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.

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.

***12/18/18:  The UAA Dietetic Internship will accept two (2) interns through the D and D national matching program this spring. 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.

  PROGRAM MISSION, GOALS, OBJECTIVES

  UAA DI Mission:  "Guide the future of dietetics and nutrition in Alaska."

  Program Goal:  Prepare UAA Dietetic Interns to become competent entry-level dietitians.

• 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

This program has been defined as a gainful employment program. For more information about the education debt, earnings and completion rates of students who attend this program, please see the gainful employment disclosure.

• Application Information
• Estimated Program Cost
• Sample Schedule
• Accreditation