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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.

Option_Comparision

 

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. 

Compairsons

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

Information
Segment Rotation Weeks Facilities

Medical Nutrition Therapy

9.5 weeks Professional  Rotation(s):  304 hours

 

 

4.5 weeks alternative/simulation study:  144 hours

Total Time: 448 hours

Acute Care – Small

 

3

  1. Madera Community Hospital
  2. Community Medical Center Clovis

Acute Care MNT- Large

2

VACCHCS  or CRMC or  SAMC
Nutrition Support  - Large 2 VACCHCS  or CRMC or  SAMC

Diabetes

1 VACCHCS

Out-Patient Counseling

1 VACCHCS

Out Pt – Cancer or Health Clinic

1 CRMC / Family Healthcare Network

Simulation Study – MNT/NCP

1 Self-Study

Simulation Study - Renal

1 Self-Study

Advanced Counseling 

1

Advanced Counseling Techniques (FN 230)

Foodservice Systems Management

 

7 weeks Professional Rotation(s):  224 hours

 

alternative/simulation study: 8 hours

Total Time: 232 hours

Hospital-Large

2

VACCHCS

Hospital-Small

1

Madera Community Hospital

Community Food Service

1

Fresno-Madera EOC Kitchen

School Food Service

2

Kings Canyon Unified  or  Clovis Unified

Retail-Bulk Food Preparation

3

Precision Prep – Visalia, CA

Prison

1 CSATF at Corcoran State Prison

Community 

Nutrition

 

5 weeks Professional Rotation(s): 160 hours

 

Total Time: 160 Hours

WIC

2

Fresno County EOC or United Health Cntr

Health and Wellness

2

University Health and Psychological Services

Public Health Department

3

Fresno County Public Health Department

Community Based Health Org

1

West Fresno Health Care Coalition

CSUF Student Teaching

3

California Health Sciences University (CHSU) Medical School or Fresno State

Elective

 

3 weeks Professional Rotation: 96 Hours

Alternative/simulation in Coursework: 96 hours

 

Total Time: 192 Hours

 

3 weeks  of Elective (M-F)

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.

 
32 weeks of Tue-Friday rotation schedule = 1032 hours
Total Hours: 1,088 supervised hours     
(832 professional hours + 256 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. 

 

NTE Pathway -Specialized Placement Option

 
Segment Rotation Weeks Facilities1

Medical Nutrition Therapy

 

14 weeks Professional  Rotation(s):  448 hours

 

2 weeks alternative/simulation study:  64 hours

Total Time: 512 hours

Acute Care – Small

Nutrition Support

4

Fresno Heart and Surgical

Subacute care/Nutrition Support 3 Horizon Health and Subacute Care
Dialysis 1 Davita
ALSA Outpatient Bariatric Education 1 ALSA
LTC Clinical Nutrition 4 Various
MDS, Section K, Nutrition Medication Review 1 Nutrition Therapy Essentials
ASPEN Clinical Case Studies 1 Self-Study
Advanced Counseling  1 Advanced Counseling Techniques (FN 230)

Foodservice Systems Management

 

8 weeks Professional Rotation(s):  256 hours

 

1 week alternative/simulation study: 32 hours

 

Total Time: 288 hours

Hospital-Small 2 Fresno Heart and Surgical
LTC 3 Various
Group Homes/Assisted Living

 

1 Various
Prison Food Service 1 Corcoran State Prison
Food Service Policy/Procedures 1 Nutrition Therapy Essentials
Food Service Training Videos, Food Service Case studies 1 CAHF, Nutrition Therapy Essentials

Community 

Nutrition

 

4 weeks Professional (160 hours)

 

1 week alternative/simulation study: 32 hours

 

Total Time: 192 Hours

Community Nutrition 2 California Food Bank

Children’s Nutrition

Public Policy, Informatics, Socioeconomics

1 Nutrition Therapy Essentials/Quail Lakes Charter School
Student Teaching 2 Fresno City College

Elective

 

3 weeks Professional Rotation: 96 Hours

 

Total Time: 96 Hours

  3 weeks  of Elective  96 hours

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 counseling style

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

32 weeks of Tue-Friday rotation schedule = 1024 hours
Total Hours: 1,088 supervised hours     
(960 professional hours + 128 Alternative Practice Experiences)

 

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