Stand out with the best dietetic grades! These effective tips will help land you on the dean’s list and increase your chances of matching to your top dietetic internship.
It’s Tuesday, and you’ve already taken your fourth exam for the week, have a lab project due in organic chemistry tomorrow, and two presentations on Thursday. I feel you! Nutrition and Dietetics is an intriguing major but challenging one. As a recent graduate and future dietitian, here are a few tips that helped me survive the busy undergraduate workload.
Organize, Organize, Organize!
Every dietetics major understands the importance of staying organized during the semester. It is easy to fall behind and feel lost between meeting lab report deadlines, biochemistry exams, and submitting diagrams of micronutrient metabolism pathways. Keeping a planner and updating it is one way to stay on top of deadlines. A simple planner won’t cut it in this major; it will need to be loaded with details, deadlines, and study times.
In my undergraduate experience, I found it helpful to organize my planner around study times. To prevent over-studying (yes, that’s a thing!) and under-studying, I planned to study in 1-hour increments, sectioning off 45-minute studying blocks using the other 15 minutes to give my brain a break. By scheduling study times and staying organized, I felt that I was ahead of assignments and deadlines, which paid off in the long run.
Utilize Your Tools
We buy textbooks, lab books, and nutrition manuals because they are required of us, but what if we utilize them? One of my turning points in undergraduate was when I started using my materials. Simply reading the chapters before class and reviewing questions at the end almost always led to me acing the exam. I noticed professors pull a lot of study questions from the book or use them to form questions. Reviewing the PowerPoints won’t cut it.
Study Well and Study Often
How do you learn the material effectively? Did you know that everyone realizes differently? Strategies that work for some don’t work for others. That’s why it is crucial to figure out how YOU retain information. This will be important for the registration exam as well. Be sure to check out Pass the Exam Prep, powered by the Study Smarter Method, to help you ace the board exam when your time comes. Science is not a subject that can be memorized, so it’s essential to comprehend the information thoroughly. Personally, speaking out loud (sometimes to my dog) always helped me learn the material. If you can walk through the steps of a process, like the Krebs cycle, then you have a strong understanding of the concept. If that weren’t effective, I would break out the whiteboard. Yes, I was one of those students! Writing can be an effective way to retain information and rock a nutrition exam.
As mentioned earlier, over-studying can happen. I found myself constantly over-studying in courses without even realizing it. The frustrating part is that after 45 minutes, the brain retains less information, which may mean you’re wasting time. If you find yourself stuck on a subject, reach out for help. Getting a second perspective can be helpful and make a difference in your grade. I utilized my professors and graduate assistance whenever I felt stuck, and I’m thankful I did.
Review, Review, Review!
Sometimes I got picked on because I would always request to review my exams, even when I made the highest grade. I think we don’t give review sessions the recognition they deserve. The main reason being is it’s so important to see what areas you are strong in and those you are weak in and may need extra practice. One perk of being a dietetics major is having nearly all comprehensive finals *cue the excitement.* Reviewing exams is important because you WILL see the information again on semester finals and possibly the registration exam, so make sure you evaluate your areas of understanding. I know that stinging feeling when you study all month for your macro exam, only to see you did less than average. It can be discouraging! Don’t brush it off. Review the exam, see where you need to improve, invest in a tutor, and better yourself. Your future dietitian self will thank you!
These tips sound do-able, right? I wouldn’t have been as successful in undergraduate without them. Studying effectively is such an important skill because it determines your GPA, dietetic internship acceptance, and passing the board exam.
I hope these tips will be useful and help you succeed as a future dietitian! Let us know if you used any of these tips or have any of your own effective studying strategies.
P.P.S. 100% of Get Matched Coaching clients were matched to a dietetic internship in 2021. This can be you, too! Click here to see all that’s included.
What are the top three things applicants can do (besides good grades and getting experience) to stand out?
In terms of DICAS, we review all aspects of the application to obtain the whole picture of each applicant. Strong applicants tend to have certain qualities:
– Passion. It is evident when applicants demonstrate their passion for the dietetics field by illustrating compelling stories in their statement.
