 |
|
|||||||||||||
|
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Dietetic Internship
|
|||||||||||||
Overview of Financial Considerations for the ProgramStipendAll programs offer a stipend. The amount varies by location, and all stipends listed below are approximate. Students should contact the site internship director for more specific information about the stipend payment.
Estimated Minimum ExpensesInterns selected for the program should anticipate the following expenses: Bay Pines (ESTIMATED BUDGET 2007-2008)
BRONX (ESTIMATED BUDGET 2007-2008)
NYU Tuition:
5 credits at $1334; 29 credits at $1102. = $ 38,628. CLEVELAND
Chicago
Other expenses vary by intern and include clothing, transportation, health insurance, meals, and personal expenses. Interns are responsible for meeting all expenses required to satisfactorily complete the internship. Due to increasing budgetary constraints, other expenses may occur which may not be listed here. Houston
*Application to Graduate School at TWU is not required until after the matching process in April; however, there is a deadline for applying for scholarship assistance at TWU (generally March 1). Students must be accepted to the Graduate School to be considered for scholarships through TWU. Early application to the TWU Graduate School is highly recommended for students who are seeking scholarship funds. **Students who obtain at least $1,000 in competitive scholarship money from TWU are allowed to pay in-state (resident) tuition rates.Because fees vary from year to year, you should contact the TWU Registrar’s Office to get current prices. The Registrar can be reached at 713-794-2320 or you can go to the TWU website. *** Parking is free at the VA. While at TWU or affiliated sites, interns may incur parking fees. There are several ways to reduce parking costs (free apartment shuttles, rail system, discount parking lots) so parking costs vary greatly. Los Angeles
Minneapolis
SAN DIEGO - Cost of living depends upon your choice of living arrangements. The Department of Veterans Affairs does not provide meals or housing. Interns may choose to share an apartment. Meals can be purchased in the Canteen Service cafeteria, or lunch can be carried from home.
SAN JUAN
ST LOUIS
TAMPA
Student Health ServicesBronx - Available through NYU. Visit http://www.nyu.edu/shc/about/sample.services.html * Cleveland - According to CWRU policy, all students are required to either have personal health insurance or to purchase health insurance through the University. Chicago - Interns are not eligible for VA health insurance since they are not on a 12-month appointment and are required to obtain their own. Interns must show proof of health insurance coverage for the duration of their internship appointment at Hines VA Hospital. Houston - Basic health services are provided for TWU students at the University of Texas Heath Science Center, located near the TWU campus. The VA provides treatment only for emergencies while on duty. Evidence of health insurance is required of interns and can be purchased through the TWU Student Life Services. Brochure, pricing and enrollment information can be found at the website for Academic Health Plans.* Los Angeles - Health Insurance is mandatory while at UCLA and is available from UCLA Health Services for an added cost. This insurance covers students while enrolled at UCLA. If you do not have health insurance, you must buy the insurance from UCLA Health Services, but if you have your own heath insurance, purchasing insurance from UCLA can be waived. San Diego - There are no student health services available to dietetic interns. At time of pre-employment physical dietetic interns are offered VZV (chickenpox) vaccine if indicated and other appropriate vaccines (such as Hepatitis B, influenza, etc.) The VASDHS will provide emergency care if you are ill and complete care should you be injured while on duty at a VASDHS facility or a contracted affiliation site. It is the responsibility of the intern to obtain personal health insurance. San Juan - Health Insurance is not available for Dietetic Interns. No health benefit or hospitalization is provided during internship with the exception of a physical examination at the beginning of the program and emergency first aid. St. Louis - The dietetic intern is required to have a private physician in the St. Louis area for health problems which require regular medical care. Personal health insurance is not offered by DVA nor is it required, however, it is strongly recommended. Tampa - Liability, health and hospitalization insurance are required and will be at each dietetic intern's expense. A standard physical will be given to each intern at the hospital's expense during orientation. If a dietetic internship appointee is unable to pass the entrance physical, he/she will not be permitted to enter the internship and no expenses incurred in reporting or returning home will be borne by the government.
