Overview of the Master of Science in Foods & Nutrition (MScFN) and the Diploma in Dietetic Education and Practical Training (DDEPT) Practicum
The dietetic practica for both the MScFN and DDEPT programs offer a comprehensive learning experience designed to provide you with the hands-on dietetic skills essential for a career in dietetics.
Why Choose MScFN or DDEPT Practicum-Based Programs?
Diverse Placement Settings: From hospitals, long-term care, community health centres, and public health to food industry and private practice settings, you will experience a wide range of dietetic practicum placements.
Comprehensive Dietetic Training: Over a span of 40 weeks, you will complete placements in nutrition care, food provision, population health promotion and research. Students usually complete 6-8 unique placements, ensuring a well-rounded experience.
Tailored Experience: You will have a unique placement schedule that considers the your interests and career goals.
Mandatory Education Sessions: Monthly education sessions are provided to enhance your learning, prepare you for placements and entry level dietetic practice.
Canadian Dietetic Registration Exam (CDRE): Successful completion of our practicum-based programs (MScFN and DDEPT) is a key eligibility requirement to register for the CDRE.
Navigating your Practicum Journey
Your Practicum Schedule
You will be assigned to a Dietetic Education Coordinator (DEC), who will coordinate your practicum schedule. Your personalized schedule will be designed to:
- Provide the opportunity to develop the skills needed to achieve the Integrated Competencies for Dietetic Education and Practice (ICDEP). The ICDEP are the focus of the Canadian Dietetic Registration Exam (CDRE).
- Balance your career aspirations with the realities of placement planning
Access to reliable transportation is essential. You can expect to travel to different communities and regions to complete some placements.
The Practicum Structure:
Each student completes 40 practicum weeks, which includes:
|
|
MScFN |
DDEPT |
|
Nutrition Care: Possible settings include hospitals, long-term care, primary care, and diabetes. |
16 weeks minimum |
16 weeks minimum |
|
Food Provision: Possible settings include food service departments in hospitals, long-term care, and others. |
6 weeks minimum |
6 weeks minimum |
|
Population Health Promotion: Possible settings include public health, community health centres, government, non-profit organizations and private practice. |
6 weeks minimum |
6 weeks minimum |
|
Research: Supervised by Faculty of Health Sciences faculty. |
8-10 weeks |
Not Applicable |
|
Practice-Based Project: Supervised by preceptors in the field or health sciences faculty. |
Not Applicable |
4 weeks minimum |
|
Flex Weeks: Can be applied to areas of interest. |
8 weeks maximum |
8 weeks maximum |
Placement Regions
When you apply to a practicum-based program within the Faculty of Health Sciences, you will get to rank your top three placement regions in Ontario. A placement region will be your home base for the duration of your practicum.
DDEPT: You will be offered a placement region at the time of admission.
MScFN: You will be offered a placement region during your first year of the MScFN program. While choices will be taken into consideration, we cannot guarantee you will be offered your preferred region. In the case of high-demand for specific regions, an additional application process may take place during semester 1 of your MScFN-Practicum-based program.
Learn more about placement regions
Select each region below for descriptions and potential placement opportunities.
Please note, regardless of region:
- Placement opportunities are influenced by and may vary due to organizational capacity.
- Unless otherwise stated, placements are in-person.
- Some students may complete a virtual placement with government, private practice, research, industry, and other organizations.
Belleville, Kingston, Brockville
Description
This region offers experiences at a large teaching hospital (Kingston Health Sciences Centre) and/or small community hospitals, family health teams, public health and long-term care.
Possible Placement Opportunities
Inpatient Nutrition Care:
- Medicine, surgery, critical/intensive care, neurology, oncology
- Long-term care
Outpatient Nutrition Care:
- Diabetes
- Cardiac rehabilitation
- Eating disorders
- Bariatric clinics
- Family health teams
Food Provision:
- Long-term care, hospital or university food service departments
Population Health Promotion:
- Public health
- Community Health Centres
- Private Practice RD
Greater Toronto Area
Description
This region offers experiences in teaching and community hospitals, community health centres, family health teams, non-profit organizations and food industry; organizations in Oshawa, Scarborough, Markham, North York, Newmarket, Etobicoke, Mississauga and more.
Possible Placement Opportunities
Inpatient Nutrition Care:
- Medicine, surgery, pediatrics, oncology
- Cardiac rehab
- Complex care
- Mental health
- Long-term care
Outpatient Nutrition Care:
- Diabetes education centres
- Nephrology
- Bariatrics
- Mental health
- Oncology
- Family Health Teams
Food Provision:
- Long-term care, hospital or university food service departments
Population Health Promotion:
- Community Health Centres
- Non-profit organizations
- Food industry head offices
- Private Practice RD
Hamilton Health Sciences and Hamilton/Niagara
Description
Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) is a large teaching care centre with dietetic placements available across all competency areas and with the option for a focused adult or pediatric experience. Placements in the region include family health teams, community health centres, and public health. This region has a nutrition care focus, and all flex weeks will be used for additional nutrition care weeks.
Possible Placement Opportunities
See for details about the health services offered at HHS.
To learn more about Dietetic Practicum at HHS, (navigate to "Students and Learners at the top page, then scroll down to "Dietetic Internship Program" from the drop down menu).
