Dietetic Internship
The Dietetic Internship class for 2012/2013 is now full. Please consider UB as a first round choice in 2013 if you are seeking an excellent Dietetic Internship with a Nutrition and Community Wellness concentration. Contact the Program Director, Liz Raleigh at eraleigh@buffalo.edu for more information. Thank you. |
Program Description
The Dietetic Internship with the Nutrition Advanced Certificate (NAC) combines the field experience necessary for credentialing as a registered dietitian with graduate study that emphasizes state-of-the-art knowledge reflecting the rapidly changing technology and modes of practice in today's health care. The program is designed to train health practitioners who will provide leadership in research and clinical settings.
Program of Study
Refer to the detailed description listed under Curriculum.
Program Goal
The mission of the Dietetic Internship is to provide a period of supervised practice to students of undergraduate programs so that they achieve the performance requirements of entry-level dietitians. The program emphasizes the interaction of interns, faculty and staff who act with integrity and seek personal and professional excellence. The mission further reflects the research, service and training missions of the University, School of Public Health and Health Professions, the Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences and the Nutrition Program. It intends to train health practitioners who will provide leadership in research and clinical settings in the region, state and nation. Moreover, its chosen area of concentration, Nutrition and Community Wellness, addresses the service need in Buffalo and the Western New York area for practitioners who are trained to utilize innovations in research and technology in the prevention and amelioration of illness. For a more complete review of our goals, mission statements and program, see the program handbook.
The Internship
The Dietetic Internship includes 1200 hours of supervised practice over a 12-month period. The goal is to train students to perform the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics core competencies for dietitians while developing proficiency in the concentration area of Nutrition and Community Wellness. The program offers students the opportunity to work in hospitals, long-term care facilities, outpatient and community agencies, and university research programs, along with a variety of comprehensive community wellness programs in Western New York. To get a better idea of the estimated cost of the program, see the Dietetics Cost page.
The Nutrition Advanced Certificate (NAC)
The academic content of the NAC requires 4 core required courses: NTR 500 Energy/Protein Nutrition (3 credits), NTR 524 Nutrition Assessment Instruments (1 credit), NTR 600 Pathophysiology of Nutrition Related Diseases (3 credits) and NTR 603 Principles of Nutrition Intervention. In addition, the following two courses may be taken to fulfill the certificate requirements, or alternate electives may be taken in consultation and with approval from the Dietetic Internship Program Director: NTR 501 Vitamins and mineral (3 credits) and NTR 523 Nutrition Assessment (3 credits). The courses are taken over three semesters: fall (6 credits), spring (6 credits) and summer (3 credits). All courses applied to the NAC must equate to a minimum of a 3.0 grade point average. Upon completion of the 15 graduate credits, the Nutrition Advanced Certificate will be awarded. For eligible students wishing to continue their graduate studies, the 15 hours may be transferred into the Master's Program in Nutrition or Exercise Science. An additional 21 credits are required to complete the Master's Program in Nutrition. This can be accomplished in one or two more semesters. Many dietetic interns stay on at UB to complete their M.S. degree.
Graduation Requirement
Successful completion of 1200 hours of supervised dietetic practice plus 15 credits of graduate course work are required for receipt of the Verification of Dietetic Internship Completion. Credit for previous, recent graduate course work will be considered on an individual basis. Graduates of the program are eligible to apply for active membership in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and may take the Registration Examination for Dietitians. Those who pass the examination become Registered Dietitians (R.D.)
Outcomes (February, 2012)
Of those who have completed our program and taken the RD exam...
- 97% have passed the RD exam, overall
- 87% have passed the RD exam on the 1st attempt (five year first time pass rate)
- 52% have completed an advanced (graduate) degree
If you have any questions, please contact the Program Director, Elizabeth Raleigh.
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