Internationally Educated Applicants

Currently, NBAD has two options for internationally trained applicants seeking registration as a Registered Dietitian in New Brunswick.

Option 1 – Paper-Based Credential Assessment

A paper-based credential assessment involves NBAD reviewing an internationally trained applicant’s transcripts, course descriptions and information about the formal structure and learning objectives of practical training against the national standards for dietetics education and training programs in Canada.

To be deemed eligible to initiate the credentials assessment, an applicant must demonstrate completion of:

  1. A degree at the Bachelor level reasonably related to dietetics, with evidence of completed courses in the three core areas of dietetic practice: nutrition care, population & public health, and food service management or a degree in sciences at the Bachelor level, followed by a university-level program reasonably related to dietetics, with evidence of completed courses in the three core areas of dietetic practice: nutrition care, population & public health, and food service management.
  2. Completion of supervised dietetic practical training;
  3. English or French language proficiency.

Step 1 – Application assessment:
An internationally trained applicant would be required to complete the Application Form, to have the required documents sent directly to NBAD and to pay the application fee of $600 CAD.

An interview and/or other assessment may be required to assess education and/or work experience. The applicant will receive a written decision with 12 weeks once the entire application and payment is received. The decision will be one of the following:

  • non equivalency and end of process;
  • the specific academic courses needed to successfully complete before proceeding to mandatory Academic and Practicum Upgrading; or
  • the approval to proceed to the mandatory Academic and Practicum Upgrading.

Step 2 – Additional academic courses:
An applicant may be deemed to complete additional academic course(s) prior to the mandatory Academic and Practicum Upgrading. The courses must be approved by NBAD.

Step 3 – Mandatory Academic and Practicum Upgrading:
An applicant deemed to proceed to the mandatory Academic and Practicum Upgrading must arrange to complete the following:

  • A minimum of two 3-credit courses in Clinical Human Nutrition at the 3rd or 4th year university level approved by NBAD; and
  • A minimum of 12 weeks of practical experience arranged by the applicant in the three practice areas (clinical, food service and population & public health) supervised by a Registered Dietitian in Canada. The applicant is responsible for arranging to meet practicum requirements determined by the institution(s) such as immunizations, confidentiality agreement, liability insurance, e-learning, etc. Practical experience completed in New Brunswick will require registration with NBAD as a Dietetic Intern. Should the Practicum Upgrading be completed in another province, the applicant is responsible for contacting the provincial dietetic regulatory body in question to inform and meet any of their requirements prior to commencing the practical experience.

During the practical experience, the candidate must achieve all entry to practice “Internship/Practicum” Performance Indicators of the Integrated Competencies for Dietetic Education and Practice (ICDEP; see current document: PDEP-ICDEP-2013-.aspx) developed by the Partnership for Dietetic Education and Practice (PDEP).

Step 4 – Mandatory report of attaining all Internship/Practicum competencies of ICDEP:

After completion of the mandatory Practicum upgrading, the applicant must submit a report to NBAD for assessment demonstrating they have achieved all ICDEP “Internship/Practicum” Performance Indicators. There is a fee of $400 CAD to complete this assessment. The applicant will receive a written decision within 12 weeks.

The assessment results inform the candidate of:

  • their eligibility to become a Temporary Member of NBAD; or
  • any further upgrading needed prior to registration.

The Temporary Membership allows the candidate to practice dietetics in New Brunswick as a Registered Dietitian (Candidate) while waiting to write the Canadian Dietetic Registration Examination (CDRE). Other eligibility requirements for Temporary Membership must be met such as language proficiency, authorization to work in Canada, criminal record check, etc. A successful passing of the CDRE will grant a Registered Dietitian (Candidate) an Active Membership to practice as a Registered Dietitian in New Brunswick.

Option 2 – College of Dietitians of Ontario PLAR Process

The Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) process from the College of Dietitians of Ontario directly assesses what you currently know and can do, and it is not affected by factors outside of your control, like incomplete course descriptions or poor translations which may not fully reflect the content of your education and training.  In addition, the PLAR process provides a way for NBAD to recognize knowledge and skills that you gained after your degree through continuing education and practice, something that is not achievable in a paper-based credential assessment.

The PLAR process includes two assessments:

  • Knowledge and Competency Assessment Tool (KCAT): a multiple-choice exam which is primarily used to assess the foundational knowledge and competency of internationally educated applicants as compared to Canadian standards.
  • Performance-Based Assessment (PBA): a practical assessment that will include oral and written components to assess competency compared to standards for dietetic practice in Canada.

Please visit the College of Dietitians of Ontario for eligibility and application information: College of Dietitians – Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition Process

An applicant who has obtained a Level 1 result (sufficient knowledge and competence) on the KCAT and a Pass result on the PBA within the past three years will meet the education and practical dietetic experience (internship/practicum) requirements for registration with the New Brunswick Association of Dietitians.

An applicant who has obtained a Level I result on the KCAT within the past three years but not a Pass result on the PBA may proceed directly to the Practicum Upgrading of the Credentials Assessment process described above in Option 1 or complete a PDEP accredited practicum (subject to program admission requirements).

With a Level 1 result on the KCAT and a Pass result on the PBA within the past 3 years (results are sent directly from CDO to NBAD), an internationally trained dietitian will be able to apply for their Temporary Membership with NBAD. A Temporary Membership allows the candidate to practice dietetics in New Brunswick as a Registered Dietitian (Candidate) while waiting to write the Canadian Dietetic Registration Examination (CDRE). Other eligibility requirements for Temporary Membership must be met such as language proficiency, authorization to work in Canada, criminal record check, etc. A successful passing of the CDRE will grant a Registered Dietitian (Candidate) a Active Membership to practice as a Registered Dietitian in New Brunswick.