If I thought yesterday was exciting then I don’t even know what to call today – I WAS ACCEPTED TO THE COORDINATED PROGRAM!!! 

That’s my I’m-excited-but-also-embarassed-to-take-a-mirror-self-portrait-like-a-teenager-on-Myspace face.

I wasn’t expecting to get in, and we weren’t supposed to hear the news until later, so the shock just adds to the thrill.  I’ve been crossing my fingers and hoping for months, I’m not even sure what my plan B was going to be if I didn’t get in.  Let me explain…

In order to be a Registered Dietician (a highly regulated job title in the US) you must –

1. take a certain set of courses
2. complete a certain set of clinical hours/experiences
3. pass a comprehensive exam – which you can only sit for after #1 & 2 have been completed

The Didactic program (what I’ve been in since this summer) is the typical course for most students.  You complete the courses, then apply separately for the internship, then sit for the exam.  It’s a great program, but the competition for internship spots is fierce.  In the Didactic program, I would have had 2 more years of school, followed by a year of clinical work (if I got accepted to an internship right away).

The Coordinated program is not available at most schools.  It has you complete clinical work alongside the required coursework.  You complete requirements #1 & 2 as a set, and then are ready to sit for the exam.  It is a very challenging program, but is helpful for people who learn better when pairing clinical and classroom learning.  Doing the Clinical program means you don’t have to go through the carnival ride that is finding an internship.

Additionally (and for me most important of all), in the Clinical program I will have two more years of school until I’m ready to sit for the exam.  2 years, and not 3 years.  And since Adam is done with medical school (not done done, but ready for residency done) in two years – and probably moving in 2 years – this is a very big deal for us.  Yay!

I’m thrilled that now I won’t have to live in Buffalo for a year without Adam, I’m excited about starting clinical work, and I’m proud of myself for getting in to such a competitive program.  This year was especially tough, because there were more than 40 of us applying for the 16 spots.  I’m so glad I made the cut!

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Before we even knew there was anything to celebrate, a group of friends and I had plans to meet for breakfast at Panos before our last class before Spring break.  I got a short, nonfat latte on my walk there.

Pano’s breakfast menu is amazing; I don’t know how I don’t end up there more often.  I convinced the waitress to let me order the 1-1-1 (a kid’s meal).

1 egg (sunny side up), with hash browns,

and 1 pancake.

I couldn’t quite finish it all (about 3/4), but it was nice to have any sort of breakfast appetite for a change.

I also ordered an extra-spicy Bloody Mary.

Yes, I’m the person who orders off the kid’s menu and the drink menu.

When we got to school and got our letters, after a lot of screaming and jumping around, I somehow decided more coffee was a good idea.

A grande nonfat latte with almond roca syrup (half amount of syrup).  Can I just say, I pretty much shook and twitched my way through Biochem?!

Since we are so busy over Spring break I’m actually trying to get a lot of work done this weekend, so my friend Rachel came home with me after class for some studying and TV watching.  I can’t even tell you how fun it was to watch “Grey’s Anatomy” with another girl for a change.

I had to show her how to get back out to the main road, so I took a random stroll down Elmwood to reflect.  I ended up stopping at the Co-op for celebratory sushi.

Now I’m about to dig into a late lunch of veggie sushi with brown rice.

I can’t wait!  I also feel that ice-cream should be on the agenda at some point today….

What was the last thing you applied for that required an interview?  Are you good at interviews or do you seize up with nervousness?  Apparently I rocked mine, because I don’t feel like I’m the best candidate on paper 🙂