Externship vs. Internship
The purpose of both an externship and an internship is to provide exposure to client-based aspects of the holistic nutrition industry, resume-building experience, and career networking opportunities. However, there are differences in both the scope and duration of these experiences.
Externship |
Internship |
| Get an overview | Gain skills and experience |
| Observational training | Hands-on work |
| Shadow an individual or team | Work alongside an individual or team |
| Short-term (days, a week) | Longer-term (weeks, months) |
| Usually unpaid | Paid or unpaid |
General guidelines
An externship will not exceed forty (40) hours in total duration.
An internship may be of any durations consisting of minimally two (2) weeks.
No more than 20% of the tasks can be clerical in nature.**
80% or more should be substantial engagement in primary industry functions (see list below).
Externships/internships are valid from the start date of a qualifying nutrition education program.
**Clerical tasks include filing, answering phones, marketing, social media management, inventory management, scheduling appointments, welcoming patients/clients, responding to emails, and other tasks.
Primary Industry Functions Checklist
General Menu of Services: |
Therapeutic Menu of Services: |
| Diet and lifestyle evaluation | Intake |
| Teach healthy eating | Consult with a practitioner |
| Shopping tours | Research |
| Family meal planning | Provide follow-up support |
| Suggestions for improving lifestyle | Review lab assessments |
| Supporting a healthy stress response | Summarize case and group findings |
| Meal plans for improved weight, mood, and energy | Provide recommendations |
| Teach classes on wellness and holistic nutrition | Teach health professionals and consumers |
| Advise clients on basic wellness supplementation | Consult with practitioner |
Internship Programs
Below are pre-approved internship programs for nutrition professionals seeking interactive virtual mentoring that qualify as Contact Hours for the Board Exam Application.
Holistic Nutrition Mentorship Program
40 Continuing Education Credits
Building a career is hard, and you don’t have to do it alone.
Join a community of high-level professionals and nutrition graduates who support each other’s career growth.
Our program is designed to help you overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of turning your education and passion into a career. We provide certification support, business coaching, and a professional network that can be leveraged for support and guidance.
Flexible membership options and pricing available
Certification Support
- Opportunities to earn the required 500 professional experience
- contact hours
- BCHN® exam prep
- Comprehensive study guides with key terms and definitions
- Over 1000 practice questions included in over 20 practice exams
Development and Growth of Your Business
- Weekly business development office hours
- Self-paced business courses
- Personalized business mentorship
- Holistic Nutrition Career Directory
Growth as a Clinician
- Over a dozen educational courses in functional and holistic nutrition (See Listing)
- Weekly nutritional grand rounds with other nutrition professionals across the country
- Weekly case study office hours
- Small group case study workshops
- Experience working with clients
- Regular feedback from supervisors
- Guest webinars from experts in the field of functional and holistic nutrition
- Earn continuing education hours
- Access to a community of holistic nutrition professionals
Click here to learn more.
Foundations in Practice – Sara Russell, NTP
Foundations in Practice is a five-week professional development program designed to support nutrition and wellness practitioners as they establish or strengthen their clinical practice. The program combines weekly video lessons with a live one-hour group mentoring session, followed by written guidance and resources.
Each week focuses on a key area of practice development:
Week 1 – Mindset: Building confidence, clarity, and professional resilience.
Week 2 – Time Management: Developing workflows and systems that support consistent practice.
Week 3 – Financial Foundations: Approaches to pricing, budgeting, and creating financial stability.
Week 4 – Professional Networking: Strategies for collaboration and community building.
Week 5 – Marketing: Establishing a clear message and effective client-attraction methods.
The program is designed for practitioners seeking a practical structure, improved efficiency, and greater confidence as they build a sustainable, values-driven practice.
Click HERE for more information
Advanced Herbal and Nutritional Skills Course: 6-Month Program
The Advanced Professional Herbal & Nutritional Skills Course Online offers you a chance to gain experience working with real clients under the direct supervision of experienced herbal and nutritional therapy practitioners. The faculty of K.P. Khalsa’s International Integrative Educational Institute brings together highly trained professional herbalists, naturopathic physicians, and TCM practitioners so that you obtain your clinical/internship hours from instructors with real-world clinical experience.
Duration: 6 weekends Saturday & Sunday
Click HERE to learn more
Functional Nutrition and Lifestyle Practitioner (FNLP) Certification Program
30 Continuing Education Credits
This 3-month online program in functional nutrition is the only one of its kind–offering direct mentorship from acclaimed functional medicine nutritionist Andrea Nakayama and certifying you as a Functional Nutrition and Lifestyle Practitioner (FNLP).
The curriculum includes weekly teaching sessions, direct mentorship from Andrea on clinical skills, functional nutrition systems, and any questions that are coming up in your personal practice. Students will learn how to navigate complex cases by utilizing the functional nutrition tools and systems developed by Andrea and used by her nutrition team at the Functional Nutrition Alliance (FxNA).
Through written assignments, collaboration with a partner, and a live case study review with Andrea, students will gain proficiency in all 8 pillars of the Functional Nutrition Mastery Paradigm. Graduates emerge both skilled and confident in assessing client intakes, navigating the terrain of both complex physical symptoms and the delicate client-practitioner relationship, and determining treatment plans for client cases in clinical practice. Students will also learn how to work in partnership with other practitioners, including physicians, and communicate their ideas and insights more effectively so that they can create the change they are most passionate about.
FNLP is an application-only program open to select graduates of the Holistic Nutrition Lab: Full Body Systems.
Externship Program
Nutrition, Functional Medicine, and Integrative Medicine Residency Program at Healthy Weighs Wellness Center in Brookfield, Connecticut
This is a competitive three to twelve-month Functional Medicine and Integrative Medicine Residency program designed for master or doctoral level nutritionists, chiropractors, and physicians who need to gain experience and supervised practice hours for BCHN® (Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition®), CNS (Certified Nutrition Specialist) certification, and CD-N (Certified Dietitian-Nutrition) certification, supervised practice hours or general practice experience. This program will be individually tailored to meet the needs of the practitioner as well as the guidelines of the specific certification program being pursued. This program is designed to be onsite but online is an option.
Now accepting applications for Winter and Spring Sessions.
Click here for pricing and more information.
~ NANP member
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