Nutrition Services: Education
The BIDMC Dietetic Internship is a 10 month program with a special emphasis on nutrition therapy. The program runs from September to June and provides more than 1200 supervised practice hours. It is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of The American Dietetic Association, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Chicago, IL 60606, 312-899-5400, a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Association and the United States Department of Education. The internship program builds on the foundation of knowledge gained during didactic preparation, and provides practitioner competencies for entry level dietetics practice. Graduation requirements must be met in order to successfully complete this program. In order to graduate the intern must:
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Act professionally in accordance with the code of ethics for the profession of dietetics
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Meet all competencies for the program
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Complete all rotation related paperwork
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Complete all assignments and projects
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Complete and present one nutrition care plan
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Present two abstracts
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Satisfactorily complete group project
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Pay tuition in full
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Make up for lost time due to excessive sick days or approved leave of absence
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Complete all requirements for graduation within a total of 15 months of supervised practice time
Upon completion of the program, dietetic interns receive a signed Verification Statement indicating they are eligible to take the registration examination for dietitians as administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (www.cdrnet.org), and qualify for active membership in The American Dietetic Association. Once they take and pass the registration exam, they are then eligible to apply for licensure in Massachusetts (www.mass.gov). If the new R.D. requires licensure in a state other than Massachusetts, they should obtain information from that state's licensure board.
Mission and goals of the BIDMC dietetic internship program
The mission of the Dietetic Internship is to recruit the best intern applicants for the internship and provide them with experiences that help them meet the core competencies required to become qualified dietitians, and to instill in them the importance of excellent patient care, individual accountability, and involvement in the community. We recognize the need for future registered dietitians in the Boston community and the United States, and actively support the mission of The American Dietetic Association as being "...the advocate of the dietetic profession serving the public through promotion of optimal nutrition, health and well being."
Goals and Outcome Measures for the BIDMC Dietetic Internship:
Goal #1: Train graduates to practice competently in entry level dietetics:
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Alumni of BIDMC's program will achieve a first time pass rate of at least 80% on the RD exam, over a 5 year period.
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At least 80% of employers of our graduates, responding to the employer survey, will indicate that the intern was adequately prepared for the position they obtained.
- Over a 5 year period, at least 70% of DI graduates who sought employment in dietetics will be employed within three months of program completion.
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At least 80% of interns enrolled in the DI program complete all program requirements within 150% of the time planned for completion.
Goal #2: Continually improve the quality and diversity of intern applicant pool, in order to select and graduate successful practitioners.
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Atleast 30% of DI graduates will be from non-New England states/countries.
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Atleast 10% of DI graduates will include diverse applicants such as gender, ethnicitiy.
Goal #3: Prepare graduates to assume leadership positions.
- Atleast 20% of intern graduates will assume leadership positions within 5 years of graduation.
Meeting Our Goals:
- The first time pass rate of our graduates taking the RD examination is 90%. (2005-2009)
- 88% of our graduates who sought employment were employed in dietetics within three months of program completion (2007-2009).
- 25% of our graduates represented diversity in the past 5 years(2005-2009).
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