Admission & Completion Requirements

For admission:

  • The student must possess a Baccalaureate Degree from an accredited college or university and meet requirements of an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics accredited didactic program in Dietetics (DPD) within the past five years. (Effective January 1, 2024, CDR will require a minimum of a graduate degree for entry-level registration eligibility. Spring match 2023 will require a graduate degree to be eligible to apply).  
  • Prior learning, including coursework and/or experience, is not assessed for credit toward program requirements.
  • A GPA of at least 3.0 in DPD professional and science courses is mandatory.
  • An original verification statement or “declaration of intent to complete degree” must be provided by the didactic program director prior to admission to the program. If the date on the DPD Verification Statement is more than 5 years prior to the start date of the internship, the applicant must take or have taken 9 credits in upper-division dietetics-related coursework within the last 5 years at a university with an approved DPD or coordinated program. At least one course in medical nutrition therapy is required.
  • The program conducts phone interviews with its top candidates prior to the matching deadline.
  • Foreign students should contact the program for eligibility requirements.

Once selected:

  • Interns must pass a physical exam and background check prior to starting the program. This service is provided by the hospital, free of charge, but will not be reimbursed to the intern if services are provided elsewhere.
  • Interns must have vaccinations or blood titers for Mumps, Rubeola, Rubella, Varicella, Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Tdap), Hepatitis B, COVID-19, and Influenza (or declination), as well as a 2-step tuberculin skin test. These immunizations and titers are provided by the hospital, if needed, free of charge, but will not be reimbursed to the intern if services are provided elsewhere.
  • Drug screening is required for participation in some rotations. The intern is responsible for costs associated with drug screening.
  • The student must be ServSafe certified or equivalent during the length of the program.

For completion:

  • The intern must successfully complete all planned supervised practice components and assignments within 17 months.
  • The intern must receive written performance appraisals that reflect at least the level of “meets standard” in all core competencies.
When the intern successfully completes the Dietetic Internship Program, the Director will issue a signed Verification Statement and submit CDR eligibility to take the Registered Dietitian examination.

Dietetic Internship Program