Fair Registration Practices Report

Dietitians (2010)

The answers that you submitted to OFC can be seen below.

This Fair Registration Practices Report was produced as required by:

Index

  1. Provision of Information About Registration Practices
  2. Amount of Fees
  3. Provision of Timely Decisions, Responses and Reasons
  4. Access to Records
  5. Resources for Applicants
  6. Internal Review or Appeal Processes
  7. Information on Appeal Rights
  8. Assessment of Qualifications
  9. Third-Party Organizations
  10. Training
  11. Agreements on the Recognition of Qualifications
  12. Data Collection
  13. Certification
Provision of Information About Registration Practices (1 / 13)
Describe how you make information about registration practices available to individuals applying or intending to apply for registration. Specify the tools used to provide information, and the manner in which you make that information available, current, accurate and user friendly in each of these subcategories:

a) steps to initiate the registration process
 

b) requirements for registration
 

c) explanation of how the requirements for registration are to be met, such as the number of years of schooling required for a degree to be deemed equivalent to an Ontario undergraduate degree, length and type of work experience, credit hours or program content


 


d) any education or practical experience required for registration that must be completed in Ontario or practice that must be supervised by a member of the profession who is registered in Ontario
 

e) requirements that may be satisfied through acceptable alternatives
 

f) the steps in the assessment process
 

g) the documentation of qualifications that must accompany each application; indicate which documents, if any, are required only from internationally trained applicants
 

h) acceptable alternatives to the documentation if applicants cannot obtain the required documentation for reasons beyond their control
 

i) how applicants can contact your organization
 

j) how, why and how often your organization initiates communication with applicants about their applications
 

k) the process for dealing with documents provided in languages other than English or French
 

l) the role of third-party organizations, such as qualification assessment agencies, organizations that conduct examinations or institutions that provide bridging programs, that applicants may come into contact with during the registration process
 

m) any timelines, deadlines or time limits that applicants will be subject to during the registration process
 

n) the amount of time that the registration process usually takes
 

o) information about all fees associated with registration, such as fees for initial application, exams and exam rewrites, course enrolment or issuance of licence
 

p) accommodation of applicants with special needs, such as visual impairment
 

Please identify and explain the changes in your registration practices relevant to this section that occurred during the reporting year.

The following are the changes to CDO's registration practices during 2010 with respect to provision of information:

  1. Information about how long the entire registration process usually takes now appears on the CDO website (as of January 2010).  
  2. CDO no longer sends an email reminder of the registration application deadline to all applicants.   The email reminder is now only sent to those applicants who have had some contact with the College since their application was received, or since the applicant received a decision that would admit the applicant upon completion of further activities.   
  3. The College's website and database were updated in 2010 to enable applicants to register for the Canadian Dietetic Registration Examination, and to pay Temporary or General Membership fees online.   As a result, the template letters that the College uses to notify applicants of their eligibility for the exam or for a temporary or general certificate of registration have been updated to include instructions for online payment.
  4. The College's application form was updated with a section for the applicant to provide authorization for the College to provide copies of official correspondence by email.   Enabling email communication can speed up the processing of an application.  
  5. The College's application form has also been updated to include a section for the applicant to indicate whether they wish to apply for a Temporary Certificate of Registration, once they have been deemed eligible.   This change enables faster processing of the applicants'  membership as it eliminates the need for the applicant to wait for receipt of the letter notifying them of their eligibility for a Temporary certificate of registration.   


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Amount of Fees (2 / 13)

Are any of the fees different for internationally trained applicants? If yes, please explain.


 


Please identify and explain the changes in your registration practices relevant to this section that occurred during the reporting year.

There were no changes to the CDO's application fees during the reporting year.  



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Provision of Timely Decisions, Responses and Reasons (3 / 13)

a) What are your timelines for making registration decisions?
 

b) What are your timelines for responding to applicants in writing?
 

c) What are your timelines for providing written reasons to applicants about all registration decisions, internal reviews and appeal decisions?
 

d) Explain how your organization ensures that it adheres to these timelines.
 

