BSHS Coordinated Dietetics Program

Coordinated Dietetic Program Internship

The ten credits of internship rotation courses are part of the 122 credits required to complete the Coordinated Program. Rotations are completed in the student's geographical location.

Students must identify to the Clinical Coordinator, upon admission to the program, the registered dietitian (RD) who will serve as their preceptor throughout their internship experience. This person may be a supervisor at a current place of employment. A contract must be in place, even if the student will complete rotations at their place of employment, between UMDNJ-SHRP and the site(s) chosen prior to the start of internship rotations. The internship must be planned with the CP clinical coordinator six (6) months in advance to the start of rotations.

The clinical internship rotations have an emphasis in nutrition therapy and community nutrition. All sciences and nutrition courses must be completed before rotations can begin. The requirements for the clinical rotations are:

Food Service Rotation – (1 credit): 45 to 90 hours of internship in the area of food service management.

Community and Food Security - (1 credit): 90 hours of conducting nutrition education in the community including those who are food insecure.

Obstetrics and Pediatrics- (1 credit): 90 hours of clinical nutrition competency in the areas of obstetrics and pediatrics.

Medicine and Surgery - (2 credits) 180 hours of clinical nutrition competency in the areas of medicine and surgery.

Diabetes and Renal - (2 credits) 180 hours of clinical nutrition competency in the areas of diabetes and renal.

Rehabilitation and Ambulatory Care - (1 credit) 90 hours of clinical nutrition competency in the areas of rehabilitation and ambulatory care.

ICU and Nutrition Support - (1 credit) 90 hours of clinical nutrition competency in the areas of ICU and nutrition support.

Staff Relief and Elective Rotation - (1 credit) 60 hours of staff relief as a clinical dietitian and 30 hours in an area of nutrition selected by the intern that may be but not limited to sports nutrition, bariatric surgery, eating disorders, business, industry and private practice.

After the intern completes each of the dietetic internship rotations, he or she will provide a portfolio of evaluations, reports, case studies, lesson plans and any additional materials to provide proof of competency and earn academic credit. .

Students may reduce the number of required dietetic internship hours through documented portfolio assessment based on prior work experience. A supervisor must be willing to attest to your competency through your portfolio development and a faculty member will provide final approval.