guidance to my patients as a physician.
For this reason, I applied for a position in the ASN Clinical Nutrition Internship Program during the summer after my first year of medical school at Indiana University School of Medicine. The program provided me with valuable experiences; not only did I learn about nutritional science from registered dietitians, I also shadowed physicians of different specialties, observe procedures, and learn how they incorporate nutrition into their fields of practice. On top of the clinical exposure, I reviewed my physiology and biochemistry by participating in literature research with my mentor and writing a research paper on the assessment and dietary modulations of endothelial functions.
I had the opportunity to learn from dietitians who assist different patient populations. I spent time in a diabetes care center, a hospital pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation unit, a retirement community, a cancer radiation center, the local WIC clinic, a community health clinic, the Volunteers in Medicine clinic of Monroe County, and the University Student Health Center. I was surprised to learn how diets are formulated so differently for each unique population. In addition, I learned to appreciate the communication techniques dietitians use to encourage their patients to follow an optimized diet. As a future physician, I would also be working with a very diverse population and these are all useful techniques I can use in my practice.
Besides learning about nutrition from dietitians, I participated in nutrition support rounds and shadowed physicians in different specialties. I shadowed a gastroenterologist and observed esophagogastroduodenoscopies (EGD), colonoscopies, colon decompressions, and gastric tube insertions. I shadowed a bariatric surgeon and observed lap band, cholecystectomy, and hernia repair procedures. I also spent time with an oncologist, a pediatrician, and an endocrinologist to learn about how weight control plays an immense role in treating cancer patients, infants, teenagers, and diabetic patients.
The Clinical Nutrition Internship Program was a wonderful enhancement to my education in becoming a physician. Besides learning about the various roles nutrition has in the health care field, I also obtained valuable communication skills through observing the interactions between the health care professionals and their patients. Regardless of the specialty I pursue in the future, I will be able to incorporate what I learned through this internship into my practice to provide my patients with the best care and education. I enjoyed the eight weeks of the internship very much and am very grateful to have had this opportunity.