Please identify and explain the changes in your registration practices relevant to this section that occurred during the reporting year.
  • To speed up the processing of applications that are reviewed and approved by the Registrar, a section has been added to the application form where the applicant is asked to indicate whether they wish to apply for a Temporary Certificate of Registration, once they are deemed eligible. This helps speed up the processing of the Temporary Certificate once the decision has been made to admit the applicant. In the past, the College would notify the applicant by mail that they have met the registration requirements and are eligible for the Temporary Certificate of Registration, pending receipt of the $100.00 fee. The applicant would then have to make arrangements for the payment, and the College would follow up with another letter once the payment was received and the Temporary Certificate was processed.
  • As of 2010, if an applicant does not indicate that they wish to apply for a Temporary Certificate of Registration, they are sent a letter notifying them of their eligibility for membership within 1-2 business days after the decision is made. If the applicant does indicate on their application form that they wish to apply for a Temporary Certificate, the payment can be processed without delay and the College only writes one letter to the applicant, indicating that they have been deemed eligible to write the exam and that their payment and Temporary Certificate have been processed. This letter is sent within 2-3 business days after the decision is made. The additional day enables the processing of the fees and Temporary Membership.
  • Beginning in September 2010, the Registration Committee began planning more frequent meetings (10-11 meetings per year versus 8-9 meetings per year).    The consequence of this change is to ensure that the wait for an applicant to have their file reviewed will most often be 3-6 weeks, as opposed to 3-11 weeks.   


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Access to Records (4 / 13)

a) Describe how you give applicants access to their own records related to their applications for registration.
 

b) Explain why access to applicants’ own records would be limited or refused.
 

c) State how and when you give applicants estimates of the fees for making records available.
 

d) List the fees for making records available.
 

e) Describe the circumstances under which payment of the fees for making records available would be waived or would have been waived.
 

Please identify and explain the changes in your registration practices relevant to this section that occurred during the reporting year.

There were no changes made to CDO's processes in 2010 with respect to access to records. 



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Resources for Applicants (5 / 13)

a) List and describe any resources that are available to applicants, such as application guides, exam blueprints or programs for orientation to the profession.
 

b) Describe how your organization provides information to applicants about these resources.
 

Please identify and explain the changes in your registration practices relevant to this section that occurred during the reporting year.
  • Availability of the revised guide and forms for the individualized practicum on the College's website
  • Discontinuation of the hard copy version of the Jurisprudence Handbook.   This change was made to ensure more timely and efficient updates.  As Regulations, by-laws and practices change, the relevant sections can be updated without the need for revision and reissuing of the entire paper version of the handbook.    


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Internal Review or Appeal Processes (6 / 13)
In this section, describe your internal review or appeal process. Some regulatory bodies use these two terms (internal review and appeal) for two different processes, some use only one of these terms, and some use them interchangeably. Please use the term that applies to your profession. If you use both terms (for two different processes), please address both.

a) List your timelines for completing internal reviews or appeals of registration decisions.
 

i. State the number of internal reviews or appeals of registration decisions that exceeded your timelines.

The College continues to work on changes to our database that will automate the collection of data that will enable the College to assess whether timelines are met.   For 2010, the CDO was able to track the timelines for mailing the file-open letter (within 3-5 business days after receiving the application), and for mailing the decision and reasons, after the file has been reviewed by a panel of the Registration Committee (within 5 business days after the meeting).    

There were a total of 19 files for which timelines were exceeded:

3 files did not meet the timeline for mailing the file open letter.

16 files did not meet the timeline for mailing the decision and reasons after the Registration Committee meeting.  


ii. Among internal reviews or appeals that exceeded your timelines, state the number that were from internationally trained applicants.

Of the files for which timelines were exceeded, 7 were from Canadian applicants and 12 were from Internationally educated applicants.


b) Specify the opportunities you provide for applicants to make submissions regarding internal reviews or appeals.
 

c) Explain how you inform applicants about the form in which they must make their submissions (i.e., orally, in writing or by electronic means) for internal reviews or appeals.
 

d) State how you ensure that no one who acted as a decision-maker in a registration decision acts as a decision-maker in an internal review or appeal of the same registration decision.
 

e) Describe your internal review or appeal process.
 

f ) State the composition of the committee that makes decisions about registration, which may be called a Registration Committee or Appeals Committee: how many members does the committee have; how many committee members are members of the profession in Ontario; and how many committee members are internationally trained members of the profession in Ontario.
 

