Dietetic Internship
Application Guide
Step 1:
Research Internships and Decide Where to Apply
Where to look:
• Online: Directory of
Dietetic Programs on the
ADA web site,
www.eatright.org
• Application Guide to
Supervised Practice
Experience (binder) on the
tables, FSHN Career Center
• The Dietetic Internships’
websites, open houses
Dietetics student looking through a copy of the
Application Guide to Supervised Practice Experience
provided in the FSHN Career Center, 106 Trout.
• Talk to Dietetics Faculty
• Talk to R.D.s and current
interns that you know.
Step 1:
Research Internships and Decide Where to
Apply
There are many considerations when deciding which
internships to apply to. You may want to make a
personalized chart similar to this one and include the
criteria you are using to narrow down your choices.
Location
MS Degree?
Total Cost
Start
Length of
Progam
Average Enrolled
GPA
Internship 1 Internship 2 Internship 3 Internship 4
Cincinnati, OH Chicago, IL Dallas, TX Danville, PA
No
Yes
Yes
No
September
June
August
September
43 weeks
49-52 weeks
40 weeks
42 weeks
3.6
>2.8
3.5
3.2
Step 2:
Obtaining Application Packet
1. Obtain application materials from each Dietetic
Internship (DI) program’s website. If they are
not available on the web, email or send a typed
letter (using standard business letter format) to
the program director requesting information and
an application packet.
2. Check to see if any of the dietetic programs
you’re interested in require the GRE (Graduate
Record Exam) for admission. If so, contact the
MSU Testing Center, 355-8385, for information on
when you can take the test and how to sign up.
Step 3:
Evaluation of Academic Materials
Planned Program of Study form *
Pick up this form from the dietetics secretary, Cherie Perkins. Fill it out and
have it signed by the dietetics adviser Linda Summers, then return it to Cherie.
The form lists your remaining courses and is used to type the official
Declaration of Intent form, which you’ll need for your internship
applications.
* Note that applicants who
have already graduated do
not need to fill out a
Planned Program of
Study form and will not
need the ADA Declaration
of Intent form.
Dietetics Adviser, Linda Summers, signs a Planned Program of Study form for a dietetics student.
Step 3:
Evaluation of Academic Materials, cont.
After the Planned Program of Study form is completed and turned in to
Cherie, she will give you folders for each of your possible internships. Each
folder includes a checklist. Fill out the checklists and return the folders to
Cherie so that she can use them to collect and organize your transcripts and
letters of recommendation that arrive in her office.
Secretary Cherie Perkins provides folders with checklists for each
internship to which the student plans to apply.
Step 3:
Evaluation of Academic Materials-behind the scenes
ADA Declaration of Intent form*
This form verifies that you intend to complete ADA approved minimum
requirements. Using information from the Planned Program of Study form,
Cherie will type the Declaration of Intent form and have it signed by you and
the MSU program director, Dr. Weatherspoon, and provide copies for each
internship application.
* Reminder: Applicants who
have already graduated do
not need the ADA
Declaration of Intent
form. You will need an ADA
Verification Statement
instead.
MSU Didactic Program Director, Dr. Lorraine Weatherspoon
Step 4:
Letters of Recommendation
1.
Decide whom to ask. (This may be specified by the DI program.)
Typically, you’ll need letters from 3 different professional people.
2.
3.
4.
Contact them in person or by email.
Arrange an in-person meeting with each letter writer.
Bring your letter-writers these items in a large manila envelope:
•
A filled-out Request for Letter of Recommendation form
•
Your resume of work experience and accomplishments
•
Self-evaluation and examples of qualities (listed on ADA
recommendation form)
•
Copies of the waiver form, one for each letter, signed in blue ink
•
One copy of ADA recommendation form for each letter-writer
•
Envelopes (business size, white #10) with following information
typed:
To:
(Name of DI Director and DI Program)
From: (Name of Letter Writer)
Re:
(Name of Applicant - you)
Step 4:
Letters of Recommendation, cont/
While most students will have the same 3 letter writers for all their applications,
some of you will need to ask a 4th person, depending on the instructions given
by specific internships, as illustrated in this table.
