Virtual Supervised Practice during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Does Virtual Learning Affect the Quality of Preparation for the RD Exam or Beginning Dietetics Practice?

The Covid-19 pandemic has seemingly altered the practice of Dietetics, and its essential supervised practice component of the Dietetic Internship programs. Telehealth, in particular telenutrition, became a necessity of practice for the entire United States and many parts of the world. Medicare and many private insurance companies amended policies for the expansion, inclusion, and provision of MNT via telephone.[superscript 1] In addition, numerous Dietetic Interns were forced to complete the supervised practice (SPE) components of ACEND (Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics) accredited programs virtually. The practice of telehealth is not a new concept. Indeed, this area of Dietetics practice was growing prior to the pandemic. However, virtual completion of the supervised practice component of Dietetic Internships was previously not an accepted practice and was temporarily approved by ACEND. The approval of this virtual supervised practice will continue (until at least June 30, 2022) as it is based on a decision by the United States Department of Education (USDE) and remains active until the USDE rescinds this accommodation of virtual learning. The purpose of this study is to gain the perspective of dietetic interns and employers of the quality of this virtual supervised practice experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to compare RD exam pass rates between the graduated classes of 2019 (no virtual SPE) and 2020 (some SPE). The mixed methods approach to this study will utilize both quantitative (surveys) and qualitative (interviews) methods. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]