Dietetic Internship Program

James H. Quillen VA Medical Center

Applicant Information for the Dietetic Internship

The James H Quillen VA Medical Center (JHQVAMC) Dietetic Internship Program participates in the SPRING on-line centralized internship application process, DICAS, which may be accessed at https://portal.dicas.org. The DICAS application fee is $65. There is NO SEPARATE APPLICATION FEE for our program.

Applicants must also register online for computer matching at www.dnddigital.com and rank your dietetic internship priority choices per the deadline established by D&D Digital Systems. There is a computer matching fee of $55. (NOTE: Please check with D&D Digital and DICAS regarding correct procedures and Spring Match application dates).  

Internship Application Deadlines – Spring
Mid-February

• Submit application to DICAS and register with D&D Digital. The Program Codes for the JHQ VAMC  Dietetic Internship are: DICAS and D&D Digital-1050 (dietetic internship) and 1085 (dietetic internship and master pathway). 
• Refer to the DICAS and D&D Digital websites for specific dates and details.

Early April

• Match/Notification Day. Applicant matching results are posted on the D&D Digital website. Notification Day- Beginning 6:00pm CDT on Sunday, April 7th through Monday April 8th (Appointment Day) applicants will find their matching results.
• Match/Appointment Day. Matched applicants must confirm acceptance of the match with the Program Internship Director as instructed in the Appointment Procedure section below. Appointment Day – Monday, April 8 on or before 6:00pm EST.
• Refer to the DICAS and D&D Digital websites for specific instructions.
• A DICAS and Computer Match Process Overview handout can be found on the ACEND website

at: EatRightPro PDF

Admission Requirements

 The James H Quillen VA Medical Center has established the admission requirements as outlined below.  These can also be found on our website at www.dieteticinternshipva.gov/

• United States citizen.
• Grade point average of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale for both the cumulative GPA and the nutrition/dietetics-specific classes, undergraduate and graduate coursework.
• Completion of an ACEND approved Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD).
• Mastery of the English language (reading, writing, speaking and comprehension)
• Education Requirements:
  • Combined Dietetic Internship and Master's Degree option: 
    • minimum of a bachelor's degree
    • Acceptance into University of Alabama MS program
  • Dietetic Internship Only option:  Minimum of a master's degree

Students whose DPD verification statements are five (5) years or older are required to complete a minimum of 3 academic courses to 'refresh' their preparation for this program. Courses may be taken at the undergraduate or graduate level from any accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's program in nutrition. One course must address principles of advanced nutrition therapy; one course must be in biochemistry or other biological study related to human metabolism and one course must be in research or statistical methods. Transcripts must reflect a minimum grade of "B" in each course.
Students have the opportunity to take the listed required ‘refresh’ courses with our affiliated university, University of Alabama. Those interested in this option will be enrolled in the comparable classes during their first year of the MS and DI combined program. Students must show a minimum grade of “B” in each of the courses indicated below to proceed to their second year with JHQ VAMC DI Program  and participate in supervised practice. Should student be found in poor academic standing, a remediation plan will be discussed with JHQ VAMC DI Director, UA Graduate Director and student.

Applicant Review

Two to four interns are appointed/matched annually to the MS /DI option and two interns with master’s degrees are matched with the DI-only option, which varies based on applicants, for a total of 4 interns per year. A selection committee, which consists of the dietetic internship director and staff dietitians who serve as preceptors, will review applications, and interview the final candidates. The committee looks for well-rounded individuals with a solid dietetic knowledge base, awareness and understanding of our program concentration, professional goals that match our program, well developed verbal and written communication skills, and who have demonstrated maturity and a solid work ethic. Applications of qualified candidates will be reviewed and scored on GPA, work experiences, volunteer experiences, letters of recommendation and the personalized statement/letter of application. The top candidates will be contacted and interviewed by phone using the Performance-Based Interviewing method. No in-person interviews are conducted. It is highly recommended that applicants selected for an interview review the following website to learn about the performance-based interview process and how to prepare. There are 4 interview levels discussed. Applicants should focus on the first level only.   https://www.va.gov/pbi/ 

Requirements

•A minimum Total GPA of 3.25.

1. Letter of application/personal statement: Your letter should include the following:
2. Length of 1000 words or less describing your career goals and reasons for applying to our program. You may also follow the DICAS guidelines and suggestions.
3. Elaborate on relevant work and volunteer experience. Experience is a factor that is weighted in the selection of candidates. Non-dietetic related work experience may also be included on your application. If the bulk of your work experience is not related to dietetics, you may wish to explain in your personal letter of application how it transfers to dietetics.
4. Describe extracurricular activities related to dietetics. These may include volunteer experiences, food drives, student dietetic club membership, nutrition educational materials and/or classes you have developed, mission work, etc. Describe how these activities/experiences have affected you and will benefit you in your career as a dietitian. Do NOT include Practicum experiences as required by your school program. If your extracurricular activities are limited or not dietetics-related, please explain and/or describe how these experiences are beneficial to your future as a dietitian.
5. As part of the personal statement, applicants should explain their reasons for entering the dietetics profession and write a response for EACH of the following four (4) questions: 

        Q1. What do you see yourself doing 5 years from now as a practicing dietitian?
        Q2. What personal or professional experiences have you had that you feel will prepare you for that job?
        Q3. What characteristics or aspects of our program do you feel will help you achieve your career goals? Explain how you will benefit. (i.e., Why are you applying to our program?)
        Q4. What areas  of professional and personal growth would you like to enhance or work on during the internship? (i.e., What are your strengths and weaknesses?) Explain where you are now and how you woudl like to continue to develop in these areas. 

