Dietetics Internship
NOTE: All Dietetic Intern Positions for the 2008/2009 academic year have been filled. Thank you for your interest in our program.
Program Description
The Dietetic Internship with Advanced (Graduate) Certificate Program 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
The Dietetic Internship (DI) with Advanced (Graduate) Certificate Program (ACP) offers the field experience necessary for credentialing as a registered dietitian together with graduate study that emphasizes state-of-the -art knowledge reflecting the rapidly changing technology and modes of practice in health care. The intent is to train health practitioners who will provide leadership in research and clinical settings in the region, State and nation.
Program Goal
The mission of the Dietetic Internship Program is to provide a period of supervised practice to students of CADE-accredited 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 in that 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 emphasis, 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 program includes 1040 hours of supervised practice over a 12-month period. The goal is to train students to perform the American Dietetic Association core competencies for dietitians while developing proficiency in the emphasis 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 Certificate
The Advanced (Graduate) Certificate entails the successful completion of 15 credit hours of graduate courses. 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.
Graduation Requirement
Successful completion of 1040 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 American Dietetic Association and may take the Registration Examination for Dietitians. Those who pass the examination become Registered Dietitians (R.D.)
Outcomes
Of those who have completed our program…
- 100% have passed the RD Exam
- 91.2% have passed the RD Exam the 1st time
- 96.7 % have obtained employment, in the field, within 6 months or continued on to complete a Master’s degree
- 50% have completed a Master’s degree
If you have any questions, please contact the Internship Director, Mary Platek
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