London Health Sciences Centre Dietetic Practicum
In partnership with the Brescia School of Food and Nutritional Sciences at Western University, the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) Dietetic Practicum offers comprehensive nutrition care, food service management and practice-based project placements to dietetic practicum students in the Diploma in Dietetic Education and Practical Training (DDEPT) and Master of Science in Foods and Nutrition Internship Stream (MScFN) programs as part of their 40-week practical training.
Our program offers many interesting and challenging opportunities for professional and personal growth in an innovative and supportive learning environment. Dietetic practicum students will be active participants in this learning journey and will have an opportunity to practice dietetics in the most current clinical and food service environments!
The LHSC dietetic practicum has a strong focus in clinical nutrition and is an ideal program for prospective students who are clinically focused and whose career goals include working in a hospital-based, acute care setting, providing evidence-based medical nutrition therapy focused on the management of acute illness and chronic disease, and working closely with members of the interdisciplinary team.
Nutrition Care Placements
The Department of Clinical Nutrition at LHSC is committed to high quality education and research. Clinical dietitians are respected members of inter-professional health care teams. The dietitians are recognized for their expertise in nutritional assessments and developing individualized nutrition care plans in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
Dietetic students will complete 19 weeks of clinical placements providing them the opportunity to work with diverse populations across the lifecycle in a variety of practice settings. Clinical placements may take place across our multiple sites including Victoria Hospital, Children’s Hospital, University Hospital, 54 Riverview Ave and/or the Kidney Care Centre.
Examples of clinical placements opportunities include:
• Cancer Care
• Children’s Care
• Clinical Neuroscience
• Critical Care
• Eating Disorders
• Medicine
• Mental Health
• Renal Care
• Surgical Care
• Women’s Care
• Transplant
Students will also complete a 3-4-week diabetes placement at an organization outside of LHSC.
Given the required placements weeks at LHSC, students in the LHSC dietetic practicum usually do not have the opportunity to complete nutrition care placements in Family Health Team or long-term care settings.
Practice-based Project
London Health Sciences Centre is a teaching hospital with significant medical research support and participation. DDEPT students may complete a 4-5-week research or practice-based project supported by dietitians at LHSC, or may complete these weeks at an organization outside of LHSC.
Food Service Management Placement
Students may have the opportunity to complete their 7-week food service management placement at LHSC. This placement provides opportunities for the interns to engage in departmental project work requiring critical thinking and analysis to address current issues.
Food Services leadership (administrative dietitians, coordinators) oversee Patient Food Services placements, which offer experiences in:
• Food procurement, food handling and related audits
• Personnel management and scheduling
• Budget planning, project management
• CBORD systems to manage food service operations (i.e., purchasing/inventory, costing)
• CBORD systems diet office automation (i.e., diet/food compliance, menus, tray tickets)
• Legislated and mandatory staff training and practices
Some students may complete their foodservice placement at an organization outside of LHSC.
Population Health Placement
Students complete a population health placement at an organization outside of LHSC. This placement is limited to maximum of one 6-week population health placement given the allotment of weeks dedicated to nutrition care placements required for the LHSC Dietetic Practicum.