 Letters of recommendation
A total of three letters of recommendation should be submitted to DICAS. Two should be from college professors/instructors and one should be from a work or volunteer supervisor. Letters must have been written within the past 12 months. DO NOT send more than three letters.

Citizenship and Education
Applicants must complete the minimum academic requirements set forth by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). All applicants must be a U.S. citizen at the time of the application submission. Green cards/work VISAs are not acceptable. If selected, proof of citizenship, such as a U.S. passport, birth certificate, or Certificate of Naturalization is required as part of Federal Government paperwork. Applicants must be able to read, write and speak English fluently and clearly.

Record of Prior Learning
Applicants must have completed the requirements of an ACEND accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) and hold a bachelor's from an accredited college or university.  Official transcripts indicating the date of confirmation of your degree plus a Verification Statement of Program Completion are required prior to the start of the internship. In addition, applicants must show proof of a completed master’s degree or enrollment in the UA Master’s Program in Human Nutrition. Please note that no credit will be given for previously obtained learning or work experiences prior to entering the internship program. 

Appointment Procedure
Applicants matched to the JHQVAMC Dietetic Internship Program must contact the Dietetic Internship Director, Lindsay Howell, via telephone at 423-979-2678, by the established deadline, to confirm acceptance of the match. It is recommended to call before 11:00 a.m. EST but no later than 4:30 EST. DO NOT LEAVE A VOICEMAIL MESSAGE. After this time, the program is under no obligation to hold the opening for the matched applicant. Appointees MUST ALSO RESPOND IN WRITING via email to Lindsay.Howell@va.gov within 24 hours of the telephone communication of their acceptance or rejection of the appointment.  A letter will be sent to appointees confirming the dietetic internship appointment/match. 

Appointees must be both physically and mentally able to perform the responsibilities of a dietetic intern safely and efficiently. These responsibilities include, but are not limited to, navigating a fast-paced hospital environment, completing complex cognitive tasks, some lifting and bending, driving 30 miles or more to offsite clinics and affiliate sites, rigorous clinical rotations, working while on your feet in a food production kitchen and various dining areas, interacting with inter-professional teams, successfully handling competing personal and professional demands, and completing projects by their due date.  Appointees must provide proof of a physical exam within the past year documenting that you are in satisfactory physical condition and able to meet the requirements of the program. A physical examination at a Department of Veterans Affairs facility may be requested by the appointee prior to reporting for duty, at no cost to the appointee, if available. Should the physical examination be unsatisfactory, the appointee/intern will be dismissed, and no part of the expense involved in reporting to JHQVAMC or returning home can be borne by the Federal Government. Immunization records documenting COVID-19, MMR, Tdap and varicella (chicken pox) vaccinations is also required.

As part of the Federal Government's paperwork and appointment process, the following is required at no cost to the intern: (a) a background check; (b) TB testing; (c) Hepatitis A and/or B vaccination; and (d) random drug screening may also be done. A flu vaccination is also required and provided prior to flu season, at no cost to the appointee/intern. All dietetic interns must pass the suitability and security investigation (criminal background check) in accordance with VHA policies and procedures by the internship entry date. If not passed, appointees will not be allowed to begin the dietetic internship.

 Note: Currently, an additional background check and drug testing is mandatory for admission to some affiliate community rotations. The intern will be contacted by the affiliate site and is responsible for completing the required tests. The cost is paid by the affiliate site and the results sent directly to the affiliate site. The JHQVAMC is not involved in this process and does not receive the test results. However, if the intern is not allowed to participate in the rotation due to the test results, the intern may be dismissed from the internship program. This will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

For the 2023-25 MS University of Alabama / DI academic year, the program will begin in mid-August 2023 with coursework at UA. DI supervised practice will begin in mid- August 2024 and conclude in mid-April 2025. University of Alabama coursework completion is mid-May 2025; MS-DI graduation will follow in mid-May 2025.
For the 2023-24 DI-only supervised practice year, the program will begin in mid-August 2023. Graduation will be in mid-May 2024.

 James H Quillen VA Medical Center Dietetic Internship is operated in a federal facility that is compliant with all federal laws and regulations guided by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regarding diversity, equity and inclusion. Recruitment and admission policies of the internship program will comply with these laws and regulations and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, gender, national origin, disability, or age.