Clinical Nutrition Emphasis

Currently, the Clinical Nutrition Emphasis is provided by our partner at the University Health Network (UHN). Students who are not part of the clinical nutrition emphasis will also receive training opportunities to achieve competencies in nutrition care. In the past several years, we have placed students in other hospitals such as Trillium Health, Baycrest Hospital, and Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital.

The Clinical Nutrition Emphasis Requires:

  • A minimum of 16 weeks spent in placement in a tertiary care facility/hospital.
  • An additional course requirement, for one of either:
      • CHL5610H – Theory and practice of behaviour change in health professional settings, OR
      • NFS1220H – Clinical Nutrition; and,
  • A relevant assignment for CHL5656Y – Nutrition and Dietetics Culminating Project. The nature of the project assignment will need to be aligned with the objectives of an Emphasis.

How many students will be accepted into the Clinical Nutrition Emphasis?
This may vary from year to year. UHN has usually accommodated 8-10 students in the clinical emphasis in recent years.

What UHN rotations would be completed as part of the Clinical Nutrition Emphasis?
UHN offers learners the opportunity to explore the delivery of nutrition care across the continuum of care in a variety of clinical settings, including inpatient acute care, outpatient care and rehabilitation. Exposure to a breadth of such learning opportunities facilitates a broad view of clinical dietetics as learners strengthen their understanding of nutrition care process across practice areas.

Dietetic Learners at UHN will rotate through placements of three to five weeks’ duration, sometimes in pairs, where they will gain experience in the delivery of enteral feeds, counselling, patient education and working with the interprofessional team. Students opting for UHN Clinical Nutrition Emphasis should be comfortable with regular change, the challenge of multiple rotations and caring for ill patients.

Examples of UHN Patient Care Areas for Learner Rotations

Family Health Team Nephrology
Bariatrics Neurosciences (may include neurology, neurosurgery, or MSNICU)
Cardiology (may include surgery, CVICU, rehab, inpatient and outpatient) Rehabilitation (may include musculoskeletal, brain injury, or geriatrics)
Complex Continuing Care Oncology
Eating Disorders Parenteral Nutrition
Endocrinology Surgery (may include general, head and neck, or thoracic surgery)
General Internal Medicine Transplant
Intensive Care Unit

What UHN Culminating Projects would be completed as part of the Clinical Emphasis?
Projects at UHN are either Quality Improvement or Research projects. Here are some examples of projects that have been completed in previous years:

  • Implementing Med Pass in the Neurovascular Unit at Toronto Western Hospital
  • Exploring the Impact of Early versus Conventional RD Intervention on Clinical Outcomes in Patient who have Head and Neck and Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer.
  • Understanding the Prevalence of Malnutrition at Toronto Rehab
  • Understanding the Prevalence of Malnutrition in the Nephrology Inpatient Population at Toronto General Hospital
  • Examining the Impact of the Canadian Malnutrition Screening Tool and Early RD Intervention in Surgery and General Internal Medicine Units at TGH and TWH
  • Development of an SGA Training Plan for Dietitians and Diet Technicians
  • Development of Critical Care Nutrition Education Modules for Residents and Fellows in the MSICU and MSNICU at UHN.

How do I apply for a Clinical Nutrition emphasis?

All interested incoming students may express interest in an emphasis in May/June before they begin the program. The process and timeline is described more fully to the incoming class in early May. Students are notified in July about the match with their selected emphasis.