Program Schedule

Supervised practice experiences, ranging from 1 week to 5 weeks long, are planned with a faculty to student ratio of 1:1 or 1:2. Clinical competency testing is completed through evaluation of assignments specific to the experience, daily interaction with the preceptor, pre-post testing and through a variety of audits.

Professional Self-Reflection/Self-evaluation is planned after each learning experience for the student to be accountable for their personal competence in practice as well as to reflect on interests, strengths, weaknesses, critical thinking skills, organizational skills and short and long term goals and objectives.

Orientation / Basic Clinical Skills (4 weeks)

All interns have a one week didactic learning experience planned to introduce basic knowledge and skills needed throughout the program including policies and procedures and skills associated with the practice of medical nutrition therapy. An additional three weeks are comprised of hands-on clinical supervised-practice experiences with an assigned registered dietitian nutritionist. Didactic classroom experiences compliment the basic skills training.

Clinical (23 weeks)

These learning experiences place emphasis on medical nutrition therapy using the nutrition care process specific to the individual in-patient or out-patient population. Patient/Family education, Meal Rounds, Collaborative Rounds, Case-studies, pre-tests/post-tests and discussion/evaluation of additional Professional reading may be planned during each experience

• Cardiology / Health Coaching- 2 weeks
  
• Internal Medicine - 3 weeks
  
• Oncology / Henry Ford Cancer - 2 weeks
  
• Transplant – 1 week
  
• Neuroscience/ ALS - 2 weeks
  
• Nephrology/Dialysis - 3 weeks
  
• Nutrition Across the Lifecycle – 3 weeks
  During the Nutrition across the Lifecycle clinical supervised practice learning experience, Dietetic Interns address the nutritional needs of patients from Infancy through geriatric years. The students participate in assignments and activities for Pediatrics, Older Adults and Long-term care/Home Health Care. In addition, this will include 1 session with the “Let’s Get Healthy” program, workshops covering general nutrition across the lifecycle, enteral nutrition, maternal nutrition and lactation, and Out-patient experiences with Cardiac Rehabilitation and Home Infusion.
  
• Mid-Term Review/ Wounds - 3 weeks During the Mid-Term review clinical supervised practice learning experience Dietetic Interns address the nutritional needs and the educational needs of all patients on modified diets and/or receiving enteral nutrition. This learning experience is a mid-program evaluation of basic competencies and the nutrition therapy competencies for registered dietitian nutritionist education. This is accomplished through the use of the audit process to evaluate the intern's:
  
  • Ability to complete/individualize the nutritional Care Process;
    
  • Ability to calculate and document nutrient intake analyses;
    
  • Ability to document initial nutrition notes and follow-up notes with nutritional plans of care;
    
  • Ability to gather and assess pertinent information during patient visitation/meal rounds;
    
  • Ability to take diet histories;
    
  • Ability to perform patient/family education;
    
  • Ability to complete nutrition focused physical exams.
    

    A mini peer review audit is also completed along with a re-take and evaluation of the Basic Clinical Skills Test.

    The Maternal Segment of this experience will cover women’s health during pregnancy and lactation.

• Critical Care - Surgical - 2 weeks.
• Critical Care - Medical - 2 weeks
  During the Critical Care-Medical clinical supervised practice learning experience the dietetic interns spend 1 – 2 days with Nutrition Support Services studying Parenteral Nutrition, and 2 days with the registered dietitian nutritionist in the neuro-science intensive care unit.

Clinical Staff Responsibility / Patient Care (5 weeks)

The Clinical Staff responsibility supervised practice experience is designed for the student to demonstrate the knowledge and skills of an entry level clinical registered dietitian nutritionist by assuming responsibility for managing clinical nutrition services for 40 - 50 in-patients. The dietetic intern will demonstrate, and be evaluated on the basic competencies for entry-level registered dietitian nutritionist education and the “Nutrition Therapy Concentration Competencies”.

Community/Management (4 weeks)

• Community Nutrition – 1 week and throughout the 10 month Program
  This supervised experience gives the dietetic intern the opportunity to:
  • Complete the WIC Learning online Modules
  • Complete a “Heart Smart” recipe modification and publication in a local newspaper
  • Attend both Sports Nutrition and Eating Disorders presentation
  • Plan, develop, execute successful National Nutrition Month activities
  • Prepare and present a Comprehensive Clinical Case Study
• Diabetes Care Connection - 2 weeks
  Dietetic interns have the opportunity to participate in several of the system's Diabetes Care Centers. The interns observe and assist in the normal operational functions of the diabetes care center including the Patient Encounter Process and perform calculations of diet instructions as well as attend the Diabetes Self-Management Education Program sessions taught by the RDN, CDE, and the Nurse Diabetes Educator.
• Clinical Management/Management/Elective – 2 weeks
  Dietetic interns have the opportunity to: schedule two or three elective days with goals for each day and pre-determined measurable objectives (one day must be scheduled with the registered dietitian nutritionist from Behavioral Health and one day scheduled with the Bariatric Registered Dietitian Nutritionists. 

Food Service Systems (4 weeks)

• Dietetic Interns have the opportunity to complete a merchandising project in the retail area which includes: menu planning, meal forecasting, recipe standardization, budgeting, marketing, inventory control, equipment use, and the bill paying process.
• Dietetic interns shadow each member of the management team discussing their daily job duties, completing safety and sanitation audits, discussing the budgeting process and analyzing risk in nutrition and dietetics practice including emergency preparedness

Additional Schedule Information

• Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Commission on Accreditation Registration Examination Review Course – 3 days
  Dietetic interns will be scheduled for the 3 day registration Examination for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists review course presented by Breeding and Associates.
• Weekends/Vacation/Holidays
  2 weeks of vacation, 4 Holiday Days and 2 weekend experiences are scheduled during the program.
• Didactic Classes/Activities
  On a month-to-month basis, Didactic activities are scheduled. Interns are responsible for the content of all classes. Classes during vacations, on scheduled days off or when interns are off-campus, arrangements for class notes, handouts and/or to tape lectures should be made.  
• Oral Presentations
  Oral Presentations are planned 4-5 times throughout the program to focus the intern on using accurate, evidence based information presented in a logical and organized manner with key points summarized and related to dietetic practice.
• Culinary Skills
  Utilizing the vast resources of our Executive Chef and Patient Services Manager the program focuses on food, nutrients, cultural influences and techniques to improve acceptability and patient compliance.
• Interpersonal and communication skills
  Dietetic Interns must demonstrate effective information exchange with patients, their patients' families, and professional associates and preceptors. Dietetic Interns:
  • create and sustain a therapeutic and ethically sound relationship with patients.
  • use effective listening skills and elicit and provide information using effective nonverbal, explanatory, critical thinking and writing skills.
  • work effectively with others as a member of the interdisciplinary health care team.