– Communication skills. Strong written and oral communication skills are essential for success in our program, and we score these qualities in the DICAS application and the interview.
– Be organized. We can tell when applicants have been intentional with all aspects of their application and are thinking about being an intern. We require applicants to obtain their rotations, and the rotation schedule is a straightforward tool we use to assess the applicant’s ability to plan and organize their future internship experience.
In general, applicants may reach out via email (attach a resume!) and attend one of our Virtual Open House events. These avenues allow applicants to get to know our program in more detail and ask any questions they may have.
What are one or two common mistakes you see applicants make?
It is clear when an applicant has not had anyone else review their application. If we see typos or another program name listed in the personal statement, we assume the applicant is not serious about our program. More than you would think, we see sections of the DICAS application left empty such as volunteer or work experience and honors and activities. Still, the applicant will have included these experiences on their resume. If an applicant sends an email inquiry and asks an obvious question on our website, it shows they did not research our program ahead of sending the email. Attention to detail like completing all portions of DICAS, reviewing documents for errors, and intentionally planning an email is essential for success in our program.
What are the benefits of a distance dietetic internship?
There are many benefits to a distance dietetic internship program! The most tangible benefit is that each intern has the opportunity to create their own educational experience by customizing their rotation schedule to suit their strengths and passions. The distance aspect allows for flexibility in a geographic location of rotations that can be scheduled where the intern has family and support available. By working with dietitians local to their community, interns benefit from creating a network of dietetic professionals early in their careers, leading to multiple connections and future job opportunities.
What qualities make a successful distance dietetic intern?
Interns who are most successful in our program are very independent and organized. While our program offers a great support network, we expect our interns to manage their daily schedules with their preceptors and remain on top of our internal curriculum tasks. Interns need to have good communication skills across all mediums. We communicate with our interns often via email, phone calls, and Zoom, expecting interns to communicate effectively. Successful interns are ambitions. It is apparent when interns put forth the effort to produce good work with their preceptor and through our curriculum, and we typically see those interns pass the R.D. exam right away.
Where are the graduates of your program working today?
Everywhere! Based on intern feedback, our program provides graduates with the skills they need to succeed in all practice areas. We have graduates working in corporate wellness, clinical dietetics, school foodservice, community nutrition, private practice, and government programs!
Can you describe what makes your program different from others?
Our program has a concentration in Corporate Wellness and Health Promotion. This is enhanced by the wellness rotation and wellness-related didactic learning components of our curriculum. BWS DI offers support to our interns through Faculty Advisors, who mentor interns throughout their program. The 1:5 ratio allows for a high touchpoint between Faculty Advisors and interns, with frequent communication with interns and preceptors throughout rotations. The Lead Faculty foster a strong sense of community among the interns, encouraging communication and collaboration among each cohort. Interns are placed into small groups that meet monthly for online conference meetings and Journal Clubs, fostering connections within the small groups and Faculty Advisors. Our program provides R.D. exam study material and professional development resources to our interns to help them be successful entry-level dietitians. The Lead Faculty are supportive and dedicated to the success of each intern and strive to maintain academic caliber through innovative curriculum development. As a distance program, interns have flexibility and autonomy with their rotation schedule. The emphasis rotation allows interns to have exposure to a specialty area of dietetics that suits their passions. Overall, our program strives to be innovative, forward-thinking, and supportive to our interns as they embark upon their careers as dietitians!
Is there anything else you want to tell future applicants?
The field of nutrition and dietetics is changing. While distance programs may require work upfront to secure rotations, it is worth the effort because it creates a network of dietitians to help build a future career. Our distance program can provide the opportunity to become a dietitian with experience in the wellness, and that unique characteristic is appealing and sought after in communities nationwide.
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Meet the Director
Katie Bigart, MS, RDN, LD
Katie completed her undergraduate degree in Biology and Psychology at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) in Cleveland, Ohio. She earned a Master’s Degree in Public Health Nutrition and completed her dietetic internship at CWRU.
