Considerations for Applicants in the United States Military

We support members of the US military and welcome applications from those in the military or military families. Due to the possibility of relocation at short notice, students in the military face challenges when securing preceptors for Supervised Practice Experiences. We do our best to assist military students in the event of a move, but the student must complete the program in a manner congruent with our ACEND accreditation. We have had students in military families successfully complete our program.

Special considerations include:

1. When applying, students need to secure preceptors for the entire first year and second year clinical, even if unsure where they will be located when the program begins. It is best to be straightforward with potential preceptors and let them know there is a possibility of a move. The student must let preceptors know when a move happens, and they won’t be needed, with a gracious and professional “thank-you, and perhaps our paths will cross again.”
2. Preceptors at a military base hospital and/or medical center are excellent choices. They can be stateside or located at US military bases overseas (where it is considered US soil). We have affiliation agreements with a few US military bases/hospitals in this country. We do not yet have any overseas. A military affiliation agreement between the facility and EMU’s Legal Affairs can take a year to be finalized. In case of a move when a semester is due to start, trying to get into another military site for Experiences is impossible unless EMU already has an agreement with them. There will not be time to complete a new affiliation agreement. Instead, the student needs to seek other stateside sites.
3. All Experiences typically cannot be completed at a military base site alone. Specifically, this may include Experiences needed in DTC 575 Long Term Care and DTC 535 - WIC and Private Practice. If living overseas, the student would have to come stateside to complete these Experiences. We are not accredited for overseas students to complete any Experiences off US soil.
4. When moving, the student must inform the Clinical Coordinator ASAP and secure new preceptors. This can be stressful if a semester is underway and the student has a Jun. 4, 21-course load to keep up with. We can provide a list of sites we have agreements within the new location (if there are any), but that does not mean the preceptor is willing and able to have another student complete Supervised Practice Experiences with them. In addition, the student needs to decline their original preceptors professionally (see #1).
5. To assist the student who needs to arrange new preceptors/sites, the Clinical Coordinator can communicate with any potential preceptors the student contacts to give more information about the EMU program. Providing potential preceptors with the related course materials often helps the RDN in making a decision about being a preceptor. Unfortunately, if the student cannot find new preceptors in the new area they live in, they most likely would have to “stop out” of the program and may be unable to continue. This is evaluated on a case-by-case basis and involves the decision of our Program co-directors on how to proceed.

Questions? Please the Dietetics Clinical Coordinator at: Dietetics_CCoordinator@emich.edu