Loma Linda Program Introduction
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Program Introduction
Dear Applicant,
Thank you for your interest in our Dietetic Internship Program. The VA Loma Linda Healthcare System is a newly developed Dietetic Internship Program that has been granted Candidacy for Accreditation Status by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). The VA Loma Linda Healthcare System Dietetic Internship Program (VALLDIP) is a stand-alone DI program accepting its first year of interns in the Spring of 2026 with a pending internship start date in August of 2026.
The program will be available to eligible students who have completed a minimum of a master’s degree from a US accredited university or college and have received an official verification statement to be eligible for internship placement. The program length is 38 weeks with a combination of supervised practice and alternate supervised practice experiences that total 1,120 hours. The concentration of the program will be leadership in clinical and food service management.
We currently serve over 78,000 veterans. The healthcare system has met the needs of the community providing services at 10 locations serving San Bernardino and Riverside counties in California, including the Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Hospital in Loma Linda, Ambulatory Care Center in Redlands, the North Loma Linda VA Clinic and 7 community-based outpatient clinics. The 159-bed teaching hospital at VA Loma Linda Healthcare System offers a full range of services with state-of-the-art technology as well as education and research and includes a 110-bed Community Living Center. The foodservice department within the medical center is also planning on expanding their services by transitioning to room service and is looking into a full-scale kitchen remodel within the next 5 years. A full-service retail cafeteria is also available to staff and guests.
Due to our growing healthcare system and population, there is a direct need for skilled and entry-level dietitians. Our program will support this need by providing cutting edge research & technology, evidenced based practice, and exceptionally experienced guidance to provide an enhanced learning environment that fosters skill and leadership within healthcare, nutrition, and food service professions.
The process to obtaining and maintaining your Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) is as follows:
- First complete an undergraduate or graduate ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD). The DPD provides all the prerequisite and core dietetic courses needed for preparation for the supervised practice portion of the RDN training.
- The supervised practice portion is completed during the dietetic internship which is the second step to becoming an RDN. This step requires you to apply for, and complete an ACEND-accredited Dietetic Internship program.
- After successful completion of a dietetic internship, you must then take and pass the national Registration Examination for the RDN credential, which is administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). Effective January 1, 2024, the CDR will require a minimum of a graduate degree to take the Dietetic Registration Exam.
- Once you have passed the exam you may need to apply for state licensure. You can find out what states require state licensure by viewing the state licensure map on the Commission on Dietetic Registration website. Federal employment does not require state licensure.
You will also need to maintain a minimum of 75 CPEUs every 5 years. More information about maintaining competence and your Professional Development Portfolio (PDP) can be found at CDRs website.
Accreditation
Our eligibility application process has been completed and we have been granted Candidacy for Accreditation status by ACEND as of October 29th, 2025. The program is accepting applications at this time for the 2026/2027 academic year.
For more information about the ACEND accreditation standards visit 2022 Standards and Templates (eatrightpro.org).
Accreditation Status: Candidate for Accreditation
Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)
120 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190
Chicago, IL 60606-6995
312-899-0040 or 800-877-1600 ext. 5400
http://www.eatrightPRO.org/ACEND
Contact Jessica Brantley-Lopez, MBA, RDN, at jessica.brantley-lopez@va.gov for more information.
Sincerely,
Jessica Brantley-Lopez MBA RDN
Dietetic Internship Director | Nutrition and Food Service Department
VA Loma Linda Healthcare System
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