Please identify and explain the changes in your registration practices relevant to this section that occurred during the reporting year.

There were no changes to the CDO's practices for Internal Reviews or Appeals during the reporting period.  



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Information on Appeal Rights (7 / 13)

This section refers to reviews or appeals that are available after an internal review or appeal. Describe how you inform applicants of any rights they have to request a further review of or appeal from a decision.
 

Please identify and explain the changes in your registration practices relevant to this section that occurred during the reporting year.

There were no changes to CDO's practices regarding provision of information on appeal rights during the reporting period. 



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Assessment of Qualifications (8 / 13)
This category covers your processes for assessing all qualifications, such as academic credentials, competencies, language ability or practical experience.

a) List the criteria that must be met in order for an applicant’s qualifications to satisfy the entry-to-practice requirements for your profession.


 


b) Describe the methodology used to determine whether a program completed outside of Canada satisfies the requirements for registration.
 

c) Explain how work experience in the profession is assessed.
 

d) Describe how your organization ensures that information used in the assessment about educational systems and credentials of applicants from outside Canada is current and accurate.
 

e) Describe how previous assessment decisions are used to assist in maintaining consistency when assessing credentials of applicants from the same jurisdictions or institutions.
 

f ) Explain how the status of an institution in its home country affects recognition of the credentials of applicants by your organization.
 

g) Describe how your organization accommodates applicants with special needs, such as visual impairment.
 

h) State the average length of time required to complete the entire registration process, from when the process is initiated to when a registration decision is issued.

 







 


i. State whether the average time differs for internationally trained individuals.
 

ii. If the average time differs for internationally trained individuals, state whether it is greater or less than the average for all applicants, and the reasons for the difference.
 

i) If your organization conducts credential assessments:

i. Explain how you determine the level (e.g., baccalaureate, master’s, Ph.D.) of the credential presented for assessment.
 

ii. Describe the criteria that are applied to determine equivalency.
 

iii. Explain how work experience is taken into account.
 

j) If your organization conducts competency assessment:

i. Describe the methodology used to evaluate competency.
 

ii. Explain how the methodology used to evaluate competency is validated, and how often it is validated.
 

iii. Explain how work experience is used in the assessment of competency.
 

k) If your organization conducts prior learning assessment:

i. Describe the methodology used to evaluate prior learning.
 

ii. Explain how the methodology used to evaluate prior learning is validated, and how often it is validated.
 

iii. Explain how work experience is used in the assessment of prior learning.
 

l) If your organization administers examinations:

i. Describe the exam format, scoring method and number of rewrites permitted.
 

ii. Describe how the exam is tested for validity and reliability. If results are below desired levels, describe how you correct the deficiencies.


 


iii. State how often exam questions are updated and the process for doing so.
 

Please identify and explain the changes in your registration practices relevant to this section that occurred during the reporting year.
  • In 2010, the CDO amended its policies to enable applicants to arrange for copies of original transcripts and degrees to be forwarded directly from World Education Services (WES) to the College (a new service being offered by WES).   This change in policy results in a cost savings for the applicant, as they only have to pay for one set of original documents to be mailed from their educational institution and can also mean faster access to the documents by the College.  
  • The College updated the format and content of the orientation for new members of the Registration Committee.  The new orientation lasts an entire day and includes review of sample files. 
  • Instead of a resource binder, the College staff reviews complicated or unusual applications and identifies previous decisions that may have relevance for the panel in making a decision.  This helps the Committee to ensure that consistency is maintained when assessing the equivalency of academic degrees and practical training.   
  • The Registration Program Manager attends registration committee meetings to provide support for the panels by acting as a resource to clarify policies.   
  • The agenda of the Registration Committee meetings now includes time for each panel to summarize the highlights and decision for each file for the entire committee.  This is meant as ongoing education for the full committee, so that each member of the committee may benefit from the discussion about the files.   
  • A new company, Schroeder Measurement Technologies, Inc (SMT) was engaged, beginning with the November 2010, exam, to provide support to the Alliance of Canadian Dietetic Regulatory Bodies for item writing, exam development and psychometrics, and exam scoring.   
  • The Alliance of Canadian Dietetic Regulatory Bodies (and as a result, the CDO) has changed their policy regarding rewriting the examination.  Previously an applicant was limited to 3 attempts at the exam.  Under the new policy, an applicant must complete upgrading after failing the exam 3 times before they may register to write the exam again.  This is in addition to the upgrading currently required of applicants who fail the exam twice. 