Internship 1
Professor in
Nutrition
Internship 2
Professor in
Nutrition
Internship 3
Professor in
Nutrition
Employer
Employer
Employer
Adviser or DPD
Director
Professor in
Food Service
Professor in
Food Service
Internship 4
Professor in
Nutrition
Adviser or DPD
Director
Professor in
Food Service
In this case, prepare 4 manila envelopes to give to your 4 letter writers that
contain all of the items listed on the previous slide.
Step 4:
Letters of Recommendation, cont.
FSHN faculty letter writers will give the completed letters of
recommendation to Cherie to add to your DI folders.
For non-FSHN writers, e.g. employers from other departments or
off-campus, you may choose either:
1. Pick up their letters of recommendation yourself, or
2. Have them mail their letters to Cherie Perkins, 106 Trout
FSHN Building, East Lansing, MI 48824-1224. (No postage
necessary for on-campus mailing)
We recommend that you pick up letters yourself from offcampus writers to save mailing costs.
Step 5:
Ordering Transcripts
1. Order official transcripts (typical cost=$5.00 each) from every
college/university you have attended. This may take several
weeks, so make sure you plan ahead.
2. You will need one transcript for each internship program
(unless the program requests additional copies, e.g. for
separate graduate program applications).
3. Request that each transcript be sent in a separate envelope,
with your name visible on the outside.
4. Have transcripts sent to the MSU dietetics program secretary,
Cherie Perkins. Some DI programs may consider a transcript
void if it is sent to a home address.
Continued, next page…
Step 5:
Ordering Transcripts, cont.
When you order transcripts, have them addressed as
follows:
Cherie Perkins
Re:___________ (your name)
106 Trout FSHN Building
East Lansing, MI 48824-1224
Note that (your name) is in the first address line.
Step 6:
Internship Application Form
After you have arranged for letters of recommendation and
transcripts to be sent, you may want to begin filling out the
Application Form.
Most programs use the standard ADA Dietetic Internship Application
Form (available from your adviser or www.depdpg.org). Type in
the form on your computer screen, then print it.
On page 6 of the DI Program
Application Form, you must list
your “DPD” courses and grades.
At MSU, the designated DPD
courses are … (see next page)…
Internship Application Form: “DPD” Courses
ANTR 350
BMB 200
CEM 141
CEM 143 (or 251 and 252)
CEM 161
CSE 101
FSC 342
MGT 325
PSL 250
PSY 101 (or EC 201 or EC
202 for some)
STT 200 or STT 201
HNF
HNF
HNF
HNF
HNF
HNF
HNF
HNF
150
300
320
375/377
400
406
440
444
HNF
HNF
HNF
HNF
HNF
HNF
HNF
445
453
461
462
465
466
467
Contact your adviser if
you have questions on
determining the DPD
grade point average;
e.g. with approved
substitute courses.
Step 7:
Letters of Application
• Each program requires a letter of application (personal
statement) written by the applicant.
• Many programs specify what information should be included
in the letter.
• After you have a basic letter, it can be modified to be
specific for each program.
• Some programs will state the maximum length of the letter.
• Type the letter unless the instructions say hand-written.
Tip: Do an internet search on the words “personal statement”. You’ll
find helpful websites with guidelines and ideas.
Step 7:
Letters of Application
Typically, what to include:
1. A statement or two specific to each program:
This shows that you have studied their brochure or website and that
you are really interested.
2. Statement of your short-term goal(s)
3. Statement of your long-term goals(s)
4. Work experience:
Do not list each job, but rather how the job helped you develop.
5. Some personal information:
i.e. family background, special interests and activities, honors or
awards, civic activities
6. Ending/Summary
Business Letter Style
Many internships specify using business style for the
letters of application. What does that mean?
Do an internet search for the term “business letter
style”, and you will find a number of helpful web
pages that describe the elements of a business style
letter. A business letter has 6 parts and at least a
one-inch margin on all sides.
A business letter does not mean
boring! An engaging story of how
and why you chose the dietetics
field is more effective.
Step 7:
Letters of Application
Where to get help:
1. Career Services & Placement, Student Services: Workshops are
provided to assist students in developing resumes and writing letters
of application. Our college’s field representative for career services is
Jill Cords, jcords@msu.edu. She’ll review your letter with you.
