{"id":265,"date":"2016-02-29T16:11:05","date_gmt":"2016-02-29T20:11:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/127.0.0.1\/rcm\/eps\/dietetic-internship\/"},"modified":"2024-10-21T15:32:21","modified_gmt":"2024-10-21T15:32:21","slug":"dietetic-internship","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/rcm1.rcm.upr.edu\/eps\/dietetic-internship\/","title":{"rendered":"Dietetic Internship"},"content":{"rendered":"

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General Information<\/h2>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]As member of the health care team, the dietitian is directly responsible for the nutritional care of individuals and groups. This care includes the application of the science and art of human nutrition in helping people select and obtain food for the primary purpose of nourishing their bodies in health or disease throughout the life cycle.\u00a0Dietitians work in a variety of employment settings including health care, business and industry, public health education, research, and private practice.<\/p>\n

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The Dietetic Internship Program (DIP) of the School of Health Professions is a post-baccalaureate program that prepares specialists in nutrition and dietetics. It is an eleven-month program providing learning opportunities geared to integrating previously acquired knowledge, obtain new knowledge, build resources for personal and professional growth, and develop skills in the best procedures for carrying out nutrition and dietetic services with emphasis in Medical Nutrition Therapy. It provides the student with opportunities to apply and integrate the scientific knowledge of nutrition and foods in the nutrition-medical treatment of individuals and groups.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Program’s Mission, Goals and Outcomes<\/h2>\n

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Mission<\/h3>\n

The Dietetic Internship Program mission is to prepare competent entry-level registered dietitian nutritionist able to meet different professional challenges and changes in the health care delivery system.\u00a0 To meet these challenges, the academic activities, go beyond the traditional professional skills by developing entry-level registered dietitian nutritionist with human sensibility, ethical and moral values and the holistic view of the human being. The academic activities develop in the dietetic interns critical thinking skills that lead them to analyze situations, and make responsible decisions.<\/p>\n

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Goals and Objectives<\/p>\n

The Medical Sciences Campus, the School of Health Professions and the Dietetic Internship Program (DIP) mission and goals serve as the basis for the development and revision of the DIP goals. The goals and objectives were revised during summer 2022. The goals and objectives are in accordance with the 2022 ACEND Accreditation Standards for Nutrition and Dietetic Internship Programs. The goals and objetives are:<\/p>\n

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Program Goal 1<\/strong><\/p>\n

Graduates will be competent as entry-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionists, who are able to promote and maintain the best health conditions for the community, as members of the interprofessional team.<\/p>\n

Objectives<\/u>:<\/p>\n

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  1. At least 80% percent of program interns complete program requirements within 16.5 months. (150% of the program length of 11 months).<\/li>\n
  2. At least 85% percent of the graduates judge that the Program prepares professionals, for lifelong learning, in dietetics who will promote and maintain the best health conditions for the community as member of the interprofessional team.<\/li>\n
  3. At least 85% of the program graduates are satisfied with the clinical experiences received throughout the Internship.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    Program Goal 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Graduates will be competent with critical thinking, and leadership in foodservice systems management and community dietetics, with specialized knowledge and competencies in Medical Nutrition Therapy.<\/p>\n

    Objectives: <\/u><\/p>\n

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    1. Of graduates who seek employment, 80% percent are employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields within twelve (12) months of graduation.<\/li>\n
    2. At least, 70% percent of program graduates take the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists within 12 months of program completion.<\/li>\n
    3. The program\u2019s one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%.<\/li>\n
    4. At least, 80% percent of employers assessed will judge graduates as competent entry-level licensed dietitian nutritionist committed to ethical practices.<\/li>\n
    5. At least 85% of the graduates believe that the Program provides supervised learning experiences geared to develop knowledge and skills in foodservice systems management and community dietetics, with emphasis in Medical Nutrition Therapy.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      The DIP has a Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) concentration area. The MNT goals are:<\/p>\n

      MNT1\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Demonstrate the ability to critically appraise the scientific literature related to current MNT practice for chosen complex medical conditions.<\/p>\n

      MNT2\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Perform Nutrition Care Process of patients\/clients with complex medical conditions.<\/p>\n

      MNT3\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Appraise enteral and parenteral regimens for complex medical conditions based on nutritional assessment.<\/p>\n

      MNT4\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Apply communication skills in the counseling process, to integrate the nutritional needs of patients\/clients with complex medical conditions.<\/p>\n

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      Program Outcomes<\/h3>\n

      The DIP identified appropriate measures for ongoing assessment of each of the program’s goals. The qualitative and\/or quantitative outcome data obtained from internal and external stakeholders is gathered and analyzed in a timely fashion. Some of the graduate performance measures include: program completion, graduate employment, RD pass rate, graduate satisfaction, participation in community services, research activities and commitment to lifelong learning.<\/p>\n

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      Specifically, graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the registered dietitian and for the PR licensure exam. Outcome data demonstrate graduates have a high passage rate, at least 90%, on the PR licensure exam, passage of which is required to practice in Puerto Rico as a professional in nutrition and dietetics. The program pass rate of the RD exam is currently less than 80% for the first takers.<\/p>\n

      *DIP outcome data are available upon request*<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

      Steps to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)<\/h2>\n

      [\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Include:<\/p>\n