Dietetic Internship Rotations
Supervised Practice (SP) Rotations and Hours
During the second year, the dietetic interns complete required activities and hours across four rotation sites during their supervised practice experience. Full details are available within the DI Handbook and the NUT 5900: Internship Course Syllabus.
The rotations include a total of 1000 hours, including:
Rotation | Description | Time |
|---|---|---|
Clinical | The clinical dietetics rotations are designed to develop skills in assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating nutritional care for hospitalized patients. In addition, the Interns participate in team rounds, conferences, group classes and case studies. Strong emphasis is placed on learning the pathophysiology of disease states in relation to nutritional therapy. | 360 hours ~ 12 weeks |
Food Systems Management | The food systems management rotations are designed to expand knowledge and provide opportunities to apply principles of management across the food systems, with an emphasis on experiences within food service operations. | 260 hours ~ 8 weeks |
Community | The community rotation provides opportunities to the different roles of dietitians, such as at outpatient clinics, public health, food banking, and others. | 300 hours ~ 9 weeks |
Professional Leadership* | This rotation builds on knowledge gained during the research methods course; dietetics practice that meets virtually throughout the second year/supervised practice; and attending professional organization meetings and webinars. | 80 hours |
*Professional Leadership rotation runs concurrently with each rotation throughout the second year.
The above rotation hours are completed at a variety of facilities across North Carolina. Students are allowed to take part in completing SP hours through contractual agreements between assigned facilities and the NHM department at Appalachian State University. Facilities and preceptors are strongly committed to dietetic education and are compensated through the contributions of the students. Students are expected to abide by all the policies and procedures of the assigned facilities.
Internship rotations are completed from late August through early May of the second year. The internship does not follow the academic calendar of University breaks. A sample rotation schedule may be:
- August 28 - November 16 — Clinical
- November 20 - February 15 — Food Systems Management
- February 19 - April 19 — Community
Identification of Supervised Practice Sites
The program’s role and responsibility to assist interns in identifying supervised practice sites and/or preceptors is described as follows:
1. Program-Identified Pathway
Students admitted to the Program-Identified Pathway (PIP) will complete dietetic internship rotation requirements in locations obtained by Program personnel. Rotation sites and locations for interns entering supervised practice are assigned by the end of the second week in April during the academic year prior to the supervised practice year.
PIP students should expect to move away from Appalachian State University to locations throughout North Carolina during the supervised practice year. Students must have access to a vehicle, as travel to rotation sites will require driving. Students are responsible for providing their own housing and other living expenses.
While students will be asked to provide three preferences for supervised practice locations, no student can be guaranteed any particular site. Site assignments are based on many factors, and student preferences are given strong consideration during the assignment process. However, PIP students should understand that they may not receive any of their preferred sites.
2. Intern-Identified Pathway (IIP)
Students admitted to the Intern-Identified Pathway are responsible for obtaining their own rotation sites, and thus, may be able to obtain sites in locations where living expenses may be reduced. Students will be expected to have obtained their supervised practice sites by the Friday of the second week in April during their first Program year, or other date as specified by the DI Director.
The Program will provide IIP students with appropriate and adequate orientation, supervision, guidance and progress checkpoints during the first year in the Program in regards to obtaining suitable supervised practice sites.
All rotations obtained by students must be approved by the DI Director or appropriate designee prior to the student’s entry into a rotation, and must meet predetermined criteria for site suitability. Site criteria will be provided to IIP students.
All sites obtained by the IIP student will be subject to requirements to obtain a legal affiliation agreement with Appalachian State University as approved by University Counsel. Appalachian State University takes responsibility for completing affiliation agreements with supervised practice sites. The DI Director or appropriate designee will assist the student in completing required documentation for entrance into approved facilities.
Students who are admitted to the Appalachian State University Dietetic Internship program, in either pathway, may not change pathways during the course of the Program.
All rules, guidelines, and policies regarding supervised practice and progression through the dietetic internship are provided in the DI Handbook.
Assessment of Prior Learning
The Appalachian State Graduate Program in Nutrition’s Dietetic Internship participates in the “Assessment of Prior Learning” recognized by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Dietetic Interns may apply for credit toward supervised practice hours gained from paid work experience of at least 6 months following completion of an ACEND-accredited didactic program in dietetics (DPD) and receipt of the verification statement. Coursework or experience required by the DPD will not be counted toward APL credit.
A maximum of 4 weeks credit (120 hours) can be allotted for each rotation area: clinical, community, and food systems management. Clinical time will only be counted for DTR’s with work experience in medical nutrition therapy. The full 120 hours will be considered for the student’s paid work experience area of practice. Intern will complete all required graduate coursework regardless of prior learning.
The full policy and procedure is available within the Policy for the Assessment of Prior Learning.