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The Individualized Supervised Practice Program (ISPP) at Purdue University has submitted a closing plan to ACEND and is awaiting ACEND board approval. At this time, Purdue University’s (ISPP) will no longer accept individuals into this pathway to complete supervised practice.

This change does not impact the Purdue University Didactic Program (DPD) in Dietetics or the Master of Science in Dietetics (MSD) programs. If you have questions, contact Alvin Furiya MS, RDN, LDN afuriya@purdue.edu. More information about the MSD, which includes the supervised practice requirement, is available on the MSD page.

The Individual Supervised Practice Pathway is an ACEND-approved pathway in the Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics (DPD) for interns to complete the required supervised practice experience to become a registered dietitian. Individuals accepted to the ISPP are not registered students and are not eligible for University financial aid or student support services. Upon successful completion of the ISPP, you will receive a certificate of completion and a supervised practice verification statement, which is required to take the national exam to become a registered dietitian.

Only individuals who have a DPD verification statement from Purdue University and did not receive a match for a dietetic internship or individuals who have a doctoral degree are eligible to apply for the ISPP.

Note: Students who have graduated with a Master of Science degree from Purdue University’s Interdepartmental Nutrition Program and hold a DPD verification statement from another ACEND-accredited program are also eligible to apply for the ISPP if the other application requirements are met. Other interested applicants who hold a DPD verification statement from another ACEND-accredited program may apply with the director’s approval if other application requirements are met; however, priority will be given to graduates of Purdue’s Didactice Program in Nutrition and Dietetics when space is limited.

2024 CDR Mandate

Effective Jan. 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). In order to be approved for registration examination eligibility with a bachelor’s degree, an individual must meet all eligibility requirements and be submitted into the CDR’s Registration Eligibility Processing System before midnight CST on Dec. 31, 2023. For more information about this requirement, visit the CDR’s website. In addition, CDR requires individuals to complete coursework and supervised practice in programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).

How to Apply

Applications are accepted year round. Contact Dinah Dalder at dalder@purdue.edu for the ISPP application packet, which includes:

  • The application form
  • Personal statement questions and instructions
  • Recommendation form
  • Application instructions and checklist
  • Estimated costs to participate in the ISPP
  • Procedure for contacting potential preceptors
  • Preceptor and facility information forms
  • Supervised practice facility worksheet

The Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics director and/or ISPP faculty will determine if you meet the basic requirements of the ISPP, such as minimum grade point average, DPD verification and if you are unmatched to a supervised practice program. If you do not meet the basic requirements, an application packet will not be sent and an explanation will be provided.

Program Requirements

Each ISPP intern is on an individualized schedule. The sequence of rotations allows the
intern to progress from introductory rotations to demonstration of entry-level competence.

The ISPP intern is responsible for locating all of his/her preceptors and practice sites for
all rotations. All practice sites must be located in the state of Indiana.
The Dietetics Program Manager will offer resources and advice to the intern for
recruiting potential preceptors if needed.

Required ISPP Rotations/Sites

Retail/Institutional Food Service, Production, and Management Rotation

This rotation focuses on marketing, procurement, storage, preparation, delivery, service and management in retail operations. You’ll practice the care and operation of equipment, sanitation audits, HACCP Guidelines, menu planning, customer service and management activities. The practical hands-on experience and investigative research will prepare you for in-depth management responsibilities.

  • Typical length: approximately 200 hours
  • Typical locations: facilities with a large retail institutional cafeteria or food service operation, which can usually be found in hospitals, universities or larger restaurants

Inpatient Food Service, Production, and Management Rotation

Practice menu planning, taking meal orders, tray preparation and delivery, patient promotions, marketing of menus, and all aspects of producing and delivering nutrition to patients. This rotation focuses on food service within an inpatient setting for people who have medical needs related to their diets.

  • Typical length: approximately 120 hours
  • Typical locations: facilities where individuals require specialized meals, such as hospitals, long-term care facilities or residential facilities

Inpatient Medical Nutrition Therapy One Rotation

Practice the nutrition care process with populations that have common medical conditions impacted by diet, including obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular and gastrointestinal disorders.

  • Typical length: approximately 160 hours
  • Typical locations: hospitals, long-term care facilities or residential facilities

Inpatient Medical Nutrition Therapy Two Rotation

Practice the nutrition care process with populations that have more complicated conditions, such as renal diseases, multisystem organ failure, cancer and hepatic disease.

  • Typical length: approximately 240 hours
  • Typical locations: hospitals or long-term care facilities with a full-time registered dietitian and acute care, including trauma, critical care nutrition, and nutrition support (total parenteral nutrition or enteral nutrition)

Outpatient Medical Nutrition Therapy Rotation

Practice the nutrition care process with populations that have medical conditions impacted by diet that do not require hospitalization. Group medical nutrition therapy (MNT) activities may be satisfied with activities in the community education rotation.