Katie began her career as a K-12 school nutrition consultant for a private consulting firm, Pisanick Partners, L.L.C. in Cleveland, OH, and then went on to join the corporate wellness company, Be Well Solutions, as an Account Manager and Wellness Dietitian. Katie eventually transitioned her role at Be Well as the Program Director of the Dietetic Internship. Katie loves having the opportunity to work alongside interns, helping them discover their passions and goals within the field of dietetics, as well as creating an innovative curriculum to educate future dietitians! Katie is also a certified Health Coach through the American College of Exercise and embraces the balance of an active and healthy lifestyle, filled with hiking, weightlifting, cooking, and movies. She loves spending quality time with her husband, boy/girl twins, and two dogs.
It’s not easy applying and matching to dietetic internship programs. Thousands of applicants apply each year but the dietetic internship match rate is 60%.
Each year, The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics releases dietetic internship match rate statistics. These statistics include the number of internship openings, applicants who apply, applicants that match, and percentage of matched applicants.
What is Computer Matching?
D&D Digital Systems is a computer matching service contracts to facilitate the dietetic internship matching process. The website collects the applicant’s dietetic internship program rankings and helps internship programs match with applicants from their choices.
Changes in Number of Openings
The number of openings in which applicants can apply to has quadrupled over the last two and a half decades. Between 2018-2019 there was an increase of 2% in the number of dietetic internship openings. However, the number of applicants who apply annually is increasing causing a tremendous amount of competition.
Changes in Number of Applicants
Over the past decade the number of applicants has averaged 5,853 individuals and continues to grow while openings averaged 3,504. Likewise, only 67% (two thirds) of applicants match to a dietetic internship programs. Between 2018 and 2019, there was an 11% decrease in the number of applicants. The limited acceptance rate of interns each year may be deterring applicants from applying.
Changes in Applicants Matched
Over the past two and a half decades, the number of applicants matched to programs has steadily declined.
What is being done about this?
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is using incentives to encourage current dietitians to become preceptors. The academy has initiated Outstanding Preceptor Awards each year for six preceptors who are exemplary educators and mentors. This award includes a $1,000 reimbursement towards expenses for attending FNCE. As well as recognition at the Academy Member Showcase and NDEP Member Meetings at FNCE.
Those who chose to precept are offered up to 15 CPEUs per 5 year cycle. Preceptors can earn an additional 8 CPEU for attending a free Preceptor Training Program. These motivators have increased the number of preceptors available. More needs to be done to combat the recurrent issue of less than 60% of applicants being matched annually.
For more information click here to view the changes that have in the number of internship openings, applicants, applicants matched, and percentage of matched applicants since 1993.
Are you applying for a dietetic internship? Check out our blog on the Steps for Applying to a Dietetic Internship Program! Click here!
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.
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:
Why do you want to enter the dietetics profession?
Discuss experiences that have helped to prepare you for a career in dietetics.
Explain your short-term and long-term goals?
What are your strengths and weaknesses or areas needing improvement?
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:
A professor who is familiar with your academic work
An employer from a time you worked in a dietetics related job
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.
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.
Are you a dietetics student dreaming of starting your own nutrition business? We collaborated with Tony Stephan, RD, to provide you with his TOP five tips!
Dietitian entrepreneurship is quickly increasing in popularity. As a Dietitian Business Coach, I know, trust me! I teach R.D.’s to create profitable and impactful online nutrition coaching businesses through the I Believe Mastermind. I see firsthand how fulfilling and unique this career path is for R.D. to be and Registered Dietitians.
More and more R.D.-to-be’s are uninterested in working in a clinical setting, and that’s okay! There are so many other options out there for Registered Dietitians, like entrepreneurship. You do NOT need your R.D. credential or clinical experience to start your nutrition coaching business RIGHT NOW. You read that right; you can begin your nutrition coaching business while you’re still in school! Below, I have my TOP FIVE tips for the R.D. who wants to do just this!
#1: Take Action
If creating and owning your own nutrition coaching business is something you’ve been thinking about for quite some time, then what are you waiting for?! The first step toward success occurs when you take action!
