Dietetic Internship Program
Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What are the steps to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)?
2. How are interns selected, and what other criteria are you looking for in an ideal applicant?
3. If I don't get accepted into the Combined Program Track, can I still be considered for the Non-Degree Program Track?
4. If I am accepted into the VAGLA DI, where should I live?
5. Will I need a car to be a VAGLA Dietetic Intern?
6. Why are there floating breaks in the Non-Degree Program?
1. What are the steps required to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)?
- Completing a minimum of a bachelor’s degree at a U.S. regionally accredited university or college or foreign equivalent, and coursework through an ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) or Coordinated Program (CP) in Dietetics.
- Completing 1200 hours of supervised practice through an ACEND accredited Dietetic Internship, CP in Dietetics or an Individualized Supervised Practice Pathway (ISPP) offered through an ACEND-accredited program.
- Passing a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).
Applicants to the dietetic internship program must have completed a DPD and at least a bachelor's degree (step 1) before entry into the VAGLA DI program. The VAGLA DI provides the supervised practice (step 2) for becoming a RDN. Graduates of our program are eligible to sit for the CDR Registration Examination for Dietitians, the third step required for becoming a RDN.
Effective January 1, 2024, the CDR will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a RDN. In order to be approved for registration examination eligibility with a bachelor’s degree, an individual must meet all eligibility requirements and be submitted into CDR's Registration Eligibility Processing System (REPS) before 12:00 midnight Central Time, December 31, 2023. For more information about this requirement visit CDR's website: https://www.cdrnet.org/graduatedegree. In addition, CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in program(s) accredited by the ACEND. Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited VAGLA DI are eligible to apply to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN.
In most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice. For more information about state licensure requirements click here.
For more information about educational pathways to become a RDN click here.
2. How are interns selected, and what other criteria are you looking for in an ideal applicant?
An interview before the selection committee is required. You are encouraged to be available for a personal interview; however, telephone interviews will be conducted for students unable to attend in person.
The selection criteria are as follows:
- Academic Achievement
- Content of Personal Statement
- Letters of Recommendation
- Work Experience, both paid and volunteer
- Leadership in Campus, Community
- Professional Activities
- Awards and Honors
- Interview Performance
- Recent Education (if applicable)
Therefore, maximizing your application packet in the above mentioned areas is the best way to prepare for applying.
3. If I don't get accepted into the university for the Combined Master's Program Track, can I still be considered for the Non-Degree Program track?
Not unless you also applied for the Non-Degree Program Track. We can only consider your application for the program track(s) you applied to. If you want to be considered for multiple program tracks, you must apply to each program track separately.
4. If I am accepted into the VAGLA DI, where should I live?
The West Los Angeles campus is the primary location for supervised practice rotations. Interns also may be assigned to rotations downtown at the Los Angeles Ambulatory Care Center (15 miles east of the West LA campus) and the Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center in the San Fernando Valley (15 miles North of the West LA campus) in addition to affiliated sites. Recommended areas to look for housing would include: Brentwood, Culver City, Manhattan Beach, Mar Vista, Palms, Redondo Beach, Santa Monica, Torrance, Venice, Westchester.
5. Will I need a car to be a VAGLA Dietetic Intern?
Yes, rotations can occur at any VA Greater Los Angeles location as well as at affiliations within the Greater Los Angeles area. In addition, interns attend classes provided by the Greater Los Angeles Dietetic Internship Consortium and locations are spread throughout the Greater Los Angeles area. Significant commuting is part of the program and requires reliable transportation.
6. Why are there floating breaks in the Non-Degree Program track?
Incorporating floating days off in the Non-Degree Program Track allowed for more scheduling flexibility to accommodate our current class size. Two weeks of break are fixed at the end of the calendar year where interns can make vacation plans. The other 16 days are floating and are used to accommodate scheduling problems arising from staffing shortages, maternity leave, jury duty etc. Without including these floating breaks, we faced permanently reducing the total number of interns per class.
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7. If I'm already enrolled in a master's program at CSULB or CSUN, can I still apply to the Combined MS Optional Program Track?
Interns in the Combined MS Optional track are required to be enrolled full-time at the university for the first year of the program. The second year of the program, they are completing supervised practice rotations while completing university requirements for the master's degree and are only required to be enrolled part-time. If you are just getting started with your master's degree coursework and can meet the above enrollment requirements, enrolled full-time for the first year and part-time for the second year, then you can be considered for the Combined MS Optional Program track. If you have completed more coursework and cannot meet the above enrollment requirements, the Combined MS track is not appropriate for you.
