Graduate Coordinated
Program in Dietetics
University of Washington
Practice Experience
Welcome!
During the practice experience, students complete supervised practice rotations in clinical, community, and food service settings. The equivalent of a practice experience in a non-coordinated program would be an 'internship'. Students in the Graduate Coordinated Program in Dietetics complete 5 quarters of graduate school classes, followed by 3 quarters (January - August of year 2) in the practice experience (internship). A single 3-week rotation is completed during the summer between year 1 and 2. The practice experience is full time. Sites include Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington Medical Center, Northwest Hospital, Valley Medical Center and various community-based organizations. Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation to and from sites through out the greater Seattle area. Students are required to complete the competencies in accordance with the accreditation requirements of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). As an ACEND Accredited program, the GCPD provides 1200+ hours of supervised practice in the following rotations:
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Advanced management - (3 weeks)
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Ambulatory - (3 weeks)
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Community - (3 weeks)
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Core clinical - (10 weeks)
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Food service - (3 weeks)
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WIC - (3 weeks)
Concentrations:
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Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) - MS students typically complete this 7 week rotation. Sites include the University of Washington affiliated hospitals and clinics, the Center for Children with Developmental Disabilities, Sports Nutrition clinics, Children's hospital and multiple renal facilities. MNT students present a final case study during the annual GCPD Poster Session (final day of the internship). Previous students MNT Concentration care study posters are available on the Nutritional Sciences Program website.
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Public Health (PH) - MPH students may use the public health concentration as their public health practicum to meet the School of Public Health degree requirements. This rotation is 7-10 weeks and may include 3 weeks of advanced management. Recent PH-concentration / practicum sites include Public Health Seattle & King County WIC, WA Department of Health, the Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition, WA Farm to School, Meals on Wheels, the Center for Children with Developmental Disabilities, the Child Nutrition Program in the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Ethnomed. Previous student PH -concentration / Practicum posters are available on the Nutritional Sciences website.
Interns work closely with GCPD faculty to select a concentration rotation which meets their career goals. Other rotations are assigned.
Schedule
The GCPD practice experience calendar coincides with the University of Washington academic calendar with the exception of one 3-week rotation during the summer between students' first and second year. Students then complete their second fall quarter classes before returning to the Practice Experience (internship) for winter, spring and summer of their second year.
Weekly schedule (Winter-Summer of Year 2):
Students are expected to be in Practice Experience rotations 36-40 hours per week (M-F). Daily start and end times vary depending on the site and preceptor.
A weekly seminar with a guest speaker and student presentations is held in every Wednesday from approximately 1:30-4:30 (shorter in the summer). Weekly seminar may be canceled if there is another GCPD event that week.
Annual GCPD Events Include:
Winter Renal Workshop, Legislative Day in Olympia, Pediatric Nutrition Conference
Spring WA-Academy of Nutrition and Dietetic Annual Conference, NSP Student Symposium
Summer GCPD poster session and celebration
Quarter Breaks:
The Practice Experience has one group meeting the first Tuesday of finals week and individual meetings Monday and Tuesday of finals week. Students are on break from the Wednesday of finals week until the start of the following quarter. A celebration and poster session is held the final day of the Practice Experience which is scheduled for the last day of summer quarter.
Practice Experience Registration
The dietetic Practice Experience (Winter-Summer of year 2) is offered administratively through UW Professional and Continuing Education (PCE). Students register through PCE rather than through their MYUW for the NUTR 561, Dietetic Practice Experience course. See 'About the Program' page on GCPD site for PCE tuition rates.
University of Washington
Nutritional Sciences Program
305 Raitt Hall, Box 353410
Seattle, WA 98195
For additional information please contact us at: gcpd@uw.edu
Last Updated: March 01, 2013