Coffee IV & Earwax

Alas my 10-month Dietetic Internship has finally commenced! (Oct 2012... I'm just a tad late in postings!)  My applications were due back in Feb 2012, and I was matched April 2012 to the Memphis VAMC.   Master degree + thesis + graduation, followed by a 3.5 month journey to South Africa, and I have finally installed myself in The Bluff City!

DIETETIC INTERNSHIP: Weeks 1, 2, & 3  (of 41)
Weeks 1 & 2 - Orientation & Training

The first two weeks of a much-anticipated start date were significantly less eventful than expected....

The entirety of days 1 & 2 were consumed by an all-facility orientation for all new Memphis VAMC employees.  Every single person that steps through the door as an employee is required to attend (endure) a 2-day orientation of a revolving door of speakers on various topics:  IT Security, Privacy, Confidentiality, Biosecurity, Parking, the 5-foot greeting rule, Ethics, etc… 

It was boring, it was tiring.  Occasionally some doctor’s pager would sound and everyone would whip around, lusting that it he who was needed to step out of the room.  Who knew sitting in a chair listening to   people talk could be so exhausting!?

Next step: Dietetic Internship

Many miles from the last place I called Home, I have now fully installed myself in Memphis, and on the second full calendar week in October 2012, I began my 10-month (41 weeks, 1,436 hours) required Dietetic Internship at the Memphis Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center (VAMC). 

So…  a required Dietetic Internship venture?  In a nutshell, to become a Registered Dietitian, one must, at least:

• complete a Bachelor’s of Science degree,
• complete specific, relevant nutrition coursework at university, and
• complete a minimum 1,200 hour dietetic internship at an accredited facility.

This last one is the trickiest…

The Bluff City AKA Memphis

Many miles from the last place I called Home, I have now fully installed myself in Memphis, Tennessee.
(THANK YOU, Mom, for all the help moving me here!!)

This city is definitely different from other metropolises where I have previously lived, and I am excited to learn what makes it tick.  It is located in the most Southwest part of Tennessee, and is separated from Arkansas only by a river.  A very large river.  The Mississippi River! 

Driving around, I have noticed that there are a lot of:  barbecue restaurants, car washes, and donut shops.  I’m not sure if these are related… stay tuned, I will inspect them all carefully.  The city has a pro basketball team, the Memphis Grizzlies, and thanks to a new owner (who is 34 years old, a millionaire, handsome, and of course, married) and a 'Welcome to Memphis' column for him, I have had a crash course on a new quotidian:  (Thank you, Geoff Calkins of The Commercial Appeal, for this list)

Betty & Jessie visit Elvis

1. Elvis jokes in Memphis are like Toto jokes in Kansas.  Best to skip them.