If you’ve been planning, thinking, and waiting for the “right time” to pull the trigger and get started on your nutrition business and you haven’t been DOING, you are LOSING. I know this sounds harsh, but I’m saying it in the most loving way possible.
Let me tell you a little secret, and there is no “right time” for anything! Do one thing every day that will move you forward with your business. You need to put in the effort because success is truly YOUR responsibility, no one else’s.
#2: Have A Support System
Support is ESSENTIAL when it comes to entrepreneurship. In the I Believe Mastermind, I always tell my clients that you have two families, the one you are born into and the one you choose. You may or may not have family or friend support at home. Either way, it’s vital you also have support from other individuals going through the same entrepreneurial journey that you are.
My clients, in particular, have a multitude of excellent resources available to them. For instance, they can message me directly or turn to our Facebook or Slack community if they are stuck and confused about something. We are always there to root for each other, celebrate success, answer questions, and more.
Having a community to turn to for help or motivation is essential and can make the difference between having a successful or unsuccessful nutrition coaching business.
You DO NOT need to build a business alone. The most successful people in the world have all had help from coaches, mentors, friends, etc., so do not think that help is a “bad” thing for one minute.
Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of strength!
#3: Do Not Have A Plan B…Commit!
Commit yourself to the process of creating and building your dream business. Yes, a plan B, or “safety net,” may be a way to protect us from the pain of the failure and tough challenges that lie ahead, but they can also take away our focus and determination toward what we want to achieve. If you give yourself too many options of what to do when things don’t work out, things will NOT work out. Write that down! However, if you don’t give yourself a plan B and C, you give yourself no other option than to succeed. When I started my entrepreneurial journey years ago, I quit my job and never looked back. It was the D.O. or DIE mentality that forced me to succeed.
Most people fail because they quit and because they gave themselves too many other options to fall back on. Be confident in yourself and stick to your ONE plan/business. When times get tough (because they will), don’t back down. Fight through those challenges, and success will come to you.
#4: Make Time For YOU
ALWAYS make sure you are making time for the things that make you happy.
As an R.D., I went through what you are going through. I remember those long days of studying for exams and working on assignments. Dietetics is not an easy degree! If you decide to start your own nutrition coaching business while in school, know that your workload is about to double! It’s 100% doable, but you need to be organized and ready to take the bull by the horns.
Make sure you’re blocking time off in your week for something you enjoy! Maybe it’s an hour blocked off for the gym every day; perhaps it’s family movie night on Saturdays or date night on Fridays with your significant other.
Taking time for yourself allows your brain to “reboot” while improving your focus, motivation, and concentration. You may not feel like you need time away from studying and working on your business, but you 100% do! Do not neglect your family, health, and other priorities in the process.
#5: Trust The Process
Building your own nutrition coaching business is TOUGH. It will most likely keep you up at night, stress you out, and probably make you miss out on some fun activities. HOWEVER, creating your own business brings so much fulfillment and impact that it’s worth the complex and stressful days it brings.
It took me YEARS to get to the point where I am at now, and it will take some time for you too. Building a successful nutrition coaching business can not be done in a day, so if this is what you’re expecting, this is probably not the right path for you, and that’s okay! Entrepreneurship is not for everyone.
You will 100% have demanding and stressful days, maybe even weeks, but the critical thing to remember here is that you need to FIGHT through the difficult times because success is on the other side. Struggle teaches us how to be stronger individuals and business owners.
Remember….
If you are not an R.D., you CAN NOT give out medical nutrition therapy. You can only help individuals by providing general nutrition knowledge.
Follow me on my social media accounts, where you can learn more about me and the I Believe Mastermind!
Matching to a dietetic internship or RD graduate program is NOT easy. Get Matched Coaching is our famous dietetics admissions coaching program. We’re proud of the 100+ programs where our clients have been matched to!
