Ensuring Continued Competence for Dietitians practising fewer than 500 Hours in 3 Years
An unrestricted certificate of registration with the College means that an RD has maintained competence to practise dietetics in Ontario. The Quality Assurance (QA) Program has the responsibility to assess RDs who have not practised at least 500 hours over the past three years to determine their competence.
If a registrant has not met 500 hours of practice over the past three years, they must declare their practice hours (updated policy, June 2022) on their annual registration renewal form. Registrants who declare fewer than 500 hours of practice in the past three years are referred to the Quality Assurance Committee to determine their competence. They will receive an email (approximately in mid-November) requiring them to choose one of the three options described below.
three options
Option 1. Signing a Voluntary undertaking
For dietitians who are not practising dietetics and wish to maintain their dietitian title while not practicing.
Signing a Voluntary Undertaking is for dietitians who are not practising dietetics and still wish to maintain their dietitian title. By signing a voluntary undertaking, they agree not to return to dietetic practise until they have been assessed by the Quality Assurance (QA) Committee as having the knowledge, skill and judgement to practise competently and safely. Once the undertaking is signed, the dietitian is exempt from the QA Program, including the completion of the annual SDL Tool, the completion of the JKAT every 5 years, and the random selection for Peer and Practice Assessment. However, you are required to pay your registration fees.
Before returning to dietetic practise, the dietitian must notify the College well in advance to enable the QA Committee to determine if any area of practice requires upgrading. Upgrading activities could include completing a university level or equivalent course, completing a practicum and appointing an RD supervisor or mentor.
To ensure that the QA Committee has a true picture of how a dietitian maintained competence while not practising, the College strongly recommends keeping a learning diary of continuing education and professional development activities undertaken during that time (see below). This diary would be submitted to the Committee in the event of an assessment. The dietitian would also be required to complete a Peer and Practice Assessment within one year of returning to work.
Option 2: Submitting a Learning Diary
For dietitians who are practising fewer than 500 hours or not practicing
You have the option to submit a learning diary of all professional development activities over the last three years. A learning diary may be started anytime. Use these templates:
Assessment of Learning Diary
Once the learning diary is submitted, it is independently reviewed by two assessors, and the QA Committee to determine if any remediation is required to maintain competency. See Policy 5-40: Committee Review of the Learning Diary for details on the process.
Based on the learning diary, the QA Committee evaluates whether there is sufficient evidence to establish that competency was maintained or whether further assessment is required. This assessment could be in the form of an oral, written or practical exam, or a combination of these.
Deemed Adequate to Demonstrate Competence
If deemed adequate and competent to practise dietetics after this assessment, the dietitian continues to participate in the QA Program, including completing the annual Self-Directed Learning (SDL) Tool, completing the Jurisprudence Knowledge and Assessment Tool (JKAT) every 5 years, and, if returning to practise, being in the random selection pool for a Peer and Practice Assessment (PPA). Once a registrant successfully completes a Practice Assessment, they are removed from the pool for 5 years.
Deemed Inadequate to Demonstrate Competence
If deemed inadequate after learning diary assessment, the registrant will be required to undergo a competency assessment according to their practice area (Population Health; Patient Care; or Management) or the Committee will direct the registrant to undergo a specific remediation program.
Please click here for more information about the process: Policy 5-40: Committee Review of Learning Diary, Under 500 hours.
Option 3: Resigning Membership
The College appreciates that a dietitian may not wish to sign a voluntary undertaking or submit to an assessment. If this is the case, the last option would be to resign their membership. Resigning would mean that the dietitian could no longer use the title of Registered Dietitian and would no longer be able to practise as an RD. If they decided to return to dietetic practice, the admission qualifications and policies in place at the time of re-application would apply.