Dietetic Internship | Programs | Health Professions Mission

Program Profile: Dietetic Internship

Program Description

Name of program: Dietetic Internship

Program Overview: The ISU Dietetic Internship provides post baccalaureate supervised practice in a variety of sites in both Pocatello and Boise. Eight interns are accepted with a start time at the end of August. The internship has a general focus with approximately equal time spent in community nutrition, medical nutrition therapy and food systems management rotations.

Rotation sites in Boise include several hospitals, the school lunch program, nursing homes, the health department, outpatient clinics, sports and university nutrition, and diabetes and nephrology centers. Rotation sites in Pocatello include 3 hospitals, diabetes and dialysis centers, university center and dorms, school lunch, Head Start, the health department, nursing home, wellness center and the Idaho National Laboratory.

Interns who complete the program are qualified to take the national registration examination. Interns who pass the exam become registered dietitians and are prepared to become licensed in most home states.

Accreditation

Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE) of the American Dietetic Association (ADA), 120 South Riverside Plaza Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606-6995, (800) 877-1600.

Program Highlights

The Dietetic Internship at ISU is one of two in Idaho and attracts applicants from across the United States and other countries. ISU has a reputation for providing excellent supervisory practice experience for over a decade. The dietetics faculty serve in national, regional and local elected positions in professional organizations and have received several awards and honors. Alumni of the internship have leadership positions in the Idaho Dietetic Association and the American Dietetic Association. Some alumni have become certified in specialty practice areas such as diabetes.

All interns who complete the internship and who seek employment have secured jobs in dietetics in Idaho or in another state within 6 months of completing the internship.

About the Profession

Successful completion of a Dietetic Internship is necessary for taking the national registration exam. Upon passing the exam the intern becomes a registered dietitian and can seek an entry-level position. Career opportunities include working in hospitals, outpatient settings and acute care facilities providing medical nutrition therapy. Institutional foodservice management offers opportunities in schools, healthcare facilities, business and industry, corrections and hospitality. Community nutrition opportunities include working with individuals and in groups in health departments, and home health and human service agencies to promote nutritious dietary practices to prevent diseases and promote health.

State and national government agencies hire dietitians in many capacities and there are many job opportunities in business and industry

Potential Salary: $17.00/hour - $25.00/hour for entry level

Faculty

4 full-time faculty, 45 preceptors and 38 clinical sites.

Andrea Grim, MS, RD began teaching at ISU fall 2007. She is the Dietetic Internship Director and Coordinator of the Pocatello Dietetic Internship Site. Prior to coming to ISU she taught for 6 years at a college in California, worked as a bariatric dietitian for 3 years and as critical care dietitian at the University Medical Center for 6 years. She has given numerous media interviews for television and radio programs in California. Her teaching areas are Medical Nutrition Therapy and general nutrition.

Ruth Schneider, MPH, RD, LD came to ISU in fall 2001 working as the Clinical Coordinator for the Dietetic Internship in Boise. Ruth has over 20 years experience working with outpatients at a family medicine setting and she is a specialist content reviewer for Healthwise, Inc. She has held several leadership positions in the Idaho Dietetic Association and received the Oustanding Dietetian of the Year Award in 1995. Her areas of interest include public health nutrition, childhood feeding and hunger issues.

Laura McKnight, MPH, RD, LD began teaching at ISU in 1994 and is the DPD Director. Her areas of teaching include food service systems management, community nutrition, meal management and introductory food science. Service learning is a major component in all of her classes. Her research interests involve dietetic education and the role of dietitians in food service management and hunger issues. She has received the Idaho Conference on Health Care Award, a research grant from the Foodservice Management Educators Council, several academic scholarships and local recognition for student service learning. She is a doctoral candidate at Kansas State University.

Cynthia Blanton, PhD, RD began teaching at ISU fall 2007. She worked for 5 years as a research nutritionist for the USDA Western Human Nutrition Research Center located at the University of California, Davis and worked for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Wyoming prior to coming to Idaho. Her research interests include the effect of weightlessness on bone health, the importance of iron status in cognition, the neurochemical control of food intake and the assessment of diet and physical activity. Her areas of teaching include nutritional biochemistry, experimental foods and general nutrition.

Class Size

Fixed Seats: Yes

Number of students in entering class: 16

Total number of students enrolled in program: 16

Length of Program

Number of academic years needed to complete the program: 1

Locations

Locations offered: Pocatello and Boise

Program offered fully online? No

Program delivered through distance presentation? Yes

Prerequisites

Required Degree: B.S. in Dietetics

Costs

Tuition:Annual tuition set by University for residents and non-residents.

Professional fees: $1,000 internship fee each semester

Equipment: A car is needed

Books: $400

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Scholarship Deadline: Contact the Scholarship Office for more information.

Financial Aid Deadline: Contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.

Other Information: Interns who are members of the American Dietetic Association may apply for an ADA scholarship. Numerous other scholarships may be applied for at ISU. Interns are eligible to apply for financial aid.

How to Apply

Application Deadline: Mid-February of each year. See American Dietetic Association website for specific date.

Program Start Date: Fall semester at the end of August

Other Information: Dietetics web site

Idaho State University