What The Dietetic Internship Is All About

The dietetic internship isn't a random internship that anyone can apply to. It's almost like a medical residency, but only for people aspiring to be a registered dietitian. So, keep reading to find out what it's all about.

There's 3 steps to becoming a Registered Dietitian:

1. The didactic program is the coursework. This can be completed either at the undergraduate level (Bachelor's degree) or the graduate level (Master's degree).

2. The dietetic internship program is where you get the practical experience. At least 1200 hours of supervised practice to be exact.

3. Passing the RD exam enables you put the "RD" credentials behind your name.

These steps must be completed in that order! You can't apply for an internship program without verification that you completed a didactic program, and you aren't eligible to take the RD exam unless you've completed the didactic program and an internship program.

Some schools offer a Coordinated Program where you complete both the didactic coursework and the internship in the same program.

There's a process to getting a dietetic internship

Getting accepted into an internship program is a computer-based matching process.

You have to complete an application in a portal called DICAS and register to be matched through a platform called D&D Digital.

There are two matching cycles, one in the fall, and one in the spring.

• Fall Match: The DICAS and D&D Digital portals open in July, close in September, you find out if you matched in November, and the program usually begins in January.

• Spring Match: The DICAS and D&D Digital portals open in December, close in February the following year, you find out if you matched in April, and programs begin anytime between July and September.

To get matched to an internship you choose the programs you would like to apply to and rank them. The internship directors receive applications from everyone that applied to their specific program and they rank the applicants. Then, the computer matching software has an algorithm that matches applicants to one of the programs they selected. The caveat is, you only get matched to ONE program, or you don't get matched at all.

Although you are required to complete a dietetic internship program to become a dietitian, you aren't guaranteed an internship. It's a complicated and often confusing process, and only about 50% of the students that apply get matched.

So, getting matched to a program, even if it wasn't your first choice, is a BIG accomplishment. Also, this shouldn't discourage anyone from aspiring to be a Registered Dietitian. Yes, it's challenging, but so are many other things in life, and there are MANY resources to help students get matched.

There's so many options

Deciding which dietetic internship program to pursue can sometimes be overwhelming because there are so many programs and they are all unique.

Internship programs are typically offered through hospitals, universities, large-scale food service companies, and public health organizations, and usually revolve around these three general concentrations:

• Clinical Nutrition (nutrition interventions in inpatient and outpatient hospitals)

• Food service Management (food production in schools, hospitals, universities)

• Community Nutrition (public health organizations, government agencies, schools, etc.)

All dietetic internship programs have a specific emphasis, usually clinical nutrition, food service, or community nutrition, but there's also other emphases like:

• Sports nutrition

• Geriatric nutrition

• Pediatric nutrition

• Research

• Leadership

• Communication and media

• Public health

Your career aspirations is what will determine what type of program you apply to. Where you live and your ability to relocate also determines what program you will apply to.

Oh and, this is not a paid internship, but it isn't free either. We actually pay tuition.

Yes, I don't understand it either, but it is what it is. I honestly consider the internship another year of school. The VA has dietetic internships in about 12 cities and they pay a stipend and there's no tuition, but 1. They only accept about 6-8 people, 2. You have to be a US Citizen. On the bright side, I got 2 scholarships to pay for my dietetic internship, so I'm technically doing it for free (all praise and thanks to God!). I'll share all the details about that in another post.

All in all, the dietetic internship is where you get to practice what you learned in the didactic program. Because each program is different, it's impossible to talk about every aspect of the internship itself. So, I created this blog to talk about MY experience and all the specifics related to my program, and the journey it took to get here, because I was quite uncertain about it for some time.

Until next time,

What questions do you have about the dietetic internship? Let me know!