The UAA Dietetic Internship is a full-time, 40 hour per week program that begins in the fall semester with graduation at the end of the spring semester.  The student will complete a total of 15 graduate credit hours through attending a bi-weekly seminar (6 hours) at UAA and by completing their supervised experience.

Upon successful completion of all parts of the dietetic internship, including all learning experiences and satisfactory evaluations from preceptors and the UAA Dietetic Internship Coordinator, students will be given an ADA Verification Statement showing completion of the internship.  With the verification statement, graduates can apply to take the RD exam.

UAA DI Concentration: Alaska Native Culture and the Alaska Healthcare Delivery System
The UAA Dietetic Internship offers unique experiences through its concentration in "Alaska Native Culture and the Alaska Healthcare Delivery System." The purpose of a concentration in a dietetic internship program according to CADE, is to "begin development of the entry level depth necessary for future proficiency in a particular area." A concentration is built upon a dietetic internship's mission, goals and resources (see the link at the end of this page).  One of the goals of this program is to retain graduates to work in the profession of dietetics in Alaska.  The program's concentration was designed to help interns prepare to work in the rural, culturally diverse, matchless State of Alaska.

The competencies required for the concentration area in this program are primarily achieved through a three-week rural Alaska rotation (possible locations: Nome, Bethel, Sitka or Barrow).  There are some additional activities and assignments completed in other rotations in the program. Interns rotate through many facilities in Anchorage and the surrounding area in addition to the rural rotation.  Please note that it is not possible for all interns to rotate through the Alaska Native Medical Center or Southcentral Foundation.  Prospective interns should be aware of the highly diverse environment in this program: there are more than 200 registered Alaska Native tribes in Alaska and at least 96 languages spoken in Anchorage alone!   

          Admission Requirements:

1) Baccalaureate degree (minimum) in Dietetics or Foods and Nutrition from a regionally accredited school.

2) Didactic Program in Dietetics Verification Statement within the past five years. Fulfill remedial education requirements if no course work or work experiences in dietetics in five years prior to program admission. Please see the "Recency of Education Policy" link at the bottom of this page.

3) Overall AND Dietetics GPA of 3.0 or higher (4.0 scale).

4) Evidence of ability and willingness to work productively (prior work or volunteer experience).

5) Three letters of recommendation using the ADA recommendation forms (one must be from an employer or volunteer work supervisor and one must be from a professor or academic advisor). One letter is required to be from a registered dietitian (i.e. professor, supervisor or mentor).

6) Participation in the D & D Digital Systems matching process for dietetic internships (please see: http://www.dnddigital.com)

Upon graduation, you will be able to:

• Demonstrate the ability to adapt to the ever-changing scientific, technical and professional environment, including knowledge of public policy, legislative issues, ethics and lifelong learning.  [Professional skills]
  
• Practice communicating effectively through the development of writing, speaking, listening and problem solving skills. [Communication skills]
  
• Integrate efficient and effective use of techniques and tools for managing foodservice systems in a variety of situations. [Foodservice Management]
  
• Apply knowledge and skills in medical nutrition therapy in a variety of settings. [Clinical Nutrition]
  
• Design interventions to combine knowledge and skills in community nutrition that enhance health and promotes wellness. [Community Nutrition]
  
• Recognize the impact of Alaska Native culture and Alaska's unique healthcare delivery system on the practice of dietetics in Alaska. [Specialty Emphasis]
  
• Pass (national) registration exam, over a five-year period, on the first attempt 80% of the time.
  
• Achieve a knowledge-based score of at least "satisfactory" on evaluation by employers of alumni.
  
• Indicate feelings of being "well-prepared" for practice as a Registered Dietitian [program alumni].
  

How To Apply

Mission and Goals (pdf)

Program Calendar (pdf)

Recency of Education Policy (pdf)