The Program Details
 
1. Who is this program for?
-This is for Masters level nutrition students who are looking to sit for the CNS credential. The BCNS requires that you complete a masters level nutrition education program, complete a 1,000 hour supervised practice experience, and pass an exam to become certified. It can be difficult for some to find a supervisor for these hours, and it is tedious getting a new supervisor approved. Dr. Robinson is already approved as a CNS supervisor and is experienced in the credentialing process  resulting in a smooth experience for you. 

2. Do I have to live in the Chicagoland area?
-No! BCNS allows remote supervision, and Dr. Robinson has experiece supervising students from across the country. All you need is a phone and computer!

3. What does the program include? How does it work?
-The goal is for you to earn approx. 20 hours per week (less is fine). Dr. Robinson will meet with you on a bi-weekly or monthly basis to review your patient cases and help you work through places you may be stuck and guide you through plans you might not have thought of. This mentoring process is meant to help you become a better clinican in every aspect. He is also happy to do any reviews of basic science, clinical nutrition, herbal or supplement support, and business building lessons with you. We will share as many resources as we can with you including diet plans, textbooks, exam study material, clinical pearls, and more. When available, you're also welcome to meet with our other providers to get a diversity of perspectives and experience.  

4. Is there a fee for the internship?
-This is not a money making strategy for us, but we do ask for a small fee, mostly just to keep you dedicated to the program. Dr. Robinson puts in an immense amount of work into training his interns to be successful in clinical practice, and we want to make sure you are equally as commited. The fee is $3/per hour that we certify, in chunks of 200 hours at a time. We require a card on file prior to scheduling your first supervisor meeting to cover your first chunk of 200 hours.

5. What if I can't find 20 hours of patients per week?
-Remember two things...
1. The 20 hours is just a reccommendation, so that you can complete your internship within a year, but you can certainly go slower if needed.
2. The 1,000 hours does not have to mean 1,000 hours directly in front of patients. You can also earn hours for doing patient case research, creating treatment plans, and direct observation of doctors currently in practice. Also, Dr. Robinson occasionally may have patients of his own that he can allow you to consult with, but this is not guaranteed, and is based on patient availability and candidate skill level. 
*Note - Many students have asked if they can be on the phone listening in on our consults for observation hours, and we do not allow this. A mystery person on the phone makes the patient uncomfortable, you're welcome to shadow in person. 

6. Do I have to do all of my hours with Nourish?
-Nope, you are allowed to have multiple supervisors, but we do ask that you commit to completing at least 400 hours with us to account for the amount of effort we put into each intern. 

7. Are all of the meetings wiith Dr. Robinson or can I work with the other Nourish providers?
-Based on our clinic availability, some of your meetings may have to be scheduled with one of our other Doctors or CNS's. Typically you should expect the majority of your visits however to be with Dr. Robinson. This approach allows us to take on more interns at a time, as well as give you a more well rounded and diverse experience.

8. How do I get started?
-You're able to head right to our book online page, and scroll down to scheduling your first visit on our providers calendars. (Note the first visit should always be with Dr. Robinson to review logistics for the program. After that, future visits can be booked with other providers in our office if you choose). Choose your provider, choose CNS intern meeting for the visit type, and enter your info to get added to our system. You'll also be able to leave a card on file at this time. We will then send you a zoom link the morning of your appointment.