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Third-Party Organizations (9 / 13) a) List any third-party organizations (such as language testers, credential assessors or examiners) relied upon by your organization to make assessment decisions.
 

b) Explain what measures your organization takes to ensure that any third-party organization that it relies upon to make an assessment:

i. provides information about assessment practices to applicants
 

ii. utilizes current and accurate information about qualifications from outside Canada
 

iii. provides timely decisions, responses and reasons to applicants
 

iv. provides training to individuals assessing qualifications
 

v. provides access to records related to the assessment to applicants
 

vi. accommodates applicants with special needs, such as visual impairment
 

c) If your organization relies on a third party to conduct credential assessments:

i. Explain how the third party determines the level (e.g., baccalaureate, master’s, Ph.D.) of the credential presented for assessment.


 


ii. Describe the criteria that are applied to determine equivalency.
 

iii. Explain how work experience is taken into account.
 

d) If your organization relies on a third party to conduct competency assessments:

i. Describe the methodology used to evaluate competency.
 

ii. Explain how the methodology used to evaluate competency is validated, and how often it is validated.
 

iii. Explain how work experience is used in the assessment of competency.
 

e) If your organization relies on a third party to conduct prior learning assessments:

i. Describe the methodology used to evaluate prior learning.
 

ii. Explain how the methodology used to evaluate prior learning is validated, and how often it is validated.
 

iii. Explain how work experience is used in the assessment of prior learning.
 

f ) If your organization relies on a third party to administer examinations:

i. Describe the exam format, scoring method and number of rewrites permitted.
 

ii. Describe how the exam is tested for validity and reliability. If results are below desired levels, describe how you correct the deficiencies.
 

iii. State how often exam questions are updated and the process for doing so.
 

Please identify and explain the changes in your registration practices relevant to this section that occurred during the reporting year.
  • In 2010, the CDO amended its policies to enable applicants to arrange for copies of original transcripts and degrees to be forwarded directly from World Education Services (WES) to the College (a new service being offered by WES). This change in policy results in a cost savings for the applicant, as they only have to pay for one set of original documents to be mailed from their educational institution and can also mean faster access to the documents by the College.
  • A new company, Schroeder Measurement Technologies, Inc (SMT) was engaged, beginning with the November 2010, exam, to provide support to the Alliance of Canadian Dietetic Regulatory Bodies for item writing, exam development and psychometrics, and exam scoring.
  • The Alliance of Canadian Dietetic Regulatory Bodies (and as a result, the CDO) has changed their policy regarding rewriting the examination. Previously an applicant was limited to 3 attempts at the exam. Under the new policy, an applicant must complete upgrading after failing the exam for a second and any subsequent failure before they may register to write the exam again.  


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Training (10 / 13)
a) Describe the training that your organization provides to:

i. individuals who assess qualifications
 

ii. individuals who make registration decisions
 

iii. individuals who make internal review or appeal decisions
 

Please identify and explain the changes in your registration practices relevant to this section that occurred during the reporting year.
  • The College updated the format and content of the orientation for new members of the Registration Committee. The new orientation lasts an entire day and includes review of sample files.
  • Instead of a resource binder, the College staff reviews complicated or unusual applications and identifies previous decisions that may have relevance for the panel in making a decision. THis helps the Committee to ensure that consistency is maintained when assessing the equivalency of academic degrees and practical training.
  • The Registration Program Manager attends registration committee meetings to provide support for the panels by acting as a resource to clarify policies.
  • The agenda of the Registration Committee meetings now includes time for each panel to summarize the highlights and decision for each file for the entire committee. This is meant as ongoing education for the full committee, so that each member of the committee may benefit from the discussion about the files.


