Interview Phase for Nutrition Post-Graduate Practice Experience - January 2021 Cohort

The Interview Phase is for candidates who are interested in enrolling in the 6-month Placement Site format of the Nutrition Post-Graduate Practice Experience.  The Interview Phase provides the necessary information candidates need to learn about the available placement site opportunities and to set up interviews.

Candidates must enroll in the Interview Phase to be eligible for a Placement Site in the Nutrition Post-Graduate Practice Experience. There is no cost to participate in the Interview Phase. Participation in the Interview Phase does not guarantee a Placement Site.  Once a candidate is matched with a Placement Site, the candidate must register and pay $1200 for the 6-month experience prior to the start date.

Currently, Placement Sites are offering virtual practice experiences only. The setup is subject to change to in-person with advanced notice.

Program Overview:

The Nutrition Post-Graduate Practice Experience is specifically designed to prepare MUIH nutrition alumni pursuing the Certified Nutrition Specialist® (CNS®) credential.  The Nutrition Post-Graduate Practice Experience provides up to 1000 hours of remote CNS-Approved Supervision for practice experience in the field of nutrition for graduates of the Master of Science in Nutrition and Integrative Health and the Post-Masters Certificate in Nutrition and Integrative Health from Maryland University of Integrative Health. To learn more about the Nutrition Post-Graduate Practice Experience, please visit: https://muih.edu/academics/ce/nutrition-practice-experience/

For the Placement Site format, MUIH has partnerships with clinics, hospitals, senior living centers, and integrative centers for MUIH graduates to obtain practice experience. Candidates will interview at the placement site(s) of their choice. Placement sites will provide approximately 10-20 hours of nutrition-related work per week.

This format also includes:

• Access to the Natural Care Center in Laurel, Maryland to provide nutrition counseling for self-recruited clients.
• Professional Liability Insurance through MUIH.
• Maryland-licensed supervisor to oversee clinical care.

Additional Information:

This course includes the additional benefit of bi-weekly web conferences covering a wide range of topics to assist with your professional development. Topics include practice management, review of clinical concepts, therapeutic diets, community nutrition education, and tutorials on how to navigate BCNSSM documentation.

The CNS-Approved Supervisor will monitor the candidate’s progress remotely using the “CNS Supervised Practice Experience Tracking Tool”. Completion of all 1,000 hours needed is not guaranteed. Hours completed during the course will be verified by the CNS-Approved Supervisor through several evaluations, including but not limited to the Tracking Tool, mentoring calls, preceptor evaluations, and an ePortfolio. Candidates are responsible for reviewing the CNS® certification requirements and resources available on the American Nutrition Association website at https://theana.org/certify.

All practice experience paperwork required by the Board for Certification of Nutrition SpecialistsSM (BCNSSM) with approval signatures will be submitted upon completion. Completion of hours does not guarantee a favorable recommendation for certification. Recommendations are based on the candidate’s performance, competencies, and professionalism exhibited throughout the course.  Throughout the experience, each candidate will participate in unlimited individual mentoring sessions with a CNS-Approved Supervisor to achieve an optimum learning experience while ensuring the desired practice experience hours are reached.

Registration Deadline: Interested candidates must register for the Interview Phase by Friday, October 23, 2020. 

Currently, Placement Sites are offering virtual practice experiences only. The setup is subject to change to in-person with advanced notice.

Pre-Requisites:

• MUIH Master of Science in Nutrition and Integrative Health OR
• MUIH Post-Master’s Certificate in Nutrition and Integrative Health

Interview Phase Location:

Currently, all interviews will take place virtually.

Instructor Bio:

Elizabeth Owens joined Maryland University of Integrative Health in 2014 and is the Director of Experiential Programs for the Nutrition & Integrative Health Department. She is a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS®) practitioner and Licensed Nutritionist in Maryland and Washington, DC. She holds a master's degree in Applied Clinical Nutrition from New York Chiropractic College, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. Elizabeth completed the post-graduate nutrition internship at MUIH and is excited to share her knowledge and experience in nutrition with current students and alumni. Elizabeth completed her undergraduate studies at the State University of New York College at Cortland, where she majored in Health Sciences and minored in both Biology and Chemistry. Prior to joining MUIH, Elizabeth worked in health and wellness positions at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, GA and at the Federal Reserve Board in Washington, DC. She is a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor through the American Council on Exercise, and a Certified Ketogenic Nutrition Specialist through the American Nutrition Association. Elizabeth is a member of the Institute for Functional Medicine and American Nutrition Association. She has a private practice in Northern Virginia where she shares her love for whole foods and healthy living with individual clients and the community.

Contact:

Elizabeth Owens, MS, CNS, CKNS, LDN

Director of Experiential Programs

Nutrition & Integrative Health

7750 Montpelier Road | Laurel, MD 20723

410-888-9048 ext. 6675 | eowens@muih.edu