Current Illinois State Students
Professional Practice / Internships
Dietetic internships are quite varied in their competitiveness, location, cost, and length. You need to consider each of these factors in deciding where to apply. In general, there are two main types of internships. Those offered by
1) medical centers or other dietetics facilities/organization.
2) colleges and universities.
The stand-alone internships at a medical center or similar institution are generally 10 - 12 months long. Their shorter length and lack of required coursework make these internships highly competitive. These internships are usually affiliated with large teaching hospitals and located in large cities. Their medical team approach of patient care, with daily rounds involving a wide variety of medical personnel (MDs, PharmDs, RNs, RDs, social workers, and other health professionals) with differing levels of training (residents, interns, and students), provides a stimulating and challenging environment.
Internships offered by colleges and universities can be located in a wider variety of locations, including smaller communities. These internships often use area hospitals and a variety of other dietetics-related facilities, such as school lunch programs, community health clinics, WIC clinics, etc. These programs vary in their graduate level course requirements and length. A few of these internships do not require additional academic coursework; however, most require at least some coursework. The courses required can vary from a few to requiring interns to earn a Master’s degree. The university-based internship experiences are as challenging as those provided by internship at major medical centers.
Dietetic internship competitiveness varies with the institution and its location. Major hospitals affiliated with medical schools, large universities in major metropolitan areas, and internships in the Sunbelt or Western states are generally the more competitive programs, while college and university programs requiring a Master’s degree and located in less populated areas are generally less competitive. Applying to dietetic internships is a competitive process and completing a DPD Program and receiving a Verification Statement is not a guarantee of being accepted by a dietetic internship
The application materials requested by dietetic internships typically include the official national application, a typed or handwritten 1-2 page letter of application, transcripts from schools attended, letters of recommendation from two professors and a work supervisor, and a $25-50 application fee per internship. A few internships will request additional materials or have specific questions to be addressed by the applicant. Several internships conduct in-person or telephone interviews of their top candidates. Check the internship web site or contact the DI director to learn the specific requirements for each internship. Applicants are not limited in the number of DIs to which they can apply; however, applying to more 4-6 DIs does not necessarily increase an applicant’s chances of being matched. It is more important to apply to internships appropriate for the applicant’s qualifications. Applying to DIs in more than one geographic region is recommended. Matching to an internship is based on the quality of the application materials, and qualifications and professional interests of the applicant.
Three main factors determine success in being accepted by the dietetic internship of your choice. These include 1) academic performance in all college courses; 2) dietetics-related work experiences; and 3) quality of the internship application. An internships committee evaluates applicants on the quality of their application materials, GPA in dietetics courses, science GPA, overall GPA, dietetics-related work experiences, and letters of recommendation. A high quality application and well-written letter of application are important factors in how each applicant is ranked by an internship committee. Dietetic internships are professional training programs that transition the intern from school and its course requirements to being an independent, competent, entry-level professional ready to assume a career in dietetics. Internship committees are looking for qualified applicants who will fit well with their internship and institution, and are looking at the pre-professional practice (internship) experiences they have to offer. Successful applicants generally have a GPA of 3.0 or higher, quality work, experiences that suggest success in the challenging internship environment and knowledge of dietetics, and application materials that indicate that the applicant is mature, competent, adaptable, can work independently and in groups, and understands the demands of the internship and the profession of dietetics.
The matching of DI applicants to a DI is a competitive process with typically about 60-80% of applicants nationally being matched to an internship each year. Grades, especially in dietetics-related courses and the science classes, and dietetics-related work experiences are two key criteria considered by internship committees in deciding who they are willing to accept and in ranking applicants. Other important criteria include the quality of your letter of application and your official application. Any experience working in jobs dealing with the public is also valuable. Volunteer experience is considered and helpful if work has not been possible; however, this experience is valued less than work experience.
Almost all dietetic internships use the national matching system conducted by D & D Digital to match applicants with internships. Applicants are either matched to one internship or not matched to an internship. Applicants rank their preferences for the internships where they have applied and each dietetic internship committee ranks all the applicants who are acceptable. If an applicant is acceptable to an internship and ranked highly enough, the applicant will be matched to an internship. If an applicant is acceptable to an internship committee but not ranked highly enough, the applicant will not be matched to an internship. Completion of a DPD Program is not a guarantee of being matched to a dietetic internship. Applicants are notified of the results of the national matching process in April or November following the application submission in February or September, respectively. Once matched, the applicant has the choice to either accept or reject the match. Rejecting the internship match means that the applicant will not have an internship placement unless the applicant can find an internship of interest with unfilled spots and is admitted to that internship.
Directors of internships with one or more unfilled openings following the matching process often seek qualified applicants after the matching results are announced. Students who do not receive a match can contact the internship directors that release their names and investigate the appropriateness of the internship and the requirements for submitting their application materials for consideration. Students who are not accepted by an internship or who decide after graduating that they want to become a R.D. can apply during this application period. Several actions can improve the possibility of being matched. Dietetics-related work experience, especially as a diet tech in a hospital or long-term care faculty, is especially helpful experience prior to applying for an internship. Working in a food, nutrition and dietetics-related area is important for students planning to apply to internships in the future. Additional or repeated coursework to improve earlier grades, especially in the sciences, can also increase the chances of being matched to an internship in the future.
Internships are much different than taking courses at a college or university. You work directly with individual preceptors who train you to do their professional jobs. Through learning on the job while doing the work of the preceptors, you are trained to be competent in performing their job duties and, through the internship, become a professional. Internships are typically full-time and require working 40 hours a week or more at the internship site. Assignments, projects, or learning what you need to know to do the job must often be accomplished in your free time at night. Travel among various sites may be required by an internship, and a car may be helpful or required for transportation. The distances and lack of available public transportation often make a car necessary to complete internships located outside larger urban areas. Most internships charge a tuition fee, and it is important to consider all of the costs of doing an internship before deciding where to apply. A small minority of internships offer a stipend, or monthly income, to you while completing their internship.
The national registration exam is the final step to becoming a R.D. and becoming eligible for employment in every state as a dietitian. The R.D. exam is an objective, multiple-choice question, exam, about 250 questions, that requires application of your knowledge learned in the DPD program and the DI to a wide variety of dietetics scenarios. The exam is administered by computer at selected testing centers typically in cities with a large university or in larger metropolitan areas throughout the United States. The exam has a time limit and only one question is shown on the screen at a time. Each question must be completed or skipped to proceed with the exam. You can not go back and have a second chance to complete questions that are skipped. It is important for you to pass the exam on your first attempt. A high pass rate on the R.D. exam, by first time test takers, is required for your DPD and DI programs to keep their accreditation status and remain in existence. There are several classes and study guides to assist in reviewing and studying for the exam. These review classes are strongly recommended for individuals prior to taking the R.D. exam.
