Serving as a dietitian preceptor

How much time does it take and what are the benefits?

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate the amount of time preceptors in dietetics internships spent in teaching dietetics students. The opinions of dietitian preceptors regarding the intangible benefits they and their departments received as a result of teaching dietetics interns also were measured. Dietitian preceptors from 45 dietetics departments across the United States participated in a mail survey: 143 dietitians recorded time spent with interns in various teaching activities and 231 dietitians completed the intangible benefits questionnaire. Results showed that dietitian preceptors spent, on average, a little over an hour per day teaching interns. Dietitians were of the opinion that specific intangible benefits associated with teaching interns did exist. The preceptors believed their departments gained overall from sponsoring dietetics internships, and they were willing to compensate advanced interns for the services they rendered. Directors of dietetics education programs could use the intangible benefits scales to document the nonmonetary benefits associated with their programs.