Perceived Benefits of Planned Food and Culinary Experiences in an Accredited Culinary Program for Dieteitc Internship Programs

Abstract

Food and culinary competence transcends all areas of dietetic practice. Dietetic interns enrolled in The Medical University of South Carolina are provided the opportunity to develop additional food and culinary skills through a planned rotation with Johnson & Wales University, a two-year accredited culinary program in Charleston, South Carolina. Students participate in production labs. Recipes are formulated, modified, produced, and evaluated with feedback from Chefs and culinary students.Dietetic interns were surveyed to determine perceived benefits of gaining food and culinary skills in a culinary setting. Respondents were asked to use brainsterming techniques to complete questions related to their experiences.Culinary students also were asked to complete a survey to determine perceived benefits of working with internship activities and changes in opinions they formed as a result of the experiences.Consensus opinions were evaluated and compared. Participants within both groups agreed that the experiences provided the opportunity to exchange information about professions in an informal setting. The respondents gained a heightened awareness of the education and experience necessary for developing competence within each profession. Dietetic students commented that the rotation provided a setting where they could learn as well as practice culinary skills. The experiences have prompted some culinary students to begin exploring continued education in dietetic education. The results demonstrate the advantage of considering existing culinary programs as one of the options for dietetic interns to achieve food and culinary skills.