Applying for dietetic internships or RD programs can be a daunting task for many applicants. Here is everything you need to know about the application process!

First, review the list of dietetic internships or RD programs available

There are a lot of factors to consider when applying for a dietetic internship or RD program. Applicants should consider the type of internship, tuition, admission criteria, location, number of students accepted, and additional experience dietetic internship directors expect from applicants. 

Applying for dietetic internships using Dietetic Internship Centralized Application Service (DICAS)

DICAS is an online application system many dietetic internship programs use. The application system allows applicants to upload and submit all application materials in one location and select the specific dietetic internship programs they wish to apply to. 

DICAS

DICAS charges an initial fee of $45 for the first application and $20 for each additional application thereafter. Follow these steps to ensure your application is complete prior to pressing e-submit.

1. Create a DICAS account

DICAS holds two application periods each year, spring and fall. Application material from one period does not save to the next. You will be required to pay application fees again to re-apply.

2. Request official transcripts from the institution(s) that met degree and DPD requirements

An official transcript can be sent to DICAS through your institution’s registrar. You should complete these several weeks prior to when you plan to submit your application. A transcript is needed from any institution attended. Dietetic internship directors want to see grades from all degree and DPD courses. For detailed instructions on where to send official transcripts click here.

3. Upload DPD information

Applicants will enter their DPD director’s contact information and submit it to DICAS. This will allow the DPD director to submit a Verification Statement or Declaration of Intent to DICAS on your behalf. 

What is a Verification Statement?

A verification statement is a form your DPD director fills out verifying that you have met all program and degree requirements from an academy accredited DPD program. The form is mailed to students following completion of the DPD program. You should keep at least one original signed verification statement as part of their permanent record.   

What is a Declaration of Intent?

A declaration of intent is a form listing all of the courses that a student still needs to complete to fulfill program and degree requirements. This form verifies the student’s intent to complete the bachelor’s degree and/or ACEND’s minimum academic requirements. The form is signed by the director and uploaded to DICAS. This allows the student to begin applying for dietetic internships prior to graduation. 

4. Enter Coursework

Prior to entering grades you received on your transcript, you must first complete the section on colleges attended. Search the name of your institution(s) in which you received grades for degree and DPD courses. 

Entering Course List

You will upload your DPD course list provided by your DPD director. Once this is complete, you will be able to enter each course and its corresponding grade for each academic term. 

Entering Coursework

All DPD coursework must be entered under the correct semester exactly as it appears on your official transcript. If you repeated a class, you only need to include the higher of the two grades you received from the course. DICAS will then calculate your overall DPD professional and science GPAs. Refer to your GPA when considering internship programs to apply to, as many programs have minimum GPA requirements. 

  • Visit DICAS Coursework to learn more about entering course work and how to input foreign degree and DPD courses taken. 

5. Enter any awards, work experience, and volunteer experience

Describe any awards and work and volunteer experience you have in detail. While it may not be a requirement by the internship(s) that you are applying to, recognizing any activities that you partake in is a great way to stand out from other applicants. If work and/or volunteer experience are required, be sure to pay attention to required hours and document the total number of hours completed for each type of experience. 

6. Write, revise, and review your personal statement

Stay within the word count limit

The personal statement is undoubtedly the most important part of your application. This is where you are finally able to express your interest in a specific internship program as well as your personality. The personal statement should not exceed the 1,000-word count limit. It should be written in essay format, keeping in mind these five questions:

  1. Why do you want to enter the dietetics profession?
  2. Discuss experiences that have helped to prepare you for a career in dietetics.
  3. Explain your short-term and long-term goals?
  4. What are your strengths and weaknesses or areas needing improvement?
  5. Is there any other information do you consider important for the selection process?

Answer each question thoughtfully

Some internships might have additional questions which need to be addressed. Be sure to answer all questions in their entirety while staying within the word count limit. Most importantly, make reference as to why you would be the best candidate for the internship(s) you are applying to and how your skills and knowledge will add value to the program(s). When discussing your short and long-term goals, acknowledge how the dietetic internship(s) you are applying to will help to achieve these goals. 

