Tired of long lectures in cold conference rooms? Try taking one of the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation’s Continuing Professional Education (CPE) courses from the comfort of your living room where there’s no need to even change out of your pajamas. The IFIC Foundation offers 12 free CPE courses you can take right from our Web site.
Not sure what a CPE is? The Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), the credentialing agency of the American Dietetic Association (ADA), requires that Registered Dietitians (RDs) and Dietetic Technicians, Registered (DTRs) participate in a mandatory professional development program to maintain their credentials. Part of this program requires that RDs and DTRs obtain and report a given number of CPE hours every five years (75 hours for RDs and 50 hours for DTRs).
The IFIC Foundation is an ADA-approved provider of continuing professional education and currently offers 12 online CPE programs with more on the way. Each module provides at least one hour of credit and is available free of charge on the IFIC Foundation Web site. All you have to do is visit http://ific.org/adacpe, view a slide presentation for any module that suits your interest, answer a quick quiz, and download a certificate of completion.
Not a dietitian? These CPEs can also be helpful learning tools for health and medical professionals hoping to learn more about a nutrition or food safety topic of interest. With permission, they may also be used as presentations or teaching tools for a variety of educators. And finally, they can be utilized by anyone who would like to learn more about food safety and nutrition topics.
The newest modules include “Understanding and Effectively Communicating Food and Nutrition Science: Leading Consumers to Better Health,” a module designed to assist with the challenge of responsibly communicating new scientific findings to the public. Also “Helping Consumers Get the ‘Big Picture:’ Practical Approaches to Promoting a Healthful, Balanced Eating Pattern” is a great resource for anyone who wants a ‘big picture’ approach to building a healthful lifestyle. “Understanding Food Allergy: A Primer for Dietitians,” was developed to aid health professionals in their understanding of food allergies and dietary management and also includes strategies for living with food allergies. Finally, “Food & Agricultural Biotechnology: Health Impacts in Developing Nations,” explains nutritional impacts biotechnology can have in developing nations.
In addition to the above, the IFIC Foundation has CPE programs addressing issues such as caffeine, carbohydrates, sugar alcohols, dietary fats, consumer attitudes toward food and health, and the connection between food science and nutrition. (Full list at the end of this article)
If none of these strike your fancy, keep checking http://ific.org/adacpe for fresh, new modules. A CPE lesson on low-calorie sweeteners is coming soon, and if you have suggestions for other topics you’d like to see, please fill out the simple survey at the end of each online module. So if you’re ready to get started just log on to your computer and try one of our free courses from the comfort of your home.
CPE modules currently available on www.ific.org:
- All About Caffeine
- New Nutrition Conversation with Consumers
- Food Biotechnology 101: A Primer on the Science & the Public Debate
- Food & Agricultural Biotechnology: Health Impacts in Developing Nations
- Sugar Alcohols
- All About Carbohydrates and Health
- A New Nutrition Conversation with Consumers about Fats in Food
- Food Science Meets Nutrition: Synergy for the Public Good
- 2007 IFIC Foundation Food and Health Survey: Consumer Attitudes toward Food, Nutrition & Health
- Understanding Food Allergy: A Primer for Dietitians
- Helping Consumers Get the “Big Picture:” Practical Approaches to Promoting a Healthful, Balanced Eating Pattern
- Communicating Food and Nutrition Science