  • Typical length: approximately 120 hours
  • Typical locations: hospitals, outpatient clinics, university health clinics, doctor’s offices, or community outreach where group MNT can occur

Community Nutrition Rotation

Develop skills to provide nutrition services to the community at large through a series of activities, programs and services, including nutrition counseling, nutrition education, nutrition assessment and wellness programs. You will also develop skills in evaluating and applying government program guidelines and policies. You may use more than one preceptor or facilility to fit specific activities or projects.

  • Typical length: approximately 160 hours
  • Typical locations: facilities that provide access to individuals and groups through a government-funded public health program (WIC, Head Start, Meals-On-Wheels, Maternal Child Health, Cooperative Extension, Expanded Food and Nutrition Program, or SNAP-ED), hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices, community centers, or existing programs, such as weight-management, specialty-cooking or athletic programs

Child-Adolescent Education Rotation

Promote health and wellness through marketing, education, classes and events for school-age children and adolescents. This rotation is similar to the education and wellness activities in the Community Nutrition Rotation but addresses nutrition-related issues that children and adolescents face in their school environment, such as peer pressure, academic performance, athletic achievement, drugs and alcohol.

  • Typical length: approximately 40 hours
  • Typical locations: public or private elementary, middle or high schools; after-school programs; community centers; or programs for school-age children, such as Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCA, YWCA and religious organizations.

Engagement Rotation

This culminating experience is consistent with the land grant mission of Purdue University. The goal of the engagement rotation is to broaden your skills in an interest area and your knowledge of opportunities that may be available for the future. The guidelines emphasize the development of a primary project and related independent activities. You will work directly with preceptors on strategic initiatives that match your qualifications and interests. You will be provided with one primary project but have opportunities to work on other projects and duties to obtain a variety of experiences. This allows you to make significant contributions to the organization and provide independent thinking and analysis on behavioral, social and environmental issues influencing health and nutritional well-being.

  • Typical length: approximately 200 hours
  • Typical locations: based on your interest in a practice area from one of the following tracks: long-term care; nutrition, fitness, wellness and energy balance; school food service; industry; community or public health; medical nutrition therapy; or research.

ISPP Mission, Goals and Objectives

The ISPP mission is to provide a flexible, intern-driven supervised practice experience to prepare competent, entry-level registered dietitian nutritionists to promote optimal health and nutrition of individuals and groups. The curriculum provides the practitioner-based competencies to perform the specialized functions of an entry-level dietitian. The Purdue ISPP prepares dietitians for positions in medical nutrition therapy, food service management and community nutrition as well as to be leaders in the profession. In addition to three essential rotations, the ISPP requires an engagement concentration to broaden experience in various areas of practice.

Goals and Objectives of the ISPP

Goal 1: Individuals who complete the Purdue University ISPP will be prepared as
competent entry-level dietitians and emerging leaders in the field.

  • Objective 1: At least 80% of program students complete program requirements within 18 months (full-time) or 36 months (part-time) (150% of program length).
  • Objective 2: 100% of program graduates take the CDR credentialing exam for registered dietitian nutritionists within 12 months of program completion.
  • Objective 3: The program’s one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%.
  • Objective 4: Employers will rate 100% of ISPP graduates’ preparation for entry-level practice as “satisfactory” or above.
  • Objective 5: 50% of the individuals who complete the ISPP will participate in a leadership activity at their place of employment or in the community (e.g. committee work, presentations) within 12 months of completing the ISPP.
  • Objective 6: 50% of the individuals who complete the ISPP will indicate active participation in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics beyond national and state membership (e.g. district membership, dietetic practice group membership, or elected or appointed office at the district, state or national levels) within 12 months of completing the ISPP.

Goal 2: Individuals who complete the Purdue University ISPP will be employed in a
broad range of practice areas.

  • Objective 1: Of graduates who seek employment, 80% are employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields within 12 months of graduation.
  • Objective 2: At least one individual who completed the ISPP will be employed in either medical nutrition therapy, foodservice management, or community nutrition within 12 months of completing the ISPP.
  • Objective 3: At least one individual who completed the ISPP will be employed in an area of dietetics practice other than Medical Nutrition Therapy, foodservice management, or community nutrition within 12 months of completing the ISPP.

Outcome data are available by written request to Rachel Clark at
rachelclark@purdue.edu.

Program Resources

Program Handbook

Detailed admission requirements and the selection process can be found in the ISPP Handbook.

Accreditation

The Purdue University Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics is currently granted accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and

The Purdue University Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).

120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995
Phone: 800-877-1600, Ext. 5400
http://www.eatright.org/ACEND