Establishing a Pediatric Registered Dietitian (RD) Residency Program

Abstract

The (CNL) Clinical Nutrition and Lactation Department developed a pediatric registered dietitian (RD) residency program designed to provide training for new dietitians or those looking to transition to the area of pediatric nutrition. External funding to support the program was received through private donors. Residency rotations included a variety of specialty areas in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. Curriculum for each specialty area included text and journal references, a slide presentation providing an overview of the area, and a pretest to assess baseline knowledge. During each rotation, the RD resident worked alongside the preceptor and was given opportunities to provide medical nutrition therapy with increasing autonomy. Each specialty rotation ended with a post-test or case study and monthly evaluations were used to review feedback from each preceptor. A pediatric RD residency program is beneficial to both the hospital and the dietetics profession. The organization can train and evaluate an individual for 16 weeks in the clinical setting before potentially hiring. Such a program also fills the need for pediatric training, beyond the clinical internship, for those pursuing a career in pediatric nutrition.