What’s In My Bag: Dietetic Intern Edition

By Elizabeth Gerdes 

Yes, the “What’s in my bag” trend has been around forever, but when you’re starting your dietetic internship, seeing what other people carry in their bag is so helpful. Before starting my internship, I remember panicking wondering what resources I should bring to my clinical rotation and what I would need to wear to my food service rotation. So, here’s a peek into the things I brought with me to keep me organized and focused during my internship. 

1. A good bag

Honestly, I used a bookbag often, but a sturdy tote bag might work too. The key is having a bag that can hold both your personal items and your professional essentials. During my community rotation with WIC and my food service rotation with a school district I was often traveling to different locations each day. Since I didn’t have a dedicated desk to leave my things at, I had to bring it with me every day somewhere new. 

2. Name Badge

This one is so important, especially at my clinical rotation. The hospital where I completed my clinical rotation provided me with a badge, that was how I entered and accessed different wings of the hospital. I always had my name badge on me at my internship to make sure I was easily identifiable.  

3. My laptop

It depended on the site I was working at whether I used my laptop often, but I did use it at each site. For instance, during my community rotation I often used my laptop to work on projects, but during my clinical rotation I rarely used my laptop. You never know when you might need it, so definitely keep it on you. Pro tip: don’t forget your chargers as well!

4. Clipboard

I mostly used a clipboard during my clinical rotation. I would take it with me when I went on the floor to visit patients to hold patient education handouts and notes. I often visited 8-10 patients at a time so I would use the clipboard to write down any notes I wanted to put into their medial record later. I used a simple clipboard with a quick reference guide of some nutrition and dietetics concepts (like the MSJ equation and the ASPEN malnutrition table). Other dietitians I worked under used a storage clipboard that they were able to store their papers inside and also had a separate storage area for pens. Regardless, having a clipboard will keep you from having to juggle a ton of papers on the clinical floor. 

5. A water bottle

I want to make sure I practice what I preach so I bring a reusable water bottle each day to make sure that I stay hydrated throughout the day. Most places you go to have a water station or water cooler so you can refill it during the day

6. Pocket Guides

I carried a few nutrition and dietetics pocket guides with me during my rotations. These guides are great as a quick reference without having to pull out a whole textbook and search for the information I need when I couldn’t pull out my phone to search for the information.  I used them constantly to double-check energy, protein, and fluid calculations, when I needed to review food-drug interactions, and to interpret specific lab values. Purchasing the eBook version of these pocket guides can also be convenient so you don’t have to carry as many things with you. I used the Kindle app on my phone to access one of my pocket guides. I mostly used this during my clinical rotation, but you might find a quick reference for other rotations helpful as well. For instance, my community rotation with WIC provided me with a lot of WIC specific quick reference material that I used like a pocket guide while I was there. You could even make your own pocket guide using your notes from your classes to tailor it to the specific sites you are going to. 

7. A blank notebook

I carried a blank pocket-sized notebook during all of my rotations, and it was honestly one of my most useful tools in my bag. I carried it in my pocket, and I used it to jot down notes, tips from my preceptors, new terminology I learned, and any new information. These tips from my preceptors are things you just don’t learn in school, and I found them incredibly valuable. Carrying a notebook in my pocket made it so that I was able to write them down and to review later. In a way, this became my own personalized pocket guide. I also put in notes to myself about things I wanted to discuss with my preceptors later or topics that I needed to study more. A notebook is such a small thing, but it kept me organized and intentional during each rotation. 

8. Snacks

You never know how your day is going to go during your internship. Some internship sites have a predictable schedule each day and you have lunch at the same time, like my clinical rotation. On the other hand, at some sites every day there is a different schedule, with meetings and traveling between locations, so having ready to go snacks in your bag is a smart move. I would bring a bag of almonds for some protein and healthy fats, fruit jerky for a sweet treat, and some fruit for fiber. If I had access to a refrigerator, I would bring cheese, yogurt, or baby carrots with hummus. These snacks helped fuel my energy for long days at my rotation sites. 

9. Optional: Calculator

I remembered before my clinical rotation I questioned whether I should buy a pocket-sized calculator to bring with me for all the calculations I would do at this site. In my opinion, I think this one is optional. Most sites often have calculators in the dietitian’s office area already that you can use, but most people also carry their smartphones around. I used my phone’s calculator the entire time I was at my clinical site, and I found that that was more convenient than bringing my own separate calculator. 

10. A jacket or sweater

So many sites keep the air conditioning cranked up all day long. I swear it feels like you can see your breath sometimes. Having a jacket or sweater in your bag just in case you need it can keep you feeling comfortable. Being comfortable may seem like a small thing, but it can make a big difference in your ability to focus on learning and doing the job, instead of focusing on how much you’re shivering. 

11. Pens

Another simple one, but an important one. Having multiple pens is important for taking notes or writing out calculations throughout the day. I recommend having multiple pens and if you are going on the floor a lot, you might want to buy some pens that you are okay with losing because pens always get lost in hospitals and large offices. Some people find bringing multiple colors of pens helpful to keep their week organized as well. For instance, I worked with one dietitian who used a different color each day to organize her schedule. 

12. Any personal items

Everyone has different needs but remember to bring things to keep you comfortable and prepared while on your internship. This could include lip balm, hand sanitizer, mints, gum, Advil, or tissues. Even if you never use these items, it will give you some peace of mind to have them with you. 

13. Pro-tip: Thank you card

This one is important at the end of the internship with each site. On my last day of each rotation, I wrote a personal note in a thank you card for my preceptors. Preceptors take on a lot when they have students and a personal thank you note is a nice way to acknowledge their efforts and show your gratitude. 

Packing your bag for your dietetic internship shouldn’t be stressful: just focus on the essentials to make you comfortable and feel prepared. The items in your bag evolve as you settle into each rotation site and see what works best for you. Use this guide as a starting point and find what works best for you!

We love celebrating the next generation of nutrition leaders! Want to learn more about the passionate students shaping the future of our profession? Click here to get to know the 2025-2026 FAND Student Advisory Committee.