ACEND Accredited Standalone Dietetic Internship

The mission of the Dietetic Internship Program is to provide students with a rigorous, high quality educational and supervised practice experience, which will prepare them as competent and effective dietetic practitioners with a focus in urban public health and community nutrition. The DI Program provides interdisciplinary practicum and didactic experiences that will prepare dietetic interns to attain entry-level competencies in nutrition therapy, food service systems management, community nutrition, and public health nutrition. Dietetic interns will develop ethical values consistent with professional health care and abide by codes of practice while practicing within diverse, multi-ethnic urban communities.

This mission is further encapsulated in our values statement, as we value the following:

• Diversity
• Life-long learning
• An interdisciplinary approach to healthcare
• Socially and ecologically sustainable food systems

Goal 1: The program will prepare interns to be competent entry-level dietitians, with a specialty in community and public health nutrition.

Objectives:

1. Program Completion:
   1. For DI Certificate Program: at least 80% of interns complete program/degree requirements within 13.5 months (150% of planned program length).
   2. For MS/DI: at least 80% of interns complete program/degree requirements within 27 months (150% of planned program length).
2. Of graduates who seek employment, at least 80% are employed in the field of nutrition and dietetics or related fields within 12 months of graduation.
3. At least 80% of program graduates take the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists within 12 months of program completion.
4. The program’s one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam for dietitian nutritionists within one year of first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%.
5. At least 80% of program graduates who respond to alumni surveys will rate the quality of the DI in preparing them for their first job in nutrition and dietetics as Well to Excellent.
6. At least 80% of employers who respond to the employer survey will rate program graduate’s preparation for entry-level practice as Satisfactory to Outstanding.

Goal 2: Program graduates will be prepared to actively address the changing health needs of society, and to address the unique needs of metropolitan areas such as New York City.

Objectives:

1. At least 80% of program graduates will indicate that they received Well to Excellent preparation in community/public health nutrition.
2. At least, 80% of graduates will become involved in professional organizations, such as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Public Health/Community DPG, local dietetic associations, and/or the American Public Health Association.

Outcomes data is available upon request.