The Dietetic Internship Graduate Certificate Program includes 1,264 clock hours of supervised practice at various hospitals, clinics, and community-based organizations. The supervised practice experiences are organized as rotations.
Clinical Nutrition I (4 weeks/16 days) interns practice the basics of patient nutrition assessment, interview, and education skills, charting and provide medical nutrition therapy to patients including those requiring enteral feeding.
Clinical Nutrition II (6 weeks/24 days) interns provide medical nutrition therapy to more complex patients including those requiring parenteral feeding.
Diabetes Clinic Rotation (2 weeks/8 days) interns experience diabetes both as a caregiver and as a “patient”. Each intern develops a personal eating plan, monitors blood glucose levels and self-treats with saline (representing insulin) during this rotation.
Pediatric Rotation (2 weeks/8 days) interns will be introduced to the unique nutritional requirements of hospitalized children in a tertiary care setting.
Food Systems Core Rotation (9 weeks/36 days) interns work with Nutrition and food service professionals in food production, purchasing, management, marketing and finance as applied to health care food systems management. Extended Care Rotation (3 weeks/12 days) interns work in nursing homes, assisted living and rehabilitation programs. This is a blended rotation that includes a mix of food service and the provision of medical nutrition therapy to patients. This rotation includes special attention to patient hydration, drug side effects and interactions. School Food Service and Nutrition Education (2 weeks/8 days) Interns participate in the management of school feeding and in nutrition education activities in townships schools in Marion, Hamilton and Johnson counties.
These rotations are scheduled throughout the food systems management and clinical rotation blocks. Women’s, Infants and Children (WIC) Program (1 week/4 days) Interns assess, interview and educate low-income mothers and their children on essentials of nutrition for themselves and their children. Community Services Experience (1 week/4 days) Interns will be involved in short-term experiences including Central Indiana Coalition on Aging Congregate Feeding, Meals on Wheels programs, Marion County Food Borne Safety Inspections, Cathedral Kitchen a soup kitchen and food pantry and the IUPUI Faculty and Staff Health Fair Lifestyle Medicine (1 week/4 days) Interns work with the employee wellness program at Eli Lilly Corporate Headquarters in Indianapolis. Interns provide education and health promotion activities for employees. Gleaners of Indiana (1 week/4 days) Interns provide nutrition education and develop nutrition education materials for participants in Gleaners programs such as BakSacks Weekend Food for Kids Program, Commodities Supplemental Food Program “Senior Boxes” and Gleaners sponsored food pantries.
Clinical and Customer Service Capstone Rotation (5 weeks/25 days) Each intern develops an individualized experience developing their own learning goals and activities. Final capstone rotation plans may include any area of dietetics, must require entry-level competency and must be approved by internship faculty.