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Agreements on the Recognition of Qualifications (11 / 13)
Examples of agreements on the recognition of professional qualifications include mutual recognition, reciprocity and labour mobility agreements. Such agreements may be national or international, between regulatory bodies, associations or jurisdictions.

a) List any agreements on the recognition of qualifications that were in place during the reporting period.
 

b) Explain the impact of these agreements on the registration process or on applicants for registration.
 

Please identify and explain the changes in your registration practices relevant to this section that occurred during the reporting year.

Discussions are still ongoing between the Alliance of Canadian Dietetic Regulatory Bodies and the Dietitians Association of Australia regarding the possibility of developing a recognition agreement.  



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Data Collection (12 / 13)
Languages in which application information materials are available a) Indicate the languages in which application information materials were available in the reporting year.
Language Yes/No
English Yes
French Yes
Other (please specify)
Paid staff employed by your organization b) In the table below, enter the number of paid staff employed by your organization in the categories shown, on December 31 of the reporting year.

When providing information for each of the categories in this section, you may want to use decimals if you count your staff using half units. For example, 1 full-time employee and 1 part-time employee might be equivalent to 1.5 employees.

You can enter decimals to the tenths position only. For example, you can enter 1.5 or 7.5 but not 1.55 or 7.52.

Category Staff
Total staff employed by the regulatory body 11
Staff involved in appeals process 2
Staff involved in registration process 4
Countries where internationally educated applicants were initially trained

c) In the following table, enter the top source countries where your applicants1 were originally trained in the profession (excluding Canada), along with the number of applicants from each of these source countries.

Enter the country names in descending order. (That is, enter the source country for the greatest number of your applicants in the top row, the source country for the second greatest number in the second row, etc.)

Use the dropdown menu provided in each row to select the country.

Note that only one country can be reported in each row. If two or more countries are tied, enter the information for these tied countries in separate rows.

Country of training (Canada excluded) Number of applicants in the reporting year
U.S.  10
India  5
Pakistan  4
Philippines  3
S. Africa  2
Iran  2
China  2
n/a 
n/a 
n/a 
1Persons who have applied to start the process for entry to the profession.
Select "n/a" from the drop-down list if you do not track this information. Enter "0" in a "Number of applicants" field if you track the information, but the correct value is zero.
Jurisdiction where members were initially trained d) Indicate where your members2 were initially trained in the profession (use only whole numbers; do not enter commas or decimals).

The numbers to be reported in the Members row are the numbers on December 31st of the reporting year. For example, if you are reporting registration practices for the calendar year 2009, you should report the numbers of members in the different categories on December 31st of 2009.

  Jurisdiction where members were initially trained in the profession (before they were granted use of the protected title or professional designation in Ontario)
  Ontario Other Canadian Provinces USA Other International Unknown Total
Members on December 31st of the reporting year 2203 762 84 131 0
3180

2 Persons who are currently able to use the protected title or professional designation of the profession.

Enter "n/a" if you do not track this information. Enter "0" if you track the information, but the correct value is zero.

Additional comments:

This data includes both General and Temporary Members, as both are authorized to use the protected title of dietitian.  Members holding temporary certificate of registration, however, were also counted in the next section under alternative class.   

Regarding the total number of employees:   there are  11 employees of the College, however not all employees are full time.   The total FTEs is 10.  



