Food Science Health Promotion Nutrition Dietetic Internship -Welcome -Overview -Curriculum -Admissions -Application -Expenses -Facilities -Contact Us -Recuitment Flyer Faculty Scholarships   Dietetic Internship/Graduate Studies Program Overview: Class of 2008 The Dietetic Internship/Graduate Studies Program (DI/GSP) offered in the Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion is an innovative, post-baccalaureate program designed to prepare interns for rewarding careers in traditional and nontraditional roles.  Interns complete the requirements for the Dietetic Internship and earn six hours of graduate credit over 10 months. The MSU Dietetic Internship/Graduate Studies program provides hands-on experience in various clinical, research, food service management, community nutrition, and nutrition education activities that registered dietitians encounter. Interns work with faculty, site coordinators and preceptors in outpatient clinics, various inpatient settings, community settings, classrooms and other locations as they build skills and broaden their understanding of modern dietetics. Upon completion of the internship, graduates are prepared for the Registration Examination of the Commission on Dietetic Registration, as well as entry level practice.  Philosophy We are committed to life long learning, practice based education, and the value of diversity, exploration, and creativity.   Mission To provide supervised practice, integrated with graduate education that prepares interns who are competent entry-level practitioners.  The program accomplishes this through learning experiences in a variety of practice settings with contrasting delivery systems and a research oriented graduate education.   Goals Graduate interns that meet or exceed ADA performance requirements for entry-level dietitians. Graduate dietitians who satisfactorily complete the Registration Examination administered by the ADA Commission on Dietetic Registration. Graduate dietitians for professional practice in traditional and nontraditional roles. Reinforce the concept of continuous learning as a personal and professional obligation for dietitians. Enhance the quality of the dietetic internship through ongoing program evaluation. Core Competencies for Dietitians:   The program curriculum is based on the following competency statements defined for an entry-level dietitian.  Upon completion of the supervised practice component of dietitian education, all graduates will be able to do the following: CD1. Perform in accordance with the Code of Ethics for the Profession of Dietetics CD2. Refer clients/patients to other dietetics professionals or disciplines when a situation is beyond one's level or area of competence (perform) CD3. Participate in professional activities CD4. Perform self-assessment, prepare a portfolio for professional development, and participate in lifelong learning activities CD5. Participate in legislative and public policy processes as they affect food, food security, nutrition, and health care CD6. Use current technologies for information and communication activities (perform) CD7. Supervise documentation of nutrition assessment and interventions CD8. Provide dietetics education in supervised practice settings (perform) CD9. Supervise counseling, education, and/or other interventions in health promotion/disease prevention for patient/clients needing medical nutrition therapy for uncomplicated instances of common conditions, e.g., hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and diverticular disease CD10. Supervise education and training for target groups CD11. Develop and review educational materials for target populations (perform) CD12. Participate in the use of mass media to promote food and nutrition CD13. Interpret and incorporate new scientific knowledge into practice (perform) CD14. Supervise quality improvement, including systems and customer satisfaction, for dietetics service and/or practice CD15. Develop and measure outcomes for food and nutrition services and practice (perform) CD16. Participate in organizational change and planning and in goal-setting processes CD17. Participate in business or operating plan development CD18. Supervise the collection and processing of financial data CD19. Perform marketing functions CD20. Participate in human resources functions CD21. Participate in facility management, including equipment selection and design/redesign of work units CD22. Supervise the integration of financial, human, physical, and material resources and services CD23. Supervise production of food that meets nutrition guidelines, cost parameters, and consumer acceptance CD24. Supervise development and/or modification of recipes/formulas CD25. Supervise translation of nutrition into foods/menus for target populations CD26. Supervise design of menus as indicated by the patient's/client's health status CD27. Participate in applied sensory evaluation of food and nutrition products CD28. Supervise procurement, distribution, and service within delivery systems CD29. Manage safety and sanitation issues related to food and nutrition CD30. Supervise nutrition screening of individual patients/clients CD31. Supervise nutrition assessment of individual patients/clients with uncomplicated instances of common medical conditions, e.g., hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and diverticular disease CD32. Assess nutritional status of individual patients/clients with complex medical conditions, e.g., renal disease, multisystem disease, organ failure, and trauma CD33. Design and implement nutrition care plans as indicated by the patient's/client's health status (perform) CD34. Manage monitoring of patients'/clients' food and/or nutrient intake CD35. Select, implement, and evaluate standard enteral and parenteral nutrition regimens, i.e., in a medically stable patient to meet nutritional requirements where recommendations/adjustments involve primarily macronutrients (perform) CD36. Develop and implement transitional feeding plans--i.e., conversion from one form of nutrition support to another, e.g., total parenteral nutrition to tube feeding to oral diet (perform) CD37. Coordinate and modify nutrition care activities among caregivers (perform) CD38. Conduct nutrition care component of interdisciplinary team conferences to discuss patient/client treatment and discharge planning CD39. Refer patients/clients to appropriate community services for general health and nutrition needs and to other primary care providers as appropriate (perform) CD40. Supervise screening of the nutritional status of the population and/or community groups CD41. Conduct assessment of the nutritional status of the population and/or community groups CD42. Provide nutrition care for people of diverse cultures and religions across the lifespan, i.e., infancy through geriatrics (perform) CD43. Conduct community-based health promotion/disease prevention programs CD44. Participate in development and evaluation of a community-based food and nutrition program CD45. Supervise community-based food and nutrition programs CD46. Participate in coding and billing of dietetics/nutrition services to obtain reimbursement for services from public or private insurers   Emphasis Area The MSU Dietetic Internship/Graduate Studies program has a General emphasis area.  The following seven competency statements are the basis for the General emphasis area. NT6.Conduct counseling and education for patients/clients with complex needs, i.e., more      complicated health conditions in select populations, e.g. those with renal disease, multi-    system organ failure, or trauma NT7.Perform basic physical assessment CO3.Develop community-based food and nutrition program (perform) CO4.Participate in nutrition surveillance and monitoring of communities CO5.Participate in community-based research FS3.Manage applied sensory evaluation of food and nutrition products BE7.Supervise marketing function   Expected Competence to be Attained by Graduates Upon completion of the Dietetic Internship/Graduate Studies Program the graduate will: be prepared to accept an entry-level dietitian position in a traditional or nontraditional role; be eligible for active membership status in the American Dietetic Association; value the importance of life long learning and participation in professional associations and networks. Accreditation Status The MSU Dietetic Internship/Graduate Studies Program is currently granted accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of The American Dietetic Association, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000 Chicago, IL 60606, 312-899-5400.

Send program related inquiries to Faculty Chair, Web site committee. Last updated: August 13, 2007 Mississippi State University is an equal opportunity institution.