Dietetic students'identity and professional socialization in preparation for practice

Purpose: Students'identity development and professional socialization during dietetic education were explored. Methods: Thirteen undergraduate dietetic students from two universities completed three in-depth interviews based on Seidman's phenomenological approach. The students were at various stages of their education. Data were analyzed with a feminist form of inductive thematic analysis.; Results: Dietetic students come to the educational process with a broad interest in health, helping, or foods and nutrition. The academic and practical components of dietetic education create opportunities for students to refine personal interests in order to (re-)envision their place within the profession. The complexity of professional socialization and identity development was illuminated as some students' focus was redirected to becoming an intern rather than becoming a dietitian. Students transformed their identity to meet the requirements they thought were expected or necessary to obtain an internship. Internship competition and the program environment can influence this transformation. Conclusions: Professional identity development begins before dietetic education and develops within the context of that education, representing the intersection of both people and events. A recognition and understanding of these complexities can result in strategic recruitment, informed curriculum changes, and professional development opportunities for dietetic educators, which will enhance their ability to support students in the professional socialization process.