Overview

Nutrition graduates are eligible to pass the National Colloquium Examination at the Ministry of 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 Ministry of Health. The LAU Dietetics Internship Program (DIP) is open to holders of a B.S. in Nutrition who wish to obtain the license to practice the profession of dietetics in Lebanon. It secures supervised training for a period of six months at LAU Medical Center-RH or other LAU-affiliated institutions across Lebanon. Upon successful completion of training, applicants are issued a certificate.

LAU ensures placement to all nutrition graduates who wish to pursue a dietetic internship.

Mission

 The mission of the Nutrition program is to prepare graduates for food and nutrition careers by providing them with the ability to integrate didactic and practical education in order to improve the health and well-being of individuals and groups while upholding the tradition of a liberal arts education.

Learning Outcomes

Based on the requirements of the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics, the Dietetics Internship Program supports the following Learning Outcomes of the LAU B.S. in Nutrition. Upon completion of the requirements of the Dietetic Internship program, students should be able to:

1. comply with the principles supported by the governance of Dietetics practice,
2. perform the nutrition care process and use standardized nutrition language,
3. integrate evidence-based guidelines and research findings in nutrition practice and care,
4. demonstrate counseling and communication skills sufficient for entry in pre-professional practice,
5. demonstrate professional and inter-professional teamwork skills,
6. develop professional attributes and a portfolio that are adapted to serve in diverse professional and community organizations and different cultural needs,
7. demonstrate successful management of available resources and integrate the promotion of nutritional well-being with cultural needs,
8. successfully manage food service establishments and apply principles of food safety, and
9. perform activities related to public policy and health care systems.

Admission Requirements

Students who wish to do an internship need to submit an application form and their official transcripts in their senior year. They are then selected and placed in different hospitals based on their academic performance and an interview. Admission requirements include:

1. completion of all B.S. in Nutrition requirements,
2. completion of clinical clearance requirements, and
3. a grade average of at least a C+ in the following major courses as they reflect the students’ minimum necessary theoretical knowledge and skills required for the internship:

NUT424 Medical Nutrition Therapy
NUT424 Medical Nutrition Therapy Lab
NUT356 Nutrition Assessment Lab
NUT389 Nutrition in the Lifecycle

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

Curriculum

Dietetic interns complete rotations in three different areas:

• Clinical Nutrition
• Food Service Management
• Community Nutrition

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

LAU also offers Colloquium revision sessions and coordinates the Colloquium examination of all interns at the MEHE.

Study Plan

Year Four (12 credits)

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