STUDENT CONNECTION
Friendships and Competition: Advice for Students
By Emily Nagel, MS, RD, CNSC
Emily Nagel
A few summers ago, I was one of 34 new dietetic interns at St. Louis University. Our first meeting (seeing a show at the famous MUNY or Municipal Theatre) kind of felt like high school. Natural “friend groups” started to form due to similar specializations and career interests.
As the year progressed, we became more comfortable around each other as we spent time gardening in the school’s large plot, reviewing care plans, studying nutritional biochemistry, and even running a half marathon. Some of the initial friend groups remained, but unlike high school, each group welcomed the others without hostility. Our variety of skillsets allowed us to collaborate well with one another; the culinary interns were able to answer questions about recipe development, while the pediatric interns provided guidance in nutrition assessment in the pediatric population.
It would have been easy to allow competition to overtake our camaraderie. Although nutrition is a growing field, our class graduated and received the RD credential around the same time, making us direct competition with one another for job openings. Instead of allowing animosity to develop, we took advantage of the time spent to learn from each other, laying the foundation for future collaboration.
Sometimes a little friendly competition can be good! Photo by Peter Mooney via Flickr Creative Commons.
When I first started working, I found myself contacting my former classmates for advice about their areas of expertise such as eating disorders or sports nutrition. In turn, I was able to offer advice about choosing infant formulas or calculating pediatric parenteral nutrition recipes. One of my classmates was able to successfully launch a Kickstarter campaign for a culinary startup by contacting former interns via social media. Others served as resources for job opportunities for fellow interns.
If you’re currently a student, take advantage of the time you have to glean knowledge from your classmates and to form relationships that may prove beneficial in the future. While a little competition is healthy, friendships are equally valuable to your career development.
How would you describe the culture of your intern class? If you’re a current professional, how did your relationships with your classmates benefit you?
