INTERNSHIP

I. What is Internship?

This is a 1-year learning experience for nutrition and dietetics graduates in the field of nutrition science to enable the graduates to gain hands on experience in real work practice. The internship offers an opportunity for the graduates to build their professional expertise in the area they have chosen to serve as professionals. The areas of expertise include; Clinical Nutritionist, Community Nutritionist, Public Health Nutritionist, Food Science Nutritionist, Clinical Dietician and Food Service Diet Therapist

 

One of the purposes of the KNDI is to prepare competent nutritionists and dieticians for entry into the profession by providing applied professional experiences which satisfy the requirements for eligibility to sit for the professional licensing examinations in respective professional disciplines in nutrition and dietetics and finally to qualify for registration and licensing.

 

The Internship builds on the theoretical knowledge of an undergraduate degree in nutrition and dietetics based on the prescribed KNDI BSc. core curriculum. The Internship at KNDI provides students with the requisite skills, expanded knowledge base and experiential background necessary to function as entry-level nutritionist or dietician with well-defined professional niche.

II. Regulations pertaining to internship-duration

KNDI is mandated through Nutritionists and Dieticians Act No. 18 of 2007, Cap 253b, section 13 (f) and (k) to develop regulations for internship programme in Kenya. Internship programme targets indexed graduate students from institutions accredited to teach nutrition and dietetics and this programme shall run for one calendar year.

 III. Aims and purpose of internship training

  1. To build competencies for all graduate students who have successfully gone through KNDI approved syllabus in six domains of the profession of nutrition and dietetics.
  2. To prepare all interns for competency oriented modular professional examination targeting six professional domains.
  3. To ensure that all BSc. graduates in nutrition and dietetics are licensed to practice as professionals in nutrition and dietetics within six areas of professional focus.
  4. To build community of practice among nutrition and dietetics professionals.
  5. To ensure updated and existing database for qualified nutrition and dietetics professionals for purpose of human resource planning in various service delivery departments.

IV. Internship framework

KNDI has developed an internship framework that allows graduates of nutrition and dietetics to develop professional expertise in various disciplines of nutrition and dietetics in line with the scope of practice. Having recognized that the profession of nutrition and dietetics is wide and diverse, KNDI as a professional body has defined core areas of internship based on the expected scope of work in the field of nutrition and dietetics in Kenya and beyond. These core professional areas shall also define Continuous Professional Development (CPD) path for the nutrition and dietetics graduates. The framework creates two categories of professionals within the broad scope. These are:

  1. Nutritionist
  2. Dietician

A nutritionist will have specific path defined by the discipline chosen during internship program. The framework identifies four professional paths for a nutritionist (i.e., Clinical Nutritionist, Public Health Nutritionists, Community Nutritionists and Food Science Nutritionists) and two paths for a dietician (i.e., Clinical Dietician and Food Service Diet Therapist). Figure 1.1

More details on the KNDI Internship Guidelines/Framework is available at; https://www.kndi.institute/internship/guidelines_2020.pdf

V. Who is eligible?

All BSc. indexed nutrition and dietetics students from compliant KNDI accredited training institutions will be eligible to apply for internship upon successful completion of the degree training programme evidenced by graduate certificate and transcripts from respective training institution.

 

Eligible candidates shall be required to present the following documents;

  • Certified degree certificate
  • Certified transcripts
  • Certified K.C.S.E certificate

 

VI. How do you apply?

 

VII. Approved Internship Centers

The list for KNDI approved centers is available at https://www.kndi.institute/list/internship_list.php (to change). These centers are updated from time to time.

 

NB: Eligible students shall only be posted to the accredited facilities.

 

VIII. Internship placement

  • Selection of the interns shall be done by accreditation board as per the guidelines.
  • Placements shall be done once every year in January or such other interval as the institute may determine from time to time.
  • Placement is done on competitive basis, first come first served basis.
  • Qualified candidates shall be provided with a letter of offer detailing their placements.
  • Students are advised to apply early.