April is National Preceptor Month, which is the perfect opportunity to honor and thank Virginia RDNs and others who precept our interns! Thank you all for training and mentoring them to become the next registered dietitian nutritionists who will help us fulfill our vision to optimize the health of Virginians through food and nutrition expertise.
Today, we hear from Diana Gulotta, a dietetic intern at the University of Virginia Health System. She says:
Here are 2 preceptors that have had made this internship amazing:
1. Chef Otis Sims: Otis is always willing to go above and beyond when it comes to helping out with intern projects and events. For example, at our student cooking demo, Otis packaged all the leftovers and cleaned the whole kitchen while we were eating the meal we had prepared. His only responsibility was to help with the actual cooking, but he did so much more. Another example is when we needed samples to give out during National Nutrition Month. On the morning that we were supposed to be passing out samples, the menu had been changed from what it was originally supposed to be. When we reminded all the chefs that we needed the vegan chili that was originally supposed to be on the menu for that day, Otis immediately stepped up to whip up the chili and put it in a serving dish that would keep warm while we were handing out samples. Overall, Otis is my go-to guy in the kitchen because he is always ready to help with a smile on his face!
2. Angie Hasemann: Day in and day out, Angie is there to do whatever it takes to make every intern’s experience great. She often sends out kind emails thanking us for our efforts (for example, she sent an email to say how proud she was of everyone that presented posters at the VAND annual meeting) and never fails to make us feel like our work as interns is important. I know I can go to Angie with any problem, question, or concern I have and she will be there with a solution or just to lend an ear. She is one of the most hard-working, caring, driven, and compassionate people I know.
