The WSU Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology is celebrating the success of the Master of Science Coordinated Program in Dietetics, Nutrition, and Exercise Physiology (MS CPD). They just finished another semester in which every student passed the program’s rigorous exit exam, which puts the now recent graduates on track to quickly and successfully enter the workforce.
Part of the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Nutrition and Exercise Physiology’s MS CPD degree prepares graduate-level students to enter the field of nutrition and dietetics as registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs). The exit exam is not only a graduate school requirement for degree completion, but it also prepares students to take and successfully pass the national credentialing exam to become an RDN.
“A goal for me is to set up the exit exam with similar content and even a similar format to what they will take after they graduate,” explained April Davis, MD, RDN, ACSM-CEP, associate professor and the director of graduate dietetics. “Program graduates have shared that this exit examination has really helped with their preparation and success on the national credentialing exam.”
The success of the spring 2024 cohort adds to an already impressive run for the program. Davis adds that they’ve had an exit exam pass rate of 100% every semester for the past three years. And that translates into success after graduation. The MS CPD has a greater than 90% first-time and one-year pass rate over the past three years on the national credentialing exam.
Plus, over the past five years, graduates of the program have had 100% job placement in nutrition and dietetics or a related field, or went onto further educational opportunities, within 12 months of graduation.
Benchmarks like this can be difficult to achieve as similar programs nationwide contend with dropping enrollment. WSU’s program, on the other hand, is seeing stable enrollment numbers and impressive program completion.
“We’ve had a 100% retention rate over the last three years and that says a lot,” said Davis. “Once students are in, they’re staying and they’re succeeding.”
Davis credits several program highlights that help WSU stand out. As a coordinated program, 19 graded credits in the curriculum comprise of experiential rotation courses to meet the minimum 1,000 hours of supervised practice required by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). This means students don’t have to complete the supervised practice hours after graduation, putting them in position for immediate employment.
Another advantage is a focus on exercise physiology, which prepares students interested in becoming certified exercise physiologists. WSU is one of only a few in the nation to offer a combination of dietetics and exercise physiology.
In their exit evaluations, students also commend the simulation lab, which allows them to practice in a safe environment before going out into a supervised practice setting, as well as camaraderie within their cohort, faculty and staff support, and connections to the WSU Health Sciences community.
“Students note opportunities for interprofessional activities and education on campus as one of the strengths of the program,” said Davis. “I think sitting within the College of Medicine helps attract people to our program as well.”
In the fall, the MS CPD will welcome eight new graduate students who will begin the next phase of their journey to become health care leaders.