It’s an honor to help future dietitians from across the nation land spots in some of the most competitive training programs. Check out where our graduates of the Get Matched Coaching program matched since 2020:
Andrews University
Appalachian State University
Ball State University
Baylor University Medical Center
Bayview Medical Center
Be Well Solutions
Boston University
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Cal Poly Pomona
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
California State Long Beach
California State University, Chico
Cedar Crest College
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Central Michigan University
Chicago Medicine
City University of New York
Columbia University
Cox College
Delicious Living Nutrition
Emory Healthcare
Florida State University
Garden to Table
Georgia Southern University
Golden Gate
Greater Los Angeles VA Medical Center
Gulf Coast
Harper College
Hunter College
Illinois State University
Iowa State University
James A. Haley Tampa VA Hospital
James J. Peters VA Medical Center
Johns Hopkins
Keene State College
Keith & Associates
Komplete Business
Lagniappe Wellness
Larkin
Lehman College
Lenoir-Rhyne University
Life University
Long Island University
Loyola University
Maricopa County
Marshall University
Massachusetts General Hospital
Medical City Healthcare
Medical Science Campus
Meredith College
Metropolitan State University Denver
Michael E. DeBakey Houston VA Medical Center
Montclair State University
Morrison Healthcare
MSU Denver
Napa State Hospital
National HealthCare Corporation
New York Distance
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
North Carolina Central University
North Oaks Health System
Nutrition Ink
Oakwood University
Oklahoma University
OSF Saint Francis Medical Center
Pepperdine University
Prairie View A&M
Priority Nutrition Care
Queens College
Rush University
Sacramento State
Saint Elizabeth University
Simmons University
Sodexo
Stephen F. Austin University
Stony Brook University
Syracuse University
Texas Presbyterian Health
Texas Tech
Texas Woman’s University
The Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles
The Medical University of South Carolina
The University of Buffalo at SUNY
The University of Minnesota – Eating Disorders Concentration
UCSF
University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University California, Davis
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, San Francisco
University of Dayton
University of Delaware
University of Houston
University of Nevada Las Vegas
University of Nevada, Reno
University of New Mexico
University of Northern Colorado
University of Saint Joseph
University of Southern California
University of Texas Medical Branch
UT Southwestern
Utah State University
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Virginia Tech
Viterbo University
Wellness Workdays
Western Kentucky University
Congratulations to all of the #RD2BE’s who matched to a dietetic internship. We know you will make an amazing RD! If you’re applying for dietetic internships or Future Education Model Graduate Programs in the future, get the support you need with Get Matched Coaching.
Additionally, you can click here to check out our Amazon shop to purchase all the essential items you will need for the dietetic internship! Now go celebrate all #RD2BE!
Are you struggling trying to develop a resume? Does your resume need a makeover to make you a stronger applicant for a DI? Check out our webinar below!
The approach:
Your resume should not look like one you find online or in a career center. You are applying to a Dietetic Internship, this resume is completely different than the standard one.
Dietetics Experience
Paid AND un-paid experience should be in one section. When a director looks at your resume they will see a large portion of the section relating to dietetics. Whereas the typical approach of separating paid and volunteer experience makes it harder for the director to read
One page rule
You want to add as much relevant experience as possible. As long it is relevant, it is okay for it to be two pages. If you do need two pages, make sure the second page is at least half way full! But, do not add fluff to do so!
This is your highlight reel
You are trying to present your case as to why you are prepared for the dietetic internship. This is where you sell yourself in the best way possible.
Do have bullet points, don’t have simple bullet points
Example: “Delivered food trays” This does not represent what you did or how you did it. Most people applying for dietetic internships have similar experiences. You want to make yourself standout not blend in!
Say it in a way no one else can. Utilize buzz words and action words! Take it back to grade school, who? what? where? when? why? how? Check out this link for examples of key action words you can use! Click here!
Remember this is the part of the application where you are illustrating why you will be a great candidate for a dietetic internship. Be sure to show what you did that others did not. How did you make yourself standout? You want to impress the directors and make them think, WOW this candidate is AWESOME!
Work with one of our coaches to help take your resume from average to AWESOME. At All Access Dietetics we know how to make-over your resume specifically for a Dietetic Internship! Click here to learn more!
Do you feel overwhelmed and need guidance on preparing for the RD Exam? We’re breaking down the basics!
