United States
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Dietetic Internship
 

MICHAEL E. DEBAKEY VA MEDICAL CENTER COMBINED MASTERS DEGREE & DIETETIC INTERNSHIP

Program Overview

The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (MEDVAMC) has been in existence for over 56 years, graduating its first class in 1952. For more than 30 years, the program has been coordinated with Texas Woman's University providing students with an edge in today's competitive job market. This Combined Master of Science Degree-Dietetic Internship is a 16-month program that allows interns to become a Masters prepared Registered Dietitian in a relatively short time frame. Our program prepares entry-level dietitians through an integrated approach that reinforces and builds upon the required Dietetics academic preparation.

Eight interns are accepted each year but this may vary with available funding. The program offers a unique opportunity to study nutrition both in the classroom and in a variety of healthcare environments. Upon graduation from the program, the intern will be registry eligible. Completion of the Master of Science degree in Nutrition provides an edge in today's competitive job market.

Curriculum

During the first 11 months of the program, interns participate in a wide variety of learning experiences which are focused on clinical dietetics, food service systems management and administration, community nutrition, wellness, and business and industry. Professional conferences and seminars allow for additional training. Dietetic interns learn under the direction of an experienced staff of dietitians whose expertise and specialties include:

  • Oncology
  • Cardiovascular medicine
  • Renal disease
  • Surgery
  • Transplantation
  • Primary care
  • Long-term care
  • Rehabilitative medicine
  • Home-based care
  • Specialized nutrition support
  • Weight Management
  • Wellness
  • Pediatrics
  • Community

Supervised practice experiences and course work are combined during the first eleven months of the program. Interns attend classes two days per week and spend the remainder of the week at MEDVAMC or on affiliation with another training site. Weekends are usually free. After the initial 11-month period, the intern is eligible to write the registration examination of the American Dietetic Association. The latter 4 months of the program are devoted to academic study and the completion of a thesis or professional paper.

About the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center

The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center is one of the largest facilities in the VA system. The facility and its leadership have received many national awards. Each academic year, more than 1,000 students receive training at MEDVAMC. In addition to dietetic interns, health care students from fields such as nursing, social work, physical therapy, pharmacy, and a wide range of medical and surgical specialties receive training at MEDVAMC. To learn more, visit the facility's website.

Program Completion:

  • Satisfactorily completes all unit rotations in the supervised practice experience.
  • Registers for required courses at TWU-Houston using suggested curriculum for fall, spring and summer terms; maintains GPA and grades in accordance with established minimums
  • Completes all assignments by established deadlines
  • Completes staff relief experience, including walking rounds, with an overall satisfactory performance rating based on established criteria
  • Pays all fees necessary to attend required meetings, purchase needed resources, and to complete other activities as needed
  • Attends all field trips, workshops and seminars as scheduled during the year
  • Returns all government-issued or borrowed property at the conclusion of the program
  • Abides by all applicable laws governing the conduct of government employees including trainees

Accreditation

The program is currently granted continued Accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of the American Dietetic Association (CADE).

Address:

Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of the American Dietetic Association
120 S Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000
Chicago, IL 60606-6995
Telephone: (312) 899-0040 or (800) 877-1600

Compliance with Equal Opportunity Programs

The Dietetic Internship is in compliance with the institutional equal opportunity policies/programs:

It is the policy of the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and Texas Woman's University to provide Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) for all qualified persons; to prohibit discrimination in employment because of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin or handicap; to maintain a work environment that is free of any form of unlawful discrimination, including sexual harassment; to promote a positive, continuing affirmative program designed to eradicate barriers to employment and to achieve a representative work force, with special emphasis on minorities, women, handicapped individuals and disabled veterans; to recognize the special employment needs and problems of women and Hispanics, making the Federal Woman's Program and the Hispanic Employment Program integral parts of the total EEO program; and to provide for the prompt, fair and impartial review and adjudication of complaints involving issues of discrimination.