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Dietetic Internship

Curriculum Overview

The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND®) Board granted the Food Science and Nutrition Department approval for a combined masters and dietetic internship program July 2021.

Potential candidates who will be applying for the DICAS spring 2023 match – the program designation will provide a 30-unit Master of science degree in Food and Nutritional Sciences and a minimum of 1,000 experiential supervised practice hours combined over a 24-month period. 

Website Curr

Program Didactic Curriculum 
FN 200 Research Methods in Food and Nutrition – (3units) or AGRI 220 Research Methods and Communication (3units)
FN 223 Food, Nutrition and Health – (3units)
FN 229 Graduate Seminar (1unit) – must take 3 seminars
Graduate level Statistics Course, usually AGRI 200 – (3units)
FN 299/298 Thesis or Project – 6units
Electives (approved by advisor) – 12 units (see below)
   FN 230  Advanced Counseling (3units)
   FN 250 Food and Nutrition Resource Management (3units)
   NUTR 193I or FSM 193I: Supervised Work Experience (cr/nc) – no more than 6 units
 
For a full class description list please visit the course catalog at: https://www.fresnostate.edu/catalog/courses-by-department/food-science-nutrition/

The Fresno State dietetic internship will accept 11 students into the program cohort annually. Ten placements are available for a main internship pathway, and one specialized placement is available that focuses on consulting dietetics and long-term care careers. Both pathways fulfill the core competencies for the accreditation council for education in nutrition and dietetics (ACEND) current standards. Student placements are determined after being accepted into the program, so it is important for perspective applicants to understand when applying, placements could be in either the main or specialized pathway. Placement into the pathway options is determined after appointment/match day. Following the match in April, the program director will determine the best fit for individuals to the placement options on the needs of the program for the program year as well as the individual’s preferences. Please realize that the program cannot guarantee first choice of pathway option to all matched interns. Acceptance into the program should be based on willingness to complete either of the placement options. 

Personal preference will be considered for placements; however, the program director may have to assign pathway placements if there are too many and/or not enough interest in both pathway options. Both placement pathways have locations in and around the Fresno metropolitan area but could have commutes of up to 1½ hours one-way, so reliable transportation will be needed for either pathway.

 

Rotation Summary


The program curriculum rotation sites are listed below in the table (subject to change) and offer a minimum of 1,000 supervised practice hours. The supervised practice placements occur simultaneously whiles student graduates take masters level courses as outlined in the above infographic. 

 

Main Placement Option

Interns complete supervised practice experiences in a variety of facilities in the Central San Joaquin Valley of California, including a veterans' hospital, a state prison, a school district, two private hospitals, an out-patient diabetes program and county public health department.

 

Main Track/Rotation Summary 2024

 
Segment Rotation Weeks Facilities

Medical Nutrition Therapy

12 week Professional Rotation(s): 384 hours

 

 

3 weeks alternative/simulation study: 96 hours

Total Time: 480 hours

Acute Care

Spring 2024____

Fall 2024____

 

7

_____Community Medical Center Clovis

_____Community Regional Medical-Downtown

_____Fresno Heart and Surgical Center

_____St. Agnes Medical Center (SAMC)

_____Veterans Administration (VACCHCS)

Clinical Specialty Age

3

_____Pediatrics (CRMC)

_____Diabetes (DCC and SEA)

_____Skilled Nursing / Consulting Dietetics

_____Sports Nutrition @ FS - (Unconfirmed

Diabetes 1 VACCHCS

Out-Patient Counseling

1 VACCHCS

Simulation Study – MNT/NCP

1 Self-Study

Simulation Study - Renal

1 Self-Study

Foodservice Systems Management

 

7 weeks Professional Rotation(s):  224 hours

 

Total Time: 224 hours

Hospital-Large

2

VACCHCS or SAMC

Community Food Service

1

Fresno-Madera EOC Kitchen

School Food Service

2

Kings Canyon Unified or Clovis Unified

Prison

2 State Prison

Community 

Nutrition

 

10 weeks Professional Rotation(s): 320 hours

 

Total Time: 320 Hours

Health and Wellness

2

University Health and Psychological Services

Nutrition Education

3

_____Fresno County Public Health Department

_____Fresno State CalFresh Healthy Living

WIC

2

Fresno County EOC or United Health Cntr

Student Teaching

3

_____California Health Sciences University (CHSU)

_____Fresno City College (FCC)

Elective

 

3 weeks Professional Rotation: 96 Hours

Alternative/simulation in Coursework: 96 hours

 

Total Time: 192 Hours

3 weeks of Elective 96 hours

3

Interns Seek/Find their own Elective –


FN 230 Adv. Counseling: students will create a
culturally appropriate screen assessment tool
for a said disease and/or counselling style.


FN 250 Business Resource Mgt: Business
Research/Team Task Assignment and Business
Presentation Pitch.

 
34 weeks of Tue-Friday rotation schedule = 1088 hours
Hours of Community Outreach Activity = 48 hours (may be alternative work experiences depending on COVID guidelines)
Hours of Professional Development = 16 hours
 
Total Hours: 1,088 supervised hours     
(1,024 PROFESSIONAL HOURS + 160 ALTERNATIVE PRACTICE EXPERIENCES)
 

Specialized Placement Option


One of the eleven students in the cohort will be offered the option to participate in a specialized pathway option that includes the core competency standards in a rotation line up that is unique for the career path of consulting dietetics and/or long-term care career field. 

 

Course Plan

For more information visit the course catalog at https://www.fresnostate.edu/catalog/subjects/food-science-nutrition/fdnutri-sc.html
30 units of graduate credit see course catalog

*Some rotations use 2-4 facilities, accommodating 5 interns at each facility. The facilities are selected and the experiences are planned to be comparable.

Conditions for Program Completion

Requirements for Program Completion & Issuance of Verification Statement:  

  • Satisfactory completion of a minimum of 1,000 hours of supervised practice. 
  • Satisfactory completion of all rotations assigned by the Dietetic Internship Director. 
  • Satisfactory completion of all assignments in each rotation. 
  • Satisfactory completion of all additional assignments made by the Dietetic Internship Director.  
  • Earn a minimum of 70% (C grade) in all required graduate courses. 
  • Fulfill program requirements to earn Masters of Science (Food & Nutritional Sciences) 30 unit degree.

Maintain a minimum of 3.0 GPA

Complete ALL program requirements mentioned above

Course requirements include: 30 units of graduate credit

Criteria for Issuance of Verification Statement - A verification statement will only be issued with BOTH the Master’s Degree requirement and the supervised practice hours have been completed and conferred.

Academic Calendar

Internship Calendar