Program Rotations

The goals for this concentration include:

• The dietetic intern will demonstrate the ability to apply current MNT to a broad range of disease states, as evaluated by dietetic internship preceptor evaluations.
• The dietetic intern will develop the foundation for life-long learning and application of nutrition expertise in the field of clinical dietetics through designated rotations and relevant experience, as evaluated by both the intern and preceptor evaluations.

Our internship offers 1,320 hours of supervised practice and is comprised of seven rotations:

*Note that program calendar and schedule is subject to change

These rotations provide a diverse array of dietetic environments including long-term care facilities, community hospitals, dialysis centers, weight control centers, and community and wellness nutrition.

The program begins in mid-July and concludes in the spring after 31 weeks of rotations with two weeks of vacation. Additional information on rotations and assignments can be found in the policies and procedures which can be requested from the DI Director.

Clinical

• Complete pediatric, pregnancy, weight control, neuroscience, enteral nutrition, oncology and eating disorders Intern Learning Packets
• Develop patient nutrition education materials
• Produce a nutrition bulletin board for the weight control center
• Complete rotation case studies and read nutrition related articles
• Develop nutrition educational interactive displays
• Review tips for communication with patients diagnosed with aphasia
• Review Braden Scale, Skin Assessment and Braden Risk Assessment Algorithms
• Review Pressure Injury Staging
• Develop and present a clinical case study and journal club presentation

Long-Term Care Facilities

• Read nutrition related articles
• Attend a presentation on “Nutrition Care in the Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Setting”
• Complete a “Dietary Mock Survey Summary” Assignment

Community / Wellness Nutrition

• Conduct grocery store tours discussing nutrition related topics such as diabetes, weight loss and heart healthy
• Present cooking/food demonstrations at the hospital and grocery stores
• Develop an in-service for employees at the food pantry
• Develop recipes, budget meals and family meal preparation for the underserved population
• Create meal plans that are tailored to the patient’s lifestyle
• Assist with educational seminars
• Review grant writing materials
• Participate in nutrition screenings, health fairs, and any community events
• Assist with developing nutrition flyers and presentations for community events
• Summarize hot topics on nutrition for the Registered Dietitians to read
• Volunteer opportunities – A variety of community nutrition service opportunities develop throughout the internship.  Each intern is expected to participate in one volunteer event under the supervision/direction of the Internship Director or Specialist Educator

Rehabilitation

• Complete rehabilitation intern learning packet
• Complete specific case studies

Outpatient

• Complete diabetes intern learning packet
• Complete case studies and read nutrition related articles
• Learn how to code and bill for outpatient services