2. The DPD Program Director and other faculty
3. Friends, family, roommates, etc. (proof-readers)
Student Services Building
Step 8:
Sign up with D&D Digital
• D&D Digital is the firm contracted by ADA to select
students for internship appointments based on how both
students and internship programs rank each other.
• Sign up with D&D Digital online to participate in the
American Dietetic Association computer matching process:
http://www.dnddigital.com/.
• Pay the $50 fee.
• Enter your list of the internships to which you are applying
in your order of preference.
• You may change your choice of internships and rankings
as often as wish until the deadline -- which is the same
date as the application deadline in mid February (or late
September).
Step 9:
Submitting Your Application Packets
1. Check to make sure that:
• You have followed the directions from
each internship program very carefully. Do
they require any extra forms? Do they
have a check list that you need to enclose?
• If required, you have obtained money
orders (available from banks, grocery
stores, convenience stores, etc) to pay the
application fees.
2. Type the internship programs’ addresses on labels and
affix them to large mailing envelopes.
Continued, next page…
Step 9:
Submitting Your Application Packet, cont.
3. Make an appointment with Cherie (355-8474 x 118,
perkin57@msu.edu) in order to pick up your materials.
Most students find it helpful if Cherie assists them in
assembling their packets.
Bring your:
• Large addressed envelopes
• Applications
• Personal statements
• Checks or money orders
• Other forms if required
• Checklists.
Step 9:
Submitting Your Application Packet, cont.
4. Take your application packets to the post office and send
them by certified mail with a return receipt.
Step 10:
Appointment Phase
•Results from the matching
process will be available
from D&D Digital at 12:01
AM central time, mid April
(or mid November). You will
find out whether or not you
received a match via a
confidential, passwordprotected website.
•The message will tell you
which internship you
matched and how to accept
the appointment.
Step 11:
If You Receive a Match…
• In general, students who receive a match will accept it. It is not
advisable to decline a match in order to pursue appointment to
another dietetic internship program.
• After you have informed the program of your decision to accept
the appointment, it is important that you inform secretary Cherie
Perkins or the Program Director Dr. Weatherspoon, as soon as
possible about your decision and the name of the program to which
you received a match.
• If you were awarded an ADA Scholarship for your internship, you
must notify ADA of your internship placement as well.
(Occasionally, a student will have to decline due to an unexpected
change in health or family circumstances, etc.)
Step 11:
If You Don’t Receive a Match…
•Contact the MSU Program Director, Dr. Weatherspoon
as soon as possible.
•Don’t give up! There is still hope. Not all internships fill
during the match process. A few days after the match
date, those that still have openings will announce that
they are accepting secondary applications from students
who did not match initially.
•Many students order extra copies of their college
transcripts to have on-hand in case they do not match
on the first round. Faculty can easily print new copies of
letters of recommendation for students scrambling to
get new applications in the mail for 2nd round openings.
If you still don’t receive a match in the 2nd
round of applications…
Talk to Dr. Weatherspoon, Mrs. Summers, dietetics
faculty, and your family. Decide if you still want to
work toward becoming an R.D. If so, you’ll need to
figure out where you came up short and work on
correcting it. You may need to re-take courses
and/or add relevant work experience.
Alternatively, you could decide to look for a job in a
related area in which the R.D. credential is not
required, e.g. pharmaceutical sales, food service
management. Or, seek employment and/or further
training outside of the diet/nutrition fields.
Step 12:
Submit ADA Verification Statement
ADA Verification Statement
This document verifies completion of the ADA Approved
Minimum Academic Requirements and is required by each
Accredited Dietetic Internship. The ADA Verification Statement
is provided after your degree is conferred by MSU.
Cherie will automatically send a Verification Statement to the
internship program to which you matched and accepted…and
extra copies to you.
Past students: To obtain copies of the Verification Statement,
you must contact the secretary Cherie Perkins to fill out a
request form. She will need your: social security number, PID
number, date of graduation from MSU (day, month, year), and
an address to which to mail the verification statement.
Congratulations!
You’ve survived the dietetics internship application
process and are on your way to the next step toward
becoming a registered dietitian.
Copyright 2006, rev 2009. This presentation was developed by
dietetics student Rebecca Prause-Stachnik as an independent
study project guided by dietetics adviser Linda Summers.