Stages/Internships

The Stage/Internship Programs

The School of Human Nutrition offers students a wide range of opportunities for hands-on internship experiences.

Professional stages (internships) are an integral part of the Dietetics Major, and prepare students to become licensed dietitians/nutritionists. Internships include international and northern placements.

Students enrolled in the Nutrition Major have the opportunity to gain field experience by participating in international field courses, individualized internships opportunities through the Bieler Family Internship Office (Macdonald), or through the Industrial Stage courses associated with the concurrent degree (BSc FoodSc/BSc NutrSc).

Click on one of the tabs to learn more about each stage/internship opportunity.

Dietetics Stages

At McGill, the 40 week Dietetic internship is integrated into each year of the curriculum as 4 levels of professional practice - Level I, Level II, Level III, and Level IV. Students are able to gain knowledge and skills through on campus courses and then put these into practice in a real world setting. Throughout the program, students will gain practical experience in Normal and Clinical Nutrition, Community Nutrition, and Foodservice Systems Management. The Stage component of the Dietetics Program is organized and monitored by a team of Clinical Coordinators, who ensure that students meet accreditation standards. In addition to structuring the program to meet these required competencies for entry-level practice, efforts are made to address students’ particular interests and this includes opportunities for International Stage placements.  

Some of our Stage Partners

International Stages

CARICOM

Barbados

Over the past few years, the School has expanding its international field placement sites in several Caribbean Communities (CARICOM). Barbados has been receiving students for undergraduate and graduate dietetics internships in increasing numbers with seven organizations for a 7 week rotation. These include the Barbados Children’s Health and Nutrition Study, the Diabetes Association of Barbados, UWIs’ Renovascular Ethnicity and Endothelial Dysfunction Study, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the National Nutrition Office, and clinical placements at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and in various physicians offices. Negotiation of internship placements in Barbados continues and targeted for next year (2014) are the HIV Clinic and the Cancer Society.

Other CARICOM Placements

Several organizations have expressed interest in receiving our dietetics/stage students.  These include the Antigua Diabetes Association, the Diabetes Centre of the Bermuda Hospital, Diabetes Association of Trinidad and Tobago, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Ministry of Health, the Haitian Foundation for Diabetes and Cardiovascular Diseases and the Grenada Diabetes Association.

Cuba

Arrangements have recently been made for a Level 4 dietetics student to complete an internship in community nutrition (Nutrition and Food Security) in Cuba. This is in collaboration with the organization International Career Studies. The student will be spending 6 weeks at Universidad de la Isla de la Juventud “Jesus Montané Oropesa” and the local polyclinic. The focus will be on promoting health and nutrition to the population of young children, elderly, and other vulnerable groups. It is intended that other Spanish speaking McGill dietetics students will take advantage of such an opportunity in Cuba as our relationship with this organization develops.

Africa

Ghana

Since 2011, 5 McGill students have participated in 4 week international community nutrition rotations with students from the University of Ghana and Iowa State University. This takes place at the Nutrition Centre in Asesewa, a community close to Accra, and is a component of the CIDA project “Building capacity for sustainable livelihoods and health through public-private linkages in agriculture and health systems” (McGill team leader: Dr. G. Marquis). Prior to departure, students complete approximately 40 hours of learning modules and webinars, administered by Iowa State University, in order to prepare for the rotation.

Other African placements

Collaboration with World Vision International is developing. This placement is associated with their new Global Health Fellows Program, which started in 2012 and is open to graduate students. The program framework allows for a very practical 10-12 week experience in maternal and child health and nutrition, HIV and AIDS, water, sanitation, and hygiene and each project has terms of reference developed by World Vision International in partnership with the hosting agency. Projects are based in East, West, and Southern Africa with possibe expansion to Asia Pacific and Latin America. For summer 2013, the opportunities were in Mauritania, Burundi, Senegal, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, and Ghana. Erin Jones, Program Coordinator, Global Health, World Vision International, will send notification of the internship opportunities for each semester to M. Rose.

Northern Stages

Northern Canada

Placement of stagiares “up north”  with dietitians and foodservice managers has increased to 4 placements for community/clinical nutrition rotations and three for foodservice rotations at interesting Sodexo remote sites, with the potential for several more. Specifically the manager at the Hydro Quebec Aménagement Robert-Bourassa à Baie James has committed to receiving 4 McGill dietetics students each year for the next 7 years.

Other community and clinical nutrition contacts are developing and it is anticipated that new sites will open in the next few years at the Whitehorse Hospital Corporation in the Yukon, at Iqaluit Public Health in Nunavut, the Kawawachikamach and Matimekush Lac John Dispensaire Matimekush-Lac John, QC. Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay, Chisasibi, QC.

Industrial Stages

NUTR 480 Industrial Stage/Nutrition  

Students develop their skills in foods and nutrition in a professional working environment. Students have been given projects in research laboratory settings and pilot plants of food manufacturing companies to work on food product development and nutrition labeling. Stagaires have also developed nutrition promotion literature, website editing and nutrition articles related to consumer education regarding new food products, nutritional supplements or nutrition consulting services. Opportunities have also included international placements in non-governmental agencies involved in nutrition promotion in developing countries as well as research in clinical settings working with medical practitioners.

Some of companies involved in stage placements include ABC Délices, Bariatrix Nutrition, Canada Bread (Viau Pilot Plant/ ThinkFOOD Bake Lab), Nutrisimple, and Urban Barns Foods.

Field Courses

There are several field studies programs in the Faculty which can be incorporated into the Global Nutrition concentration. This requires prior planning, some cost to you, and consultation with your advisor who will help you interface with the Committee on Academic Standing if necessary.

Field Studies programs include:

The Africa Field Studies Semester  offers students an opportunity to study in East Africa for a semester starting every January.

The Barbados Interdisciplinary Tropical Studies (BITS) 15-credits of intensive course and project work during the summer (May - August)

The Barbados Field Study Semester is a program where students earn 15 credits through field courses while living at McGill's Bellairs Research Institute in Barbados.

The Panama Field Study Semester is a joint venture between McGill University and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama. It is a 15-credit program offered in the Winter term (January to April)

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Security in Cuba is an intensive 3-credit course to allow students to gain experience in agro-ecological technologies and examine issues related to food security and sustainable agriculture using the Cuban model

Bieler Family Internship Office

The Internship Program was established to allow all undergraduate students the opportunity to complete a short term internship, prior to graduation. Additionally, they will receive recognition of this internship from McGill on their academic transcripts. Evaluation for the program is based on the completion of certain non-academic reports and students will receive a pass or fail noted on their transcripts. The program is offered in the fall, winter and summer semesters and interns are required to complete a minimum of 10 weeks with their host organization. Nutrition Major students interested in short term internships should consult with their program supervisors.