Proofread

Lastly, proofread, proofread, and proofread again! To strengthen the quality of your essay and correct any errors have multiple people proofread it. Having even the smallest grammatical errors could be what places you at the bottom of the stack of applications. 

Dietetic internship and RD program directors have stacks of applications to review every year. You want to make sure that your personal statement leaves a positive memory when they are narrowing the applicant pool.

7. Update and upload your resume

A resume is a great way to illustrate your previous experiences, organizational skills, attention to detail, and writing ability. Include experiences relevant only to the internship program you are applying to (you may have more than one resume depending on the type and number of internships you are applying to). Be sure to upload your final resume on DICAS in the form of a PDF. 

8. Selecting References for Letters of Recommendation

Select three references who you believe will speak positively on behalf of your commitment to dietetics and refer to your skills, education, and performance in the field. Applicants must enter the contact information on each of three types of references: 

  1. A professor who is familiar with your academic work
  2. An employer from a time you worked in a dietetics related job 
  3. A reference of your preference

9. Application Certification

Check the appropriate boxes in DICAS and electronically sign the application to confirm the accuracy of the information provided. The name you sign with must match the name you provided when you created your DICAS account, as the electronic signature substitutes for your actual legal signature.  

10. Program Designations

In this section, you are able to designate which programs you plan to apply to. 

Add program designations

To add program designations on DICAS, select the state/province in which your internship is located in the state dropdown menu. Click on the checkbox that contains the program you plan to apply to. Upload the appropriate cover letter, resume, personal statement, and any additional required application materials at this time. Once complete, click submit to save your selection. Repeat the above steps if planning to apply to more than one internship program and remember to select the appropriate application materials. 

Removing program designations

Delete program designations by selecting the “delete” icon.

11. Submitting your DICAS Application

To submit your DICAS application, you will pay a final fee for each program. Please note that once you have submitted your application(s), you can make limited changes to your application. For more information regarding the submission process, please visit Submitting and Completing Your DICAS Application.  

Most importantly, keep track of each application’s due dates as deadlines may vary among programs!

Creating an Account and Using D&D Digital Systems

D&D Digital

To create a D & D account go to http://www.dnddigital.com and pay the registration fee. The applicant will then generate a prioritized list of each program they applied to in DICAS. This is done by ranking the preference level of each program from highest to lowest and submitting the list prior to the deadline. In turn, internships submit a ranked order of applicants with the exact number of applicant positions available in that program. 

Applicants are removed from the internship list if the applicant was not ranked on the internship’s final list. Internships are removed from the applicant’s list if the internship was not ranked on the applicant’s final list. An adjusted rank order list is created when an applicant and an internship pair up to fill holes once rank order lists are determined. 

For more information on D&D Digital, go to our blog on  D&D Digital- How it Works. 

Computer Matching

On Match Day, the applicant will sign into their D&D Digital account and view the results.

The matching process

A match occurs when the applicant’s highest-ranked internship program has that intern listed within one of their open slots. Once a match occurs, the matched applicant’s name will be removed from all other internship lists. Additionally, the number of unmatched applicants in the internship’s window will decrease by one. Unmatched applicants will be considered for their first rank order internship program, cycling through unmatched applicants until no further matches can be made. Internships are no longer possible once the internship class is full, or once the internship’s applicant list is empty. 

Appointment Day

The day following Match Day is Appointment Day. Applicants accepted into a program must contact the dietetic internship director prior to 6:00 PM to confirm acceptance (this time may change each year). The program is not obligated to hold openings for any applicant who fails to confirm their spot.

Applicants not matched to an internship

Beginning at 6:00 PM on Appointment Day, dietetic internships that still have openings can access the list of all unmatched applicants who gave permission to release their information if unmatched. Dietetic internship directors are then able to review the list and invite applicants on their original applicant list who did not match into the program or those unmatched by other programs who qualify for the program. Applicants invited into the program have until 8:00 PM the following day to accept or reject the offer made by the dietetic internship director. 

For more on what to do if you didn’t get matched, visit our blog here. 

P.S. Increase your chances of landing a spot in a dietetic internship or RD program by working with an expert coach! 100% of Get Matched Coaching clients were matched in 2021. Click here to learn and apply.