Academic and Program Calendar

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Program Start Date: Mid-August

Orientation: 5 weeks of the Program

Supervised Practice Rotation: Mid-September to Mid-May

Food Service Management: 14 weeks

Medical Nutrition Therapy: 12 weeks

Community: 6 weeks

Graduation: end of May 

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Vacation and Holidays

 Interns do not work on the following designated holidays unless make-up work is required :

 
  New Year’s Day
   Labor Day
Thanksgiving week
Christmas week

   Spring Break (specific dates determined annually)

*Customary religious holidays may be honored with the approval of the Internship Director. Approval for the holiday must be gained prior to that holiday.

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Description of Supervised Practice Rotations

The Medical City Healthcare Dietetic Internship Program has a planned curriculum based on the program’s environment, mission, goals, and expected outcomes. The curriculum supports the achievement of student learning outcomes and the expected competence of the graduate. Supervised practice and didactic learning activities prepare Interns for professional practice with patients/clients with various conditions, including, but not limited to, weight management and obesity, diabetes, cancer; and cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and renal diseases. In addition, these activities utilize the Nutrition Care Process with various populations and diverse cultures, including infants, children, adolescents, adults, pregnant/lactating females, and the elderly. These learning activities occur in various settings including acute care and critical care, outpatient, long-term care, a wellness program, public health/community, and others determined by the program. Specific dates, times and location of rotation sites will be available during the orientation. These facilities will provide learning activities compatible with the competencies interns are expected to achieve.​

 

Selection and Evaluation of Supervised Practice Rotations

 

The selection of supervised practice facilities criteria includes the following:
   •    Must have a RD or qualified healthcare professional on staff with at least 1 year of experience post credentialing
   •    Preferred facilities will have a diverse patient population (i.e. disease states, ethnicity, etc.) in a variety of settings, such as a hospital, LTC, etc
   •    Preference given to sister facilities within HCA
   •    Must be accredited by the appropriate agency, such as TJC or the State

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The DI Director or designee will visit the supervised practice facility to assess adequacy. In addition, dietetic intern feedback and perception of experience will also be taken into consideration when       assessing the adequacy and/or continued appropriateness of a supervised practice facility. The         supervised practice facilities will provide an experience and learning activities that are compatible with ACEND competencies. The results of facility evaluations will be analyzed for trends. Facilities that receive consistently unsatisfactory evaluations and/or frequent complaints will be provided with a written notice of the cancellation of our affiliation agreement, effective immediately.
   •    Written affiliation agreements must be reviewed and approved by the Dietetic Internship Program Director or designee. Once the appropriate signatures have been obtained, a copy must be kept on file in FNS. Affiliation agreements will be reviewed annually by the DI Director and updated if necessary. This will be done prior to dietetic intern placement at a new supervised practice facility and/or prior to intern orientation.