- Review relevant preceptor resources on this page (see below sections).
- Familiarize yourself with key program policies:
- Practice Education Roles and Responsibilities
- Respectful Learning Environment policy
- Register for a preceptor orientation session.
- New and experienced preceptors are encouraged to attend (you will get an email invitation). Orientation will introduce preceptors to what the placements will look like, such as the practice education placement learning outcomes and preceptor roles.
- Look at your schedule for the 6-week placement to allow time to meet with your student to discuss and debrief learning throughout.
- Schedule dedicated time in week 1 of the placement, to discuss various aspects of your students’ learning needs and support them to feel comfortable in the placement setting.
- Plan time at the beginning of each week to discuss the student’s action items for the week.
- Once your student(s) is with you:
- Check-in with them often and ensure regular feedback opportunities are planned into the placement.
- Contact UBC course instructors as often as you need, and sooner rather than later, with any questions you may have.
- Managing student placement experiences is a shared role between preceptors and UBC. We are here to support you and clarify expectations.
- Each student will have a primary UBC instructor contact, which will be shared with you by the first day of each placement.
Note: students will be in placement 4 days per week, as they will attend weekly UBC-led Zoom classes 1 day per week.
UBC Dietetics has two routes to credentialing as a registered dietitian: the long-running undergraduate degree (Bachelor of Food Nutrition and Health – Dietetics Major) and a graduate degree (Master of Nutrition and Dietetics - MND).
In both programs, students complete 36 weeks of practice education placements throughout their degree. The learning outcomes for practice education are aligned with national dietetics entry-to practice competencies (ICDEP v3.0, 2020).
The UBC Dietetics Program seeks placements from practice education partners annually. Once available placements are confirmed, student placement schedules are organized by UBC, to ensure that each student has a variety of experiences to meet all required competencies. Students may complete placements with both health authority and private sector organizations.
Practice Education Structure
Nutrition Care
• Acute care – all units/services
• Outpatient care – all types, in hospitals, clinics and home care, primary care
• Long-term care & community facilities, e.g. rehabilitation centre
Population Health
• Government/public sector roles related to food and nutrition
• Private sector roles focused on food and nutrition for groups/populations
• Sports nutrition, private practice or consulting dietitians (students contribute to projects versus
seeing clients 1:1)
Management & Leadership
• Clinical Managers/Professional Practice Leaders for Nutrition Services
• Government roles related to food and nutrition, e.g. project managers, policy
• Food service management, in public or private sector
• Education sector, e.g. university-based dietetics educators
• Private practice or consulting dietitians who run their own businesses
Intro to Nutrition Care: Year 3 undergrad and Year 1 MND (May-June)
SAMPLE ONLY Student Evaluation Form
Nutrition Care
SAMPLE ONLY Student Evaluation Form
Management and Leadership
Management Leadership Placement Project Guidance
SAMPLE ONLY Student Placement Evaluation Form
Population Health
Population Health Placement Example Projects
SAMPLE ONLY Student Placement Evaluation Form
NOTE: For all practice education placements, the expectations are the same for undergraduate and MND students, unless noted otherwise.
Cohort 2 (Sept 2023 – December 2024)
Preceptor proposal worksheet (this is a direct copy of the survey questions for your notes)
Updated project Timeline can be found here.
MND Capstone Expectations Contract - Sample
Cohort 1 (May 2023 – April 2024)
2023-24 Capstone Project Overview
MND Capstone Expectations Contract 2023S- Sample
Preceptor Education Events
Preceptor events are designed for both new and seasoned preceptors supervising UBC dietetics practice education students.
We typically plan one event a year, usually in the fall. Events are delivered online using Zoom to allow preceptor from across the province to access the session. We will post upcoming events here. We hope you will join us for the next one!
Click on the headings below to view video recordings and/or related materials from past events.
2023-2024: Preceptor Education Event
Event Details
Date: Thursday, Feb 15, 2024
Time: 1:00-2:30pm PST
Delivery: Zoom (Virtual)
Access: Audio captioning, visual descriptions, recorded audio for those who cannot make the live session
Topic: Creating equitable, inclusive and accessible learning environments for disabled students in Dietetics (Guests from UBC Centre for Accessibility)
2021: 3 Practices for Decolonizing Dietetics as a Preceptor (Taq K. Bhandal)
3 Practices for Decolonizing Dietetics as a Preceptor. A recording of the event can be viewed here: