Summer 2015 I had an opportunity to intern at the National Institute of Nutrition in Vietnam. Under the guidance of my supervisor, Dean of Department of Micronutrients, I was developing my own project on “Investigating the Status of Micronutrient Deficiency in Children in Remote Areas in Northern Vietnam”. I spent three months looking at reports on the deficiency of micronutrients such as vitamin A, zinc, and iron in children and took trips to three suburban towns in the northern Vietnam to conduct survey. This experience was valuable to me as I could never have imagined how common malnutrition is among children in these remote regions. This internship has also inspired me to get a degree in Nutrition and shift my focus toward developing better diet for underprivileged children.
Leadership Competencies Gained
Problem solving
Being able to conduct the survey on my own with little supervision allowed me a lot of independence and opportunity to learn but that also means that I had to make decisions on my own. In order to conduct the survey, I had to advocate parents to sign agreements for their children to participate in the survey and bring the children to the Preventive Medical Center, but many parents in these low-come regions do multiple jobs and are not aware of micronutrient deficiency status. I finally decided to collaborate with the head of the medical centers and town council to promote about the survey, spread handouts and go to each family to advocate the parents.
Responsibility for personal behavior
Not until I got my first intern did I know how high the stakes of being responsible for personal behavior. During my internship, I was responsible for translating documents for the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Department of Health and other international organization that collaborate with NIN. Many of these documents are classified and sensitive, and cannot be leaked during the negotiation phase. I was fortunate enough to be trusted, and it is more important to do my part and make sure everything is secure.
Being able to conduct the survey on my own with little supervision allowed me a lot of independence and opportunity to learn but that also means that I had to make decisions on my own. In order to conduct the survey, I had to advocate parents to sign agreements for their children to participate in the survey and bring the children to the Preventive Medical Center, but many parents in these low-come regions do multiple jobs and are not aware of micronutrient deficiency status. I finally decided to collaborate with the head of the medical centers and town council to promote about the survey, spread handouts and go to each family to advocate the parents.
Responsibility for personal behavior
Not until I got my first intern did I know how high the stakes of being responsible for personal behavior. During my internship, I was responsible for translating documents for the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Department of Health and other international organization that collaborate with NIN. Many of these documents are classified and sensitive, and cannot be leaked during the negotiation phase. I was fortunate enough to be trusted, and it is more important to do my part and make sure everything is secure.