Dietetic Internship
The UAA Dietetic Internship, with a concentration emphasis on Alaska Native culture
and Alaska healthcare delivery systems, is accredited by the Accreditation Council
for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). The internship offers the supervised
practice experience required to sit for the registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN)
examination. At this time UAA is accredited for eight (8) students annually.
The requirements for becoming an entry-level registered dietitian nutritionist include:
- Complete a minimum of a bachelor's degree at a US regionally accredited university of college and course work accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
- Complete an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program at a health-care facility, community agency, or a foodservice corporation or combined with undergraduate or graduate studies. Typically, a practice program will run six to 12 months in length.
- Pass a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). For more information regarding the examination, refer to CDR's website at www.cdmet.org.
- Obtain state licensure through an application process (in most states, including Alaska).
There are two application cycles for the UAA DI Program:
1. Applications are reviewed on a pre-select basis from UAA Dietetic majors for the UAA Dietetic Internship. Up to eight (8) students who meet all program requirements will be considered for the program. The application cycle will open each fall for eligible applicants, with an application deadline of November 1st. Notification of acceptance into the program will occur within 8 weeks of the application deadline.
2. If internship spots are available after the application cycle, the UAA Dietetic Internship will participate in the national application process that has an application deadline of February 15th annually. An announcement will be posted here in late December if applicants will be accepted in cycle 2. Applicants must follow the D and D national matching program requirements, including the February 15th deadline. All application materials must be submitted online through the UAA Office of Admissions (see the Application Information link at the end of this page) and not through DICAS. The UAA Dietetic Internship does not use the DICAS application. For questions, please contact the Program Director, Dr. Carrie King at cdking@alaska.edu.
- Program Overview
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 UAA Dietetic Internship follows the UAA academic calendar. To apply to the internship, individuals must complete at least a bachelor's degree and course work requirements approved by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Students will complete a total of 15 graduate credit hours through attending a seminar course at UAA and completing their supervised practice. The program's outcomes data are available upon request.
Graduation Requirements: Upon successful completion of all parts of the dietetic internship, including all learning experiences and satisfactory evaluations from preceptors and the UAA Dietetic Internship Director, students will be given a verification statement showing successful completion of the internship. With the verification statement, graduates can apply to take the RDN exam through the Commission on Dietetic Registration. Upon passing the RDN exam, the graduate is eligible to apply for licensure in the state where he or she will work as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.
UAA DI Mission: "Guide the future of dietetics and nutrition in Alaska."
Program Goals: 1. Prepare UAA Dietetic Interns to become competent entry-level dietitians. 2. Increase the number of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists in Alaska.
- Concentration Area
Internship Concentration: Alaska Native Culture and the Alaska Healthcare Delivery System
The UAA Dietetic Internship offers unique experiences through its concentration area in Alaska Native culture and the Alaska healthcare delivery system. The concentration area is built upon the dietetic internship's mission and goals, one being to retain graduates to work in the profession of dietetics in Alaska. The program's concentration area was designed to help interns prepare to work in this culturally diverse state.
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, Kodiak, or Kotzebue). Interns rotate through many facilities in Anchorage and the surrounding area in addition to the rural rotation and possibly Fairbanks
- Program Requirements
1. In order to apply to the UAA Dietetic Internship program, students must be a declared UAA Dietetics Major, with a graduation date prior to the beginning of the Dietetic Internship; have a minimum of 3.0 GPA; and submit an application with all required documents by November 1st.
2. Or applicants from other ACEND accredited Didactic Programs in Dietetics (DPD) must have a minimum of a bachelor's degree, a minimum GPA of 3.0, and a DPD verification statement prior to the start of the internship. The D and D digital national matching process and the February 15th deadline must be followed for these applications.
- Next Steps after Acceptance
Upon acceptance into the Dietetic Internship Program, students will be required to complete/obtain the following before the August internship start date:
- Complete financial aid requirements (if needed)
- Submit an official transcript indicating a conferred baccalaureate degree
- Submit a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) verification statement from an ACEND accredited Program
- Proof of current immunizations or titers including TB, Hep A, Hep B series, MMR, and Varicella (2 shot series)
- Health insurance (for the duration of the program)
- ServSafe Certificate
- Current CPR card
- State of Alaska Background Check
- Independent Medical Terminology course or proof of prior Medical Terminology course
- CITI Training