Applications your organization processed in the past year e) State the number of applications your organization processed in the reporting year (use only whole numbers; do not enter commas or decimals).
  Jurisdiction where applicants were initially trained in the profession (before they were granted use of the protected title or professional designation in Ontario)
from January 1st to December 31st of the reporting year Ontario Other Canadian Provinces USA Other International Unknown Total
New applications received 114 81 12 33 0
240
Applicants actively pursuing licensing (applicants who had some contact with your organization in the reporting year) 9 16 5 18 0
48
Inactive applicants (applicants who had no contact with your organization in the reporting year) 3 6 1 19 0
29
Applicants who met all requirements and were authorized to become members but did not become members 0 1 0 0 0
1
Applicants who became FULLY registered members 67 68 1 13 0
149
Applicants who were authorized to receive an alternative class of licence3 but were not issued a licence 1 2 4 5 0
12
Applicants who were issued an alternative class of licence3 102 34 12 16 0
164
3 An alternative class of licence enables its holder to practise with limitations, but additional registration requirements must be met in order for the member to be fully licenced. Please list and describe below the alternative classes of licence that your organization grants, such as student, intern, associate, provisional or temporary.

Enter "n/a" if you do not track this information. Enter "0" if you track the information, but the correct value is zero.

Additional comments:
  • In 2010, the College changed it's practice with respect to notifying members prior to their deadline for submitting documents.  Applicants are notified of the deadline in an initial letter.   Previous practice had been to send the applicant en email, as a courtesy, within 30 days of the impending deadline.    That practice was changed during the 2010 reporting year, so that the College will only send the email notice to those applicants who had maintained some contact with the College.   As the college was no longer initiating contact with applicants from whom there had been no contact, the number of inactive applicants has increased for the 2010 reporting year.      
  • The results of the November 2010 examination were not received by the College until January of 2011.   In 2009, the November exam results were received in December.   This change resulted in a significant decrease in the number of applicants who converted their temporary certificate of registration to a full certificate of registration and in the number of applicants who were authorized to become members but did not become members (because until the College receives notice that the applicant has passed the exam, they are not eligible to become members).   


  Class of licence Description
a) Temporary

The Temporary Certificate of Registration is a class that allows applicants to use the RD title and practice the profession while they await the results of the Canadian Dietetic Registration Examination. Holders of a temporary certificate of registration must agree to the term, condition and limitation that they must not supervise another RD.   
b)
 
c)
 
d)
 
e)
 
f)
 
g)
 
h)
 
i)
 
j)
 
Reviews and appeals your organization processed in the past year f) State the number of reviews and appeals your organization processed in the reporting year (use only whole numbers; do not enter commas or decimals).
  Jurisdiction where applicants were initially trained in the profession (before they were granted use of the protected title or professional designation in Ontario)
from January 1st to December 31st of the reporting year Ontario Other Canadian Provinces USA Other International Unknown Total
Applications that were subject to an internal review or that were referred to a statutory committee of your governing council, such as a Registration Committee 10 4 3 27 0
44
Applicants who initiated an appeal of a registration decision 0 0 1 0 0
1
Appeals heard 0 0 0 0 0
0
Registration decisions changed following an appeal 0 0 0 0 0
0
Enter "n/a" if you do not track this information. Enter "0" if you track the information, but the correct value is zero.

Additional comments:

The appeal that was initiated was withdrawn.  



Please identify and explain the changes in your registration practices relevant to this section that occurred during the reporting year.

In 2010, the College changed it's practice with respect to notifying members prior to their deadline for submitting documents. Applicants are notified of the deadline in an initial letter. Previous practice had been to send the applicant en email, as a courtesy, within 30 days of the impending deadline. That practice was changed during the 2010 reporting year, so that the College will only send the email notice to those applicants who had maintained some contact with the College. As the college was no longer initiating contact with applicants from whom there had been no contact, the number of inactive applicants has increased for the 2010 reporting year.
The results of the November 2010 examination were not received by the College until January of 2011. In 2009, the November exam results were received in December. This change resulted in a significant decrease in the number of applicants who became fully registered members and in the number of applicants who were authorized to become members but did not become members (because until the College receives notice that the applicant has passed the exam, they are not eligible to become members).      



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Certification (13 / 13)
I hereby certify that:
  • I have reviewed the information submitted in this Fair Registration Practices Report (the"Report").
  • To the best of my knowledge:
    • all information required to be provided in the Report is included; and
    • the information contained in the Report is accurate.

Name of individual with authority to sign on behalf of the organization: Mary Lou Gignac

Title: Registrar & Executive Director

Date: March 2, 2011


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