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.

Program Overview:

The Nutrition Post-Graduate Practice Experience is specifically designed to prepare post-graduates to pursue board certification in nutrition as a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS).  It provides up to 1000 hours of 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.

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 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:

All practice experience paperwork required by the BCNS with approval signatures which will be submitted upon completion (refer to CNS Supervised Practice Experience Supervisor’s Report (Fillable PDF Form)

The CNS-Approved Supervisor will monitor the candidate’s progress using the “CNS Supervised Practice Experience Tracking Tool” (refer to https://nutritionspecialists.org/become-cns/forms-helpful-documents).  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.

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 graduate will participate in mentoring sessions with a CNS-Approved Supervisor to achieve an optimum learning experience while ensuring the desired practice experience hours are reached. Graduates will also participate in monthly online web conferences with the CNS-Approved Supervisor and peers. These discussions focus around participants’ questions and concerns, case studies, clinical research and practice management to deepen their competencies as entry-level nutritionists.

To learn more about the Nutrition Post-Graduate Practice Experience:

http://www.muih.edu/academics/continuing-education/nutrition-practice-experience

Pre-Requisites:

MUIH Master of Science in Nutrition & Integrative Health and/or MUIH Post-Master’s Certificate in Nutrition

Interview Phase Location:

Interviews may take place at the placement sites and/or remotely, depending on the site's preference.

Instructor Bio:

Elizabeth Owens joined Maryland University of Integrative Health in 2014 and is the Manager of Experiential Programs for the Nutrition & Integrative Health Department. She is a Certified Nutrition Specialist practitioner and Licensed Dietician-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. 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 Pilates instructor, personal trainer and group fitness instructor. Elizabeth is a member of the Institute for Functional Medicine, American Nutrition Association and American College of Nutrition. She has a private practice in Virginia where she shares her love for whole foods and fitness with individual clients and the community.