Memphis VA Medical Center
Program Rotations and Schedule
Dietetic Internship Only Track
Length: 40 weeks (1340 Supervised practice Hours)
The standalone DI is a fulltime program with 40 hours of supervised practice scheduled per week. The Program starts in September and finishes in mid June. Typically, interns are scheduled Monday through Friday but may be asked to work an occasional weekend. In addition to supervised practice hours dietetic interns have assignments or readings to supplement the hands-on learning experience. Graduates are issued a verification statement after successfully completing the supervised practice hours and completing a research or quality improvement project.
Combined MS/Dietetic Internship Track
Length: 18 Months with 40 weeks of supervised practice (1240 Supervised Practice Hours)
The combined MS/DI program is a fulltime program with 36 hours of supervised practice per week combined with online class work. In addition to supervised practice hours and required coursework dietetic interns may have assignments or readings to supplement the hands-on learning experience. Graduates are issued a verification statement after successfully completing the supervised practice hours, completing a research or quality improvement project, and conferral of a graduate degree.
For more information contact tmhylton@ches.ua.edu and see the MS in Human Nutrition webpage. For a general overview of the program, click here. A more detailed Q&A session can be found here.
University of Alabama and Catherine Austin Dietetic Internship at the Memphis VA Course Schedule for Fall Match
1. Spring Semester (January): Start online MS Program and complete two online courses.
2. Summer Semester: Complete two online courses.
3. September: Interns will start rotations at the Memphis VA Medical Center
4. Fall Semester: Complete two online courses along with supervised practice
5. Spring Semester: Complete two online courses along with supervised practice.
6. Summer Semester: Complete two online courses
7. June: Supervised Practice Completed
8. Receive Verification Statement upon successful completion of both the graduate degree and dietetic internship.
Spring (Jan-mid May) |
Summer (June-early August) |
Fall (August-mid December) |
Spring (January- mid Ma) |
Summer (June-early August) |
NHM 566 NHM 587 |
NHM 509 NHM 572 |
NHM 585 or 588 POPH 522 |
NHM 585 or 588 NHM 573 |
Core Elective (NHM 567) NHM 597 Verification Statement |
University of Alabama and Catherine Austin Dietetic Internship at the Memphis VA Course Schedule for Spring Match:
1. Summer Semester: Start online MS program and complete two online courses
2. September: Interns will start rotations at the Memphis VA Medical Center
3. Fall Semester: Complete two online courses along with supervised practice
4. Spring Semester: Complete two online courses along with supervised practice
5. Summer Semester: Complete two online courses
6. June: Supervised Practice completed
7. Fall Semester: Finish remaining online graduate courses.
8. Receive Verification Statement upon successful completion of both the graduate degree and dietetic internship
Summer (June-early August) |
Fall (Aug-mid December) |
Spring (Jan-mid May) |
Summer (June-early August) |
Fall (Aug-mid December) |
NHM 566 NHM 587 |
NHM 585 or 588 NHM 509 |
NHM 585 or 588 POPH 522 |
Core Elective (NHM 530 555, or 567) NHM 562 |
NHM 561 Capstone 597 Verification Statement |
Course descriptions can be found on the University of Alabama's website.
Dietetic Interns - Class of 2023
Supervised Practice Calendar 2021-2022
Planned Experience |
Number of Weeks |
Orientation: September 11, 2023-September 22, 2023 |
2 |
Clinical Rotations (9 weeks) | |
Inpatient Medicine |
2 |
Geriatrics, Palliative Care, and Medicine |
3 |
Spinal Cord Injury, Wound Healing, and Medicine |
2 |
Mental Health and Substance Abuse |
1 |
Nutrition Support/Critical Care/Surgery |
3 |
Community/Outpatient Rotations (12 weeks) |
|
Outpatient Nutrition Clinic and Telehealth |
2 |
Oncology |
2 |
Intensive Diabetes Management Rotation |
2 |
Home Based Primary Care |
1 |
Renal/Dysphagia |
2 |
Women's Health/HTK |
1 |
Church Health | 1 |
Food Service Systems/Management (4 weeks) |
|
Clinical Management |
2 |
Food Service Systems |
3 |
Maternal/Infant/Pediatrics (1 week) | |
Introduction to Pediatrics (didactic and workshops) |
1 |
Research Rotation (1 week) | |
Research |
1 |
Special Interest Rotations: | |
Elective Rotation | 1 |
Staff Experience and Special Interest Rotations |
4 |
Professional Development Week: |
1 |
Didactic Class Week and TN Annual Meeting/Hill Day |
|
Vacation: Interns will accrue a total of 80 hours of vacation and will work with director to schedule in advance |
|
Holidays: Interns will be off on all Federal holidays including Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President's Day and Memorial Day |
|
Clinical and Community/Outpatient Rotations
The Catherine Austin Dietetic Internship at the Memphis VA Medical Center has a strong concentration in clinical skills. Dietetic interns have opportunities to develop their analytical skills, utilize the nutrition care process and get an in-depth education on managing patients with complicated medical histories. Our dietetic interns serve in multiple settings including our Dialysis, Cardiology, Spinal Cord Injury Unit, Medical and Surgical Intensive Care Units and a Geriatric Rehab Facility. Interns will be provided with an opportunity to learn counseling skills in a variety of settings including our American Diabetes Association (ADA) Recognized Diabetes Education program, MOVE! Program, metabolic syndrome clinics, outpatient clinics, healthy teaching kitchen, and home based primary care. The Memphis VA Medical Center is also a regional center for women's health and caters to female Veterans of a variety of ages. Opportunities for rotations at Church Health, University of Tennessee Health Science Research, and UT Center for Developmental Disabilities may also be available. As dietetic interns are considered employees of the Medical Center and are provided a stipend to cover living expenses 85% of rotations must take place at the Memphis VA Medical Center.
Management Rotations
The food service systems management experiences are planned to give the intern experience in a variety of food service and management situations. In-depth experience involving food service production, staff training, quality assurance and financial management are incorporated into the rotation.
Affiliate Rotations
Offsite rotations, field trips and seminars are evaluated each year and may change based on site availability and OAA approval.
Staff Relief
The final component of the dietetic internship is staff relief. This is when the dietetic intern assumes the role of the registered dietitian. Each intern will be allowed to choose their field of interest for staff relief and optional rotations. This experience is designed to allow the intern to utilize the counseling, assessment and communication skills they have acquired during the internship while developing their leadership and time management skills. Our goal is for every intern that graduates from our internship is fully prepared and ready to assume the responsibilities and challenges of a registered dietitian.