The Employee Health Provider, DVAMC, will provide: Pre-employment examinations; emergency diagnosis and first aid treatment of any injury or illness sustained by the intern while in the performance of duty; periodic screening tests in accordance with procedures as established by medical authority; and medical treatment in accordance with the Federal Employees Compensation Act. Dietetic interns may utilize student health and support services at CWRU including counseling services and mental health services. See the CWRU General Bulletin for details. Dietetic interns are covered by the injury compensation provisions of 5 U.S.C. ch.81 (MP-5, Part I, Ch.810 "Injury Compensation") which covers compensation and other rights and benefits for injury or work-related illness incurred in the performance of their duties. Outpatient emergency medical and dental care may be furnished to students without charge during a scheduled training assignment (M-8, Part II, Change 15, Dec. 17, 1986, pg. 2-9). Dietetic Interns are not covered by Civil Service Retirement or Federal Employee Group Life or Health Insurance. They are covered by Social Security (Old Age Survivors and Disability Insurance). Arriving in ClevelandDietetic interns will be asked to release their contact information to fellow classmates prior to beginning the program. In some cases students decide to share apartments to decrease living expenses. Current students are always happy to offer suggestions about where to live and what to do first, upon arrival. Students need enough money to pay the security deposit and first month's rent on an apartment and should have access to funds for books and living expenses for a few weeks. They will receive their first stipend payment on the third Friday after the Program's start date. Arriving in San DiegoIt is recommended that interns arrive with at least $1000 to cover first month expenses and an additional $2000-2500 for rent and a security deposit. Most apartments require a first and last month's rent and a security deposit. If the apartment is unfurnished, there may be additional expenses for furniture. The first paycheck is not received until mid September. Arriving in St. LouisIt is recommended that interns arrive with at least $1000 to cover the expenses of the first month. The first stipend paycheck is not received until mid to late September. ScholarshipsAll prospective students are encouraged to apply for one of the many available scholarship opportunities through the American Dietetic Association (ADA). The American Dietetic Association Foundation is the largest provider of dietetic scholarships, providing funding to deserving students at all levels of study. More than 900 students have been awarded scholarships in the last five years, totaling nearly $1.4 million. Scholarship application materials are usually made available on the ADA web page each fall. For further information, please visit the ADA Foundation of the American Dietetic Association at www.adaf.org* to download copies of the 2008-2009 ADAF Scholarship Application and to see the 2007-2008 ADAF Foundation recipients. You can also visit the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org * NOTE:* The links above will take you outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs Website. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of the linked websites. Houston - VA dietetic interns are compensated through a stipend that's paid biweekly over the course of the internship. While the amount of the stipend is dependent on available funds and may vary from year to year, the amount being paid to the current MEDVAMC interns is approximately $13,120. Financial aid is available through TWU in the form of scholarships and student loans. A non-resident student who receives a competitive scholarship in the amount of $1,000 or more from TWU pays in-state tuition rates. Scholarships, fellowships and loans are also available for interns or graduate students from ADAF. San Diego - The California Dietetic Association (CDA) Foundation has a scholarship program for students who attended a California academic program. For more information, contact: California Dietetic Association, 7740 Manchester Avenue, Suite 102, Playa del Rey, CA 90293-8499 or www.dietitian.org/cdaf_home.htm*. Student LoansBay Pines - no info. Bronx - Financial aid is available for qualifying students through NYU for tuition, housing and other expenses that the stipend does not cover. Students are eligible to apply for scholarships and loans; full-time equivalency status is maintained for the twelve months of the internship. Interns requiring financial aid must file a FAFSA by February 1 to be eligible for loans and scholarships. For information and applications for financial aid, address inquiries to:
Cleveland - Dietetic interns are categorized by CWRU as full-time students and are eligible to apply for scholarships, fellowships and loans from any source for any part of the program. Some tuition assistance from CWRU may be available for the final semester of study. Chicago - no info. Houston - no info. Los Angeles - For those enrolled in the Combined MPH track only, financial aid is available from UCLA. Information can be found at http://www.fao.ucla.edu/. * Minneapolis - no info. San Diego - We do not offer student loans; some loans may be deferred during the internship period. San Juan - no info. ST LOUIS - The St. Louis DVAMC does not offer student loans. However, you may receive deferments for outstanding loans, if allowed by your lender. We can provide documentation of your status as a dietetic intern, or complete documents from the loan agency, to verify your status in an accredited certificate program. TAMPA - Our program does not grant loans. Our facility, however, is designated as an eligible institution for the purpose of granting to regular students at our institution an in-school deferment of repayment of Federal Family Education Program Loans and Federal Direct Student Loans.
Scholarships and fellowships are available for interns or graduate students from the American Dietetic Association Foundation. Applications should be requested from: Parking and TransportationDue to travel distance between facilities, interns are required to have a reliable form of transportation, a valid driver's license and liability insurance. Public transportation should not be relied on to get interns to and from rotation sites. Parking at the VA facilities is free. Interns also receive free parking at most rotation sites. On occasion, interns may be required to pay a parking fee to attend a field trip experience. Bay Pines - Due to travel distance between affiliations, interns are required to have a reliable form of transportation, a valid driver's license and liability insurance. Bay Pines VA Healthcare System and the affiliates do not charge a fee for parking. Bronx
Cleveland - There is no charge to park at the CVAMC Wade Park or Brecksville campus. Parking permits may be purchased for designated areas at CWRU. Dietetic interns are responsible for arranging their own transportation to and from the CVAMC and to affiliated hospitals. When traveling between the CVAMC Wade Park Unit and Brecksville Unit, dietetic interns may use the Medical Center shuttle service at specified times. A government car may be requested when assigned to travel a significant distance. Dietetic interns are included under terms of the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA). This provides coverage for injuries resulting from required travel (FPM Chapter 810, Injury Compensations, Subchapter 3, October 1986). Chicago - Interns are responsible for transportation to all work and meeting sites. Several of the affiliation sites are 20 - 30 miles from Hines, so access to a car during the internship is highly recommended. Public transportation is easily accessed in Chicago and nearby suburbs. However, if you do not plan to have a car during the internship, it is best to find an apartment close to one of the mass transit stops (elevated train stop, bus stop, etc.) For more information, please see Maps, Driving Directions, Parking Information. Los Angeles - A car is required for transportation to all rotations, affiliations and off station classes. Parking at the VA Medical Center is free. There is a fee for parking at UCLA. More detailed information about parking at UCLA can be found at http://www.transportation.ucla.edu/index.htm * San Diego -
San Juan - VA Transit Benefit Program (Urbane Public Train Transportation). Parking at VA Caribbean Healthcare (First come first serve). Tampa - Use of an automobile is required due to limited availability of public transportation in the Tampa area and the need for travel during some rotations. Limited parking is provided on premises and at a nearby local shopping mall with free shuttle bus service to and from the hospital. * Links above will take you outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs Website. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of the linked websites. |
