Dietetic Internship Program

Mission Statement

The Department of Nutrition and Food Science's mission is to support a creative and innovative environment to prepare baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate students through a learn-by- doing approach for careers in the health and food science professions to benefit society.

The dietetic internship's mission is to provide planned supervised learning experiences in clinical, management and community settings that build on knowledge obtained in didactic programs and prepare program graduates to become competent entry-level Registered Dietitians/Registered Dietitian Nutritionists.

PROGRAM GOALS

Goal 1 - To prepare graduates to be competent entry-level practitioners through the application of knowledge acquired in the program to the practical setting.

Goal 2 - To prepare graduates to assume positions in the field of Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) as well as a variety of career opportunities and to maintain lifelong learning within the profession of nutrition and dietetics.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  1. At least 80 percent of graduates will complete the program in 15 months or 150% of the time planned for completion.  For the DI this is 15 months.  For the MS/DI this is 36 months.
  2. At least 80 percent of program graduates will take the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists within 12 months of graduation.
  3. The program's one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionist is at least 80%.
  4. At least 80 percent of graduates will rate themselves as being ready for entry-level practice at the completion of the program.
  5. Of graduates who seek employment, 80% are employed in nutrition and dietetics related fields within 12 months of graduation.
  6. At least 80% of employers who return surveys will agree or strongly agree that graduates are adequately prepared for entry-level practice.
  7. At least 80 percent of graduates will rate themselves as “Prepared” or “Well Prepared” in MNT knowledge and skills for their first entry-level position 
  8. At least 50 percent of graduates will seek employment in MNT-related positions

MEDICAL NUTRITION THERAPY (MNT) CONCENTRATION

Our program is focused on MNT in clinical, outpatient, and community settings.  Interns will be trained through a variety of supervised practice experiences and program graduates will be competent in the ability to: 

  • Assess clients with multiple acute complex medical conditions, plan appropriate medical nutrition therapy, and document accurately in medical records, communicating to all appropriate stakeholders.
  • Recommend, monitor, and adjust nutrition support prescriptions as part of an interdisciplinary team

The dietetic internship follows the baccalaureate degree and completion of required coursework. Once interns complete the dietetic internship, they are eligible to sit for the examination to become a registered dietitian

ACCREDITATION STATUS

The dietetic internship at Cal Poly Pomona is currently granted Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND®), the accrediting agency for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

ACEND® contact information:

120 Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995

(800) 877-1600, ext. 5400

ACEND@eatright.org

www.eatrightpro.org/acend

CIVIL RIGHTS INFORMATION

The California State University complies with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended by the Americans with Disabilities Act and the regulations adopted thereunder. No person shall on the grounds of race, color, national origin or disability, be excluded from participation in, or be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program of the California State University.