abstract: Background: The shortage of available dietetic internship (DI) positions for qualified applicants threatens the future of dietetics. Only about half of all applicants will obtain a slot. Additional internship positions are needed and can be offered only if more practitioners become preceptors. Objective: To examine the perceptions associated with the role of DI preceptor among nutrition and dietetic practitioners and identify barriers and motivators to becoming a DI preceptor in Arizona. Design: An online survey adapted from previous published instruments was administered between July and September 2011 to dietetic and nutrition professionals eligible to precept dietetic interns. Participants: RD, DTR, and school food service professionals on file with Arizona registries were invited to participate in the survey. A total of 675 subjects participated in the study. Statistical analyses performed: Chi-square analysis was used to assess differences between preceptors and non-preceptors for categorical variables. Independent t-tests were used to analyze differences between groups for continuous variables. Results: Respondents included 314 current or former preceptors and 361 non-preceptors with no significant differences in gender, age, or race between groups. Preceptors typically perceived the preceptor role more favorably than non-preceptors. Non-preceptors reported fewer benefits and more disadvantages to being a preceptor. Only 18% of non-preceptors knew how to become a mentor. Conclusions: Motivators for practitioners to become preceptors and continue in the role include personal benefits, dedication to the role and profession, and contributions to the workplace by interns. Barriers to mentoring interns include lack of compensation, increased workload, lack of support, lack of training, lack of resources, intern liability, and lack of knowledge of how to become a preceptor. Results of the study can be used to target barriers and emphasize benefits associated with the preceptor role to encourage participation in the preceptor process to make more internship positions available. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Nutrition 2012

Internships are a great way for college students to gain real-world work experience. Students who participate in an internship should learn valuable skills, build a network and gain professional confidence. Employers want to see prior, relevant work experience when deciding who to hire and an internship can provide that. This quantitative research study examined the impacts on career outcomes and starting salaries for college graduates who participated in a paid internship, unpaid internship or no internship and in a structured internship program for which they receive college credit, a non-credit internship and no internship. The results clearly showed that students who completed any type of internship were employed at a higher rate than those who did not complete an internship. There was also a substantial impact on higher starting salaries for those who completed a paid internship.

An evaluation of BYU's Local TESOL Minor Internship program shows the strengths and weaknesses of this academic internship program. Students are required to complete 150 hours of TESOL-related work outside of their courses. The interns volunteer in different English-teaching programs in the area. Internship hours include the time in the classroom, preparation, materials development, as well as the time in the Linguistics 496R course. The interns are required to have most of their minor classes finished before they complete their internship so that their internship can be a capstone to and an application of what they have learned thus far. This MA evaluation project reports findings of a formal program evaluation of BYU's Local TESOL Internship program, which has been in place for four years. It specifically looks at how effective the internships are by addressing the program's criteria which are: The internship enhances the student's education, reflects what the students have been taught in their TESOL minor classes, helps the interns become more confident teachers, helps the interns feel more prepared to teach ESL, and creates ties with the community. The paper presents quantitative data collected from surveys of past and present interns as well as program administrators. It also presents qualitative data from the same surveys as well as from summary papers in which the interns have discussed their internship experience. The evaluation also offers suggestions and recommendations for the program, as well as future research recommendations.

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