DIETETIC INTERNSHIP
Group internship
This is an innovative 4-week training programme in community nutrition for dietetic interns. The programme started with students from three universities (i.e., Iowa State University – USA, McGill University - Canada and the University of Ghana) as participants. However, after the first two rotations, it is mainly interns from ISU and UG who have participated in the programme.The program is offered twice a year: May/June and October/November . The first training program started in May 2012.To date we have organized many successful rotations and is currently preparing to host another in , October 2024.
UG preceptors provide the following:
A. Planning, implementation, and evaluation of interns’ experiences during the period of the rotation. Written evaluations are provided to the Training faculty using forms provided by ISU Training.
B. An orientation that includes: a copy of the pertinent rules and regulations with which the Intern is expected to comply; a tour of the facilities where the Intern will be learning; the philosophy of interaction with the target population of the University of Ghana; and other topics that will allow the Intern a quality learning experience during the internship.
C. Observational opportunities and practical experiences to benefit the learning of interns and agrees to adhere to the Internship policy that “students in supervised practice programs shall not routinely replace employees except for planned professional staff experiences.”
Training focus
This internship fosters intercultural learning, team building and social interactions and is designed to offer both theory and hands training on nutritional assessment of children under 5 years. The rotation trains interns to use the nutritional care process to examine the nutritional problems of children less than five years and plan an intervention to address the problem identified. The community experience is interspersed with visits to tourist sites in Ghana. It is clear that the programme fills an important gap in rural community nutrition training for dietetic interns in Ghana as well as their colleagues from North America.
Training Comprises
Lectures and Field trips
Community projects
Tourist sites
Individualized Internship
In 2019, NRTC started an individualized form of dietetic internship rotation with interns from McGill University. Interested students at McGill were attached to the NRTC for six weeks, working directly with the Resident Dietitian. To ensure that interns had community engagement during the internship (based on the needs expressed by McGill), interns’ experiences are in three main areas: .
A. Clinical care under the direct supervision of the Resident Dietitian.
B. Nutrition education and evaluation of knowledge among Secondary level non-science students
C. Attachment to researchers based at NRTC for research experience