Huron-Perth
Description
This region includes experiences in Huron-Perth, including rural communities. This region offers experiences in community hospitals, family health teams, long-term care, and community health centres.
Possible Placement Opportunities
Inpatient nutrition care:
- Medicine, surgery, rehab, palliative and critical/intensive care
- Long-term care
Outpatient nutrition care:
- Cardiac/respiratory rehab
- Diabetes
- Family Health Teams
Food Provision:
- Hospital or long-term care or university food service departments
Population Health Promotion:
- Community Health Centres
- Public health
- Non-profit organizations
- Private Practice RD
London Health Sciences Centre
Description
London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) is a large acute-care teaching hospital in London, Ontario. The LHSC Dietetic Practicum offers intensive training focusing on acute care nutrition. Students will complete four nutrition care rotations at LHSC, encompassing in-patient and outpatient settings. An additional diabetes placement is completed outside of LHSC. Students will also complete one food provision and one population health placement. This region has a nutrition care focus, and all flex weeks will be used for additional nutrition care weeks.
Placement Limitations:
This practicum does not allow additional nutrition care placements outside LHSC (e.g., primary or long-term care).
Possible Placement Opportunities
See for details about practicum opportunities.
London Region
Description
The London Region Dietetic Practicum emphasizes diverse exposure to various nutritional settings. Students will predominantly complete their placements within London or its surrounding regions. Students should anticipate commuting outside of London for select placements. Compared to the London Health Sciences Centre practicum, the London region offers greater flexibility, especially for students wanting more focus on areas such as:
- Population Health Promotion
- Community Nutrition
- Long-term Care
- Family Health Teams
- Industry, etc.
Placement Limitations:
Students in the London region will not complete rotations at LHSC.
Possible Placement Opportunities
Nutrition Care:
- Community Hospitals (e.g., in St. Thomas, Woodstock, etc.)
- St. Joseph’s Health Care London
- Family Health Teams
- Community Health Centres
Food Provision:
- Long-term Care
- St. Joseph’s Health Care London
- University Hospitality Services
Population Health Promotion:
- Public Health
- Community Health Centre
- Agriculture
- Private Practice RD
Niagara
Description
This region offers experiences in community hospitals (Niagara Falls, Welland or St Catherines), community health centres and family health teams.
Possible Placement Opportunities
Inpatient Nutrition Care:
- Medicine, cardiology, oncology, surgery, critical care/intensive care
Outpatient Nutrition Care:
- Diabetes
- Nephrology
- Family Health Teams
- Community Health Centres
Food Provision:
- Hospital or long-term care food service departments
Population Health Promotion:
- Community Health Centre
- Private Practice RD
- Public health
Owen Sound/Grey Bruce
Description
This region has a collaborative group of dietitians who support 2 students each year, in Owen Sound. A driver's license, access to a car and comfort with highway/winter driving are important considerations as travel between communities is required to get to placements.
Possible Placement Opportunities
Nutrition Care placements:
- Community hospitals in Owen Sound and Collingwood
- Diabetes education centres
- Family Health Teams
- Long-term care
- Indigenous health centres
Food Provision:
- Hospitals or long-term care homes
Population Health Promotion:
- Public health
- Community Health Centres
- Indigenous health centres
- Private Practice RD
Sarnia/Chatham
Description
Students in this region may be based in either community or complete placements in both Sarnia/Chatham.
Possible Placement Opportunities
Nutrition Care placements:
- Community hospitals in Sarnia & Chatham
- Diabetes education centres
- Family Health Teams
- Long-term care
Food Provision:
- Hospitals or long-term care homes
Population Health Promotion:
- Public health
- Community Health Centres, including Indigenous health learning opportunities
Windsor
Description
Windsor Regional Hospital is a large, 2-site teaching hospital that hosts students interested in a clinical-focused experience. Other placement opportunities include another community hospital, long-term care, public health, primary care, private practice and non-profit organizations.
Possible Placement Opportunities
Inpatient Nutrition Care:
- Medicine, surgery, pediatrics, oncology, renal, ICU and complex care
- Rehabilitation
- Mental health
- Long-term care
Outpatient Nutrition Care:
- Diabetes education centre
- Oncology
- Nephrology
- Family Health Teams
- Hospital or long-term care
Population Health Promotion:
- Public health
- Community Health Centre
- Private Practice RD
Other
Description
Applicants may identify other regions and/or potential placement organizations in Ontario. Placement opportunities will be explored with a student’s assigned Dietetic Education Coordinator.
Practicum Responsibilities:
Success in the program requires proactive engagement. This includes following the Faculty of Health Sciences’ and placement organization’s policies, attending mandatory education and orientation sessions and completing documentation for each placement.
To satisfy the requirements mandated by our placement partners, you will need to meet several health and non-health requirements, including:
- Immunizations, including COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are required
- Police vulnerable sector screening
- N95 Mask fit testing
- Health and Safety Modules
In this program, you must have access to reliable transportation to get to placements, including places where public transit may not be available. You will be expected to manage your own travel arrangements to placement sites at your own cost once the practicum starts and be able to travel independently throughout the practicum. This is something which applicants to our dietetic practicum-based programs should prepare for in advance.
