Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics
FNCE 2015
The Student Experience
Presented by Emily Smith
Student Track
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Earning the Internship
•
Passing the RD Exam
•
Branding Yourself as an RDN
Earning the Internship
Presented by Debra Wein, MS, RDN, LDN (DI Director, Wellness
Workdays), Alexis Fissinger (Nutrition Fellow), Gina Pazzaglia, PhD, RDN
(DPD Director, West Chester University of PA)
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Explore options
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Connect and network
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Reach out to current/past interns
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Contact directors
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Follow up and thank
Attend open houses
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Think about your skills and goals
Do your research
Attend conferences & networking
events
Top 10 Tips
Debra Wein, MS, RDN, LDN, DI Program
Director, Wellness Workdays
1. Contact the program
2. Speak up
3. Make interactions personal
4. Send a thank-you
5. Select smart recommendations
6. Explain application limitations
7. Professionalism
8. Proofread
9. Quality vs quantity
10.Plan ahead
DI Application Tips
Presented by Alexis Fissinger
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Create a timeline and start early
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Read directions carefully
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Contact DICAS and D&D support if you have questions
Know how to sell your experiencs and skills in a few words
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Don’t wait until the last minute to submit, it will only create more stress if there is
a technical issue
Be concise and consistent
Have a clear vision and be able to tailor your story to each program
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Know WHY you are the best fit for that program
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Don’t overuse “passion” or overestimate the impact of an in-depth personal
story
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Rank based on YOUR preferences!
The Interview
Presented by Alexis Fissinger
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Show interest in higher and continuing education
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Know where the future of dietetics is headed
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Sell skills that make you unique
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Consider attributes which led well to the field
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Positive attitude
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Effective communicator
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Initiaive
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Empathy
As an Intern…
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Be curious!
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As questions and share knowledge
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Practice being an active member of the medical team
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Seek new opportunities
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Create/modify patient education, research, events, case studies
Appreciate your preceptors
Passing the RD Exam
Presented by Paula Leibovitz, MS, RDN, CDE, CDN; Robert
Blackwood; Juli Goerend
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Eligibility window: take test as soon as you can to avoid issues
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You have 1 year after receiving CDR authorization to test (via receipt of
examination application email)
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If this time expires, contact the Commission on Dietetic Registration to
request reauthorization
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If unsuccessful in passing the test, you may apply for reauthorization
to retest after 45 days have passed
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No limit on examination attempts
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Important that your name on government issued ID EXACTLY matches
your name as it appears on your authorization to test from the CDR
RD Exam Details
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Domains of the exam:
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Nutrition Care for Individuals and Groups – 50%
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Management of Food and Nutrition Programs and Services – 21%
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Foodservice Systems – 17%
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Principles of Dietetics – 12%
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Multiple choice, single answer
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Answer all questions until it tells you to stop, not just when you get to the
125 question minimum
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Must receive a 25 or higher (scale score) to pass
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Score does not equal # of correct answers
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Depends on difficulty of question
cdrnet.org for more information
Branding: Creating your Professional Image
Presented by Melinda Johnson, MS, RDN, Carlene Thomas, RDN,
LD
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Utilize social media
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Keep it professional
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Professional website: wix, weebly, wordpress, blogger
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Have a story
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Stick to your niche
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Be consistent
Spiderscribe.net brainstorming app
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Organizes ideas
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Notes, files, calendar events, etc
FNCE 2016
 Boston,
MA!