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Climbing the Ladder: Reimagining the WIC Career Ladder as Requirements Change for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists

WIC Partner’s Meeting, January 27, 2016

Laura Weber, MSEd, RD, IBCLCWIC Dietetic Internship Coordinator602 525 5394LauraWeber@mail.maricopa.gov

Jennifer Hernandez, MS, RDDietetic Internship Director

602 506 8322JenniferHernandez@mail.maricopa.gov

Contact Information

Our Website Go to

– www.wearepublichealth.org

– Then click on Dietetic Internships

OR

Direct Link: – http://www.maricopa.gov/

publichealth/Services/Nutrition/dieteticintern.aspx

Today’s Agenda WIC Track RD/ RDN requirement changes Survey Methods Survey Results Future Planning Q/A

5

WIC Track Joint effort

– Arizona Department of Health Services– Maricopa County Department of Public Health

Career ladder Train and retain RDNs in rural counties First graduating class in 2012

– 16 total graduates to date

6

RDN Requirement Changes Eligibility requirements for dietitians will

change to a graduate degree– Mandated by the Commission on Dietetic

Registration– Takes effect: 2024

What about internships not affiliated with universities?

7

Implementation Options No changes to program

Only accept interns with a Master’s degree

Coordinate with university/ universities

8

Hypothesis Dietetic internship candidates working for WIC

will want: – a Master’s in Public Health, and – to know they are accepted into an internship prior

to committing to a Master’s degree program.

9

Survey How many years have you been working at WIC? For what Agency do you currently work? What is your highest level of education? Are you interested in becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)?

– Yes, No (survey ends if this answer is selected), I am already a RDN (survey ends if this answer is selected)

Do you have your Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) Verfication Statement? What month and year did you obtain your DPD Verification Statement? What type of master's program appeals to you?

– Public Health, Nutrition & Dietetics, Business, Health Administration, Education, Other Is it important to you to complete your degree alongside the peers in your dietetic

internship class? Does supporting a local Arizona university or college matter to you? Would you be willing to obtain your master's degree and complete academic coursework:

– On your own time, With your own money, Both, Neither Do you know if your WIC agency provides tuition reimbursement? Would you be willing to start a master's program prior to acceptance into the internship?

10

For What County/Agency Do You Currently Work?

Maricopa County; 34%

Mountain Park Health Center; 21%

Yuma County; 10%

Pinal County; 6%

Mohave County; 4%

Yavapai County; 4%

Marana Healthcare (Tucson); 4%

Adelante Healthcare; 4%Gila County; 3% Pima County; 3%

Apache County; 1%Cochise County; 1%

Coconino County; 1%

Mariposa Community Health Center (Nogales); 1%

All Respondents

11

Willing to Obtain Master's Degree

On your own time

Both

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

56%

44%

55%

45%

On Own Time and/or with Own Money

RDN-Interested; Has DPDRDN-Interested

Note: No respondent choose the option 'With your Own Money'; the option 'Neither' was removed from analysis

12

Apache County

Cochise County

Gila County

Maricopa County

Mohave County

Pima County

Pinal County

Yavapai County

Yuma County

Marana Healthcare (Tucson)

Adelante HealthcareMariposa Community Health

Center (Nogales)Mountain Park Health Center

1

7

3

1

2

3

3

2

2

2

1

20

1

2

1

1

3

11

1

1

2

1

1

2

YesNoI don't know

Note: Those unwilling to earn a Master's degree with either their own time or money have been removed from RDN-Interested data.

Does your Agency Provide Tuition Reimbursement?

How Many Years Have you Been Working at WIC?

Footer

<1 1-2 2-3 3-4 4-5 >50%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

40%

17%

8% 5% 2%

28%20%

14% 10%8%

4%

43%

RDN-Interested All Respondents

Note: Those unwilling to earn a Master's degree with either their own time or money have been removed from RDN-Interested data.

14

Highest Level of EducationHigh School Diploma;

13%

Associate's Degree; 12%

Bachelor's Degree, 63%

Master's Degree; 3%

Other; 8%

RDN-InterestedNote: Those unwilling to earn a Master's degree with either their own time or money have been re-moved from RDN-Interested data.

15

DPD Verification Statement

RDN-Interested (27%)

Not RDN-Interested

Already an RDN

37%

47%

26%

47% 15%

Interested in Becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutrition-ist

DPDNo DPDDon't Know

All Respondents

16

Type of Master’s Program

Public Health

Nutrition &

Diete...

Business

Health Administ

ra...

Education

Other0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

31% 36%

8% 11% 10%4%

37% 33%

13%7% 9%

2%

What Type of Master's Program Appeals to You?

RDN-InterestedRDN-Interested; Has DPD

Note: Those unwilling to earn a Master's degree with either their own time or money have been removed from RDN-Interested data.

17

Does Local Matter?

Yes No0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

63%

37%

Does Supporting a Local Arizona University Matter to You?

Note: Those unwilling to earn a Master's degree with either their own time or money have been removed from RDN-Interested data.

18

Start Prior to Acceptance

Yes No, I would want to know that I have been accepted before beginning a degree

program

No preference0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

39%46%

16%

45%36%

18%

RDN-Interested RDN-Interested; Has DPD

Note: Those unwilling to earn a Master's degree with either their own time or money have been removed from RDN-Interested data.

Willing to Start a Master's Program prior to Acceptance into the Internship?

19

Conclusions Degree type:

– Fairly even between PH and Nutrition– Would be nice to allow interns a choice

Degree timing:– Larger % than expected willing to start degree

before internship acceptance

20

Where do we go from here? Determine if we can partner with one school Decide what degree to offer/accept Identify process

– Coursework fully completed– Coursework and supervised practice at the same

time

What Questions do you have for

us?