The RD Exam is a beast, it covers topics you have learned in your DPD program and while in the internship. It requires serious critical thinking skills and in-depth knowledge. Due to the amount of material on the exam, we recommended a solid 2-4 months of preparation before taking the exam. If you can, it is best to study in the last few months of your internship, and then really go HARD for about a month after you complete your internship.
RD Exam Basics
The RD exam updates every 5 years, and was last updated in January 2022. Hence, the next update will be in 2027.
It is an online multiple choice, linear exam – you cannot flag questions to come back. There is a minimum of 125 questions and a maximum of 145 questions, with 25 of the questions being piloted. Basically, this means that they don’t count towards your score, but you don’t know which questions those are.
The exam is based on a scale of 1-50, and a 25 is passing. However, this does not mean you only have to get a 50% to pass, each question is weighted differently. Since the exam is online, you will find out immediately if you passed.
If you do not pass on the first time, you are eligible to take the exam again after 45 days of the original test date.Please refer to the CDR website for additional details regarding the exam format.
The exam is broken down into 4 domains
Principles of Dietetics (21%)
Food, Nutrition, and Supporting Sciences
Education, Communication, and Technology
Research Applications
Nutrition Care for Individuals and Groups (45%)
Screening and Assessment
Diagnosis
Planning and Intervention
Monitoring and Evaluation
Management (21%)
Functions of Management
Human Resources Management
Financial Management
Marketing and Public Relations
Quality Management and Regulatory Compliance
Foodservice Systems (13%)
Menu Development
Procurement, Production, Distribution, and Service
Sanitation and Safety
Equipment and Facility Planning
Preparing for the RD Exam
You absolutely need a study guide to prepare for the RD Exam. Although it may be possible to prepare utilizing your notes from your DPD courses and internship, it is not recommended. Our Pass Class program (used by 2000+ RD2BEs!) includes an extensive 650+ page study guide, review session recordings, and tutor-led community that will help you study smarter so you can pass the exam! Click here for more details regarding Pass Class!
Once you have Pass Class, RD exam prep program, you’ll want to begin by creating a study calendar.
Steps to creating a solid study calendar:
-Print out a monthly calendar online or utilize a planner and fill in your work schedule, class schedule, or any other activities you do throughout the day.
-Now, figure out when you can schedule in studying time based on the available time left in the day. You may only have time to study in the mornings or evenings, and that is OKAY. No one expects you to study 8 hours a day, this is why we recommend 3-4 months to prepare for the exam.
-Now you have your study schedule set, but what should your study sessions actually consist of? With our Study Smarter Method, we recommend to study utilizing practice questions. After all, practice makes perfect, right? It helps you to understand the “why” behind each question. Also, by answering practice questions you’ll get used to the types of questions on exam.
-Once you get used to answering practice questions, figure out the material you are really struggling with. You’ll want to create focus sheets or topic sheets and draw diagrams to ensure you really understand the material. Refer to Pass Class study guide for in-depth explanations!
While mastering a 650+ page study guide and answering practice questions may seem like a lot, when you put into perspective, it is not. (And once you learn the Study Smarter Method, you will realize you are NOT trying to memorize this whole binder!) Think about it, you have been studying this material for years. You just went through a 1200+ hour supervised practice implementing all the skills and knowledge you have acquired thus far. Some concepts will be easier for you grasp and master while others will be more difficult and take a little bit of time. You have to identify your strengths and weaknesses. You may know MNT really well but struggle with the research concepts. Or you may know Food Service really well but struggle with MNT. Remember, this is just one more stepping stone to achieving your dream.
Key Reminders When Studying
Learning is broken down in 3 phases.
Exposure – Identifying the material
Processing – Learning the material
Feedback – Assessing how well you’ve learned the material
Utilize active learning strategies
Draw a diagram – draw the Kreb’s cycle, identify the different types of vitamins and minerals need for glycolysis to occur
Make a worksheet – write out a list of the vitamins, their function, sources, deficiencies; write out the nutrition-drug interactions
Quiz yourself – what are the lab values associated with metabolic syndrome? what are the deficiencies of adrenal hormones? make sure you know and understand the why behind each concept
Talk it out – talk through concepts with friends and family members, teach them what you are learning
Summarize it – rephrase what you are learning into your own words
Lastly, there are essentially 4 parts to the exam
Actually learning the content
Managing stress
Developing a positive attitude around studying
Problem solving
Remember when you are practicing questions to really read through the question. Think about what the question is really asking you. Immediately, you should be able to eliminate two choices, as critical thinking is imperative in this setting. If you can’t figure out a question, don’t panic. Stop, take a deep breath and think. Use your clinical judgement. You are more than capable of passing this exam. We are our own biggest critic. You are competent, you are smart and you can do this! You have to believe in yourself, mindset is everything. Truly visualize yourself passing the exam, remaining positive and optimistic can do wonders!
Disclaimer: Bailey DeBarmore, creator of the Study Smarter Method suggests not relying too much on your performance on practice exams. She has tutored many students who failed the real exam, but “passed” multiple practice tests.
Ready to dive into studying? Join Pass Class to make this time the LAST time you take the RD exam:
Pass Class – The first time RD exam pass rates are about 65%, which means there needs to be a NEW way to study for the exam! That’s why we created Pass Class, which addresses all the common reasons why students fail the RD exam. Learn more about Pass Class here.
PS. Before you leave, join over 6,000 RD2BEs that used the FREE Exam Toolkit (including samples from Pass Class!) to prepare them for the RD exam —> Sign up here
Are you interested in starting a career in sports nutrition or entrepreneurship? Jenny describes how you can make your dreams a reality in the webinar below!
Jenny Westerkamp, RD, CSSD is the founder of All Access Dietetics and Chicago Bulls Nutritionist. Jenny started All Access Internships in 2008 with Katie Proctor, MBA, RD. They developed the idea as way to provide as much info as possible in a way that was easy for other people interested in dietetics to use. They were both completing the Dietetic Internship full time and working for All Access Internships in their spare time. Katie then moved on to be a coach after about 2 years and Jenny managed All Access Internships. In 2019, Jenny changed the name to All Access Dietetics to incorporate all stages of the dietetics journey, including excelling in your dietetics program, getting a dietetic internship, passing the RD exam, getting hired, and starting your own business.
Jenny got exposure to sports nutrition the summer of her senior year of college by interning with Chicago Blackhawks dietitian Julie Burns, MS, RD, CCN. She emailed her with the subject “I want your life” and she sold her skills to Julie. Jenny has also worked for the Chicago Cubs and now works with the Chicago Bulls.
Key takeaways to make your dreams a reality:
Create and cultivate relationships. Figure out how you can get your foot in the door. Always think about who you can reach out to and how to create a positive relationship. How can you make opportunities for yourself? Keep looking for the right people to connect with.
Sell yourself. Be a go-giver instead of go-getter. Think about what you can give instead of what you can receive. She strongly believes that what you give you will get back in return. It is a constant flow.
Mindset is everything. Positively reframe your thoughts. As an entrepreneur you constantly need have a good attitude.
Ready. Fire. Aim. Explore, try new things, and adjust your interests accordingly.
Jump in and figure out how to fly on the way down. We tend to limit ourselves. We need to go for it and not withhold our gifts.
Find your joy! Make a list of what you want and what you do not want. Adjust accordingly.
Define your own version of success. Success is not a straight line up. It involves highs and lows. You have to know what you want to get what you want. Figure out why you are striving for this success.
Most importantly get out there and go make your dreams come true! The possibilities are endless!
Provides you your D&D digital number where you rank your programs
Educational Information
DPD course list form: You will receive this form from director and or advisor and enter the information exactly as it appears. ONLY DPD COURSES IN THIS SECTION
Colleges attended: You will enter EVERY college you attended, both DPD college and any other college (community college, if you transferred, etc.)
Session and coursework: Be sure to enter in this information carefully, it needs to match your transcript EXACTLY
Tests: GRE scores
Remember you have to send a transcript for every college you have attended. A pdf form will be populated, information of college, DICAS number. You will take this form and give it to your college registrar and they will mail it to DICAS