The process applying to a DI is begun during your senior year as a dietetic major in a DPD program. You can write to the DI programs in which you are interested and ask for their information packet. From this you can narrow down which programs suit you the best. Some good resources about the dietetic internship are the Applicant Guide to Supervised Practice Programs for Dietetics notebook kept in the departmental office (258 Bevier) and the ADA’s List of Dietetic Internships.
Once the dietetic internship programs are narrowed down, there are several factors to consider to help rank the programs based on your preferences. It is also a very good idea to attend scheduled open houses. This will give you a better idea of whether you are a good fit for the internship because it will give you an opportunity to meet the staff, get a better idea of the program, and visit the facility.
Consider some of these factors when ranking your dietetic internships:
Program Emphasis
Dietetic internships must provide experiences in the core competencies: nutrition therapy, community, food service management, and business. An important consideration is what the internship emphasizes. Think about your specific professional goals and consider the programs exposure to this interest. How many weeks are devoted to an area of your interest?
Qualifications as a Candidate
After researching internships, you will learn how the internships of your choice rank their applicants. Experience and GPA are weighted upon heavily. However, many internships weight work experience more. Your can also learn about the competitiveness of the program by looking at their RD exam pass rate, number of applicants, and average GPA of their current interns. This information can be found in the Applicant Guide to Supervised Practice Programs for Dietetics notebook kept in the departmental office (258 Bevier).
Cost
The cost for dietetic internships varies between no tuition to providing stipends along with no tuition to requiring tuition. Often time, if tuition is required, the price is minimal and required only to cover the costs for clinical fees and classes/graduate courses. The programs that include stipends are often more competitive because of the high demand for this type of internship. However, for all of the variation in program cost, there are a few other costs that need to be taken into consideration such as transportation (car vs. public transportation), supplies (lab coats, dress clothes, textbooks, etc.), food (food may be provided at some internships), and cost of living (certain cities like Boston and Los Angeles have a higher cost of living). However, advanced degree programs will have student loans available to help with tuition.
Length
The length of dietetic internships can also vary between 6 months to a year while combined programs with graduate school can last between 2-3 years.
Location
When choosing a location, an applicant should consider:
- Family---If applying out of state, will it be possible to relocate family for a short duration or will you be able to visit family especially during holidays (what are the institution’s holidays?).
- Weather
- Relocation---The cost of relocating alone can be expensive. Since the internship is only temporary, the cost benefit ratio will have to be considered. Many times, contacts are made during the internship so it may be easier to get a job in the area of your internship making it more important to like the location.
- Size of the institution---Will most of the rotations be completed within the institution or will you have to go off campus?
After taking everything into consideration, the next step is deciding how many applications to complete. At least 6 applications are recommended to increase the chance of getting matched. However, only prepare as many applications as you can complete without compromising the quality. Also, do not apply to internships that you are not interested in just to have a better chance of getting ranked. If you get placed into an internship not of internship, it can make for a long year.