James A. Haley Tampa VA Hospital
Application Procedure
Requirements. A maximum of 6 interns are appointed annually. Applicants must meet the following minimum criteria:
- A baccalaureate degree from a regionally ACEND accredited dietetics program
- DPD verification statement from the baccalaureate degree program director
- A graduate degree (masters or doctoral level) with official transcript of terminal degree or letter of intent to complete a graduate degree
- U.S. Citizenship is required in order to apply for a Department of Veterans Affairs dietetic internship appointment.
Internship Application Process
The Anne Brezina Dietetic Internship participates in the Spring selection through centralized internship application, DICAS (https://dicas.liaisoncas.com/)
- Application window: September 1, 2025 – January 15, 2026 (11:59 PM ET)
- DICAS fee: $50 for the first program, $25 for each additional
- No application fee for our program
- Personal statement which includes 1) reasons for applying to our program, 2) why you became interested in the field of dietetics, 3) short-term and long-term professional goals, and 4) personal attributes that would contribute to the program and the profession. This can count for your DICAS personal statement.
- Official transcript(s) from all universities and colleges attended should be sent to the below address. Note: this may take time and each applicant should allow plenty of time for transcripts to be received.
DICAS-Transcript Dept.
PO Box 9118
Watertown, Ma 02472 - DPD Verification Statement or declaration of intent to complete a degree or DPD Verification Statement
- Three letters of recommendation uploaded to the DICAS website. References should include academic faculty and a work or supervisor reference. When completing the application, applicants must include the name and contact information (specifically an e-mail address) for three references. This will trigger an e-mail message requesting completion of a reference form. The form will be completed on-line by your reference.
Application Review and Interview:
Applications of qualified candidates will be reviewed by an internship selection committee and scored initially based on: work experience, volunteer experience, academic achievements, reference letters and letter of application. The top candidates will be interviewed by phone using performance-based interviewing.
Additional Requirements for all Appointees
Appointees will need to provide proof of immunization status and complete a physical examination (at the appointee's expense). The physical examination will include documentation of vaccinations for healthcare workers as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The physical examination must be satisfactory in order to be accepted into the Dietetic Internship Program. Should the physical examination be unsatisfactory, no part of the expense involved in reporting or returning home can be borne by the Federal Government. The Federal Government does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, age or disability. As part of the Federal Government's onboarding process, a background check is completed at no cost to the appointee. Males must have registered for Selective Service or be exempt to be eligible to be admitted into the program. Males will be required to provide verification of status through Selective Service Online Registration Search.
Distance Education
Supervised practice rotations are primarily onsite. The Outpatient Nutrition Counseling rotations may include a hybrid schedule of onsite clinic visits some days and virtual clinic visits on other days according to the preceptor clinic schedule. Although the clinic visit is held virtually, the intern will be onsite using VA telehealth applications with both a preceptor in the "virtual room" and a preceptor onsite to assist with technology or additional instruction as needed. Some class days may include distance education and for those days, interns will need their own personal computer and internet capability. The organization provides a webcam with a built-in microphone as well as a headset if needed that requires USB connectors on the personal laptop. To be successful, interns will need internet connectivity at a speed to support Microsoft Teams calls. No additional costs are incurred related to distance education.
