Dietetic Internship Program

B.S. in Nutrition graduates are eligible to pass the National Dietetic Colloquium Examination at the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) and get licensure for dietetic practice only after completing an internship at the dietetic department of a Lebanese hospital that is approved by the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health (MoPH). The Dietetic Internship Program (DIP) at LAU is open to holders of a BS in Nutrition who wish to obtain the license to practice the profession of dietetics in Lebanon. It consists of a supervised training for a period of 6 to 12 months at LAU-affiliated healthcare institutions across Lebanon. Upon successful completion of the DIP, applicants are issued a certificate by the healthcare institution.

The School of Arts and Sciences at LAU ensures placement to all BS in Nutrition graduates who wish to pursue a dietetic internship.

Program Structure

Dietetic interns complete rotations in three different areas:

• Clinical Nutrition
• Foodservice Management
• Community Nutrition (not in all sites)

Interns are followed-up and evaluated by LAU dietetic preceptors in collaboration with hospital dietitians.

LAU also offers dietetic internship sessions, colloquium preparatory sessions, and mock colloquium exams, and coordinates the Dietetic Colloquium examination of all interns at the MEHE.

What Will I Learn?

Our program supports the following Learning Outcomes of the BS in Nutrition and Dietetics:

• Integrate evidence-based guidelines and research findings in nutrition practice and care.
• Conduct research projects using the appropriate indicators, measures, and methodologies.
• Demonstrate counseling and communication skills sufficient for entry in pre-professional practice.
• Demonstrate professional and inter-professional teamwork skills.
• Comply with the principles supported by the governance of dietetics practice.
• Develop professional attributes and a portfolio that are adapted to serve in diverse professional and community organizations.
• Perform the nutrition care process and use standardized nutrition language.
• Apply health education and behavioral changes theories and techniques.
• Demonstrate successful management of available resources and integrate the promotion of nutritional well-being with cultural needs.
• Implement quality management and business theories in the provision of services.
• Successfully manage food service establishments and apply principles of food safety.
• Perform activities related to public policy and health care systems.
• Recognize the support knowledge underlying nutritional sciences.

Study Plan

Year Four (12 credits)

NUT500 Dietetic Internship (12 cr.) - fee is equivalent to 5 credits

Admission requirements

Students who wish to apply for the DIP need to submit an application form and their official transcripts in their senior year. They are then selected and placed in different healthcare facilities based on their academic performance and an interview. Admission requirements include:

1. Completion of all BS in Nutrition and Dietetics requirements.
2. Completion of clinical clearance requirements.
3. A grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.33 or C+ in the following core courses as they reflect the students’ minimum necessary theoretical knowledge and skills required for the DIP at LAU:

• NUT356 Nutrition Status Assessment
• NUT422 Medical Nutrition Therapy I
• NUT423 Medical Nutrition Therapy I Lab
• NUT424 Medical Nutrition Therapy II
• NUT425 Medical Nutrition Therapy II Lab
• NUT430 Nutrition in Life Cycle

The above courses are open for a Repeat to secure the minimum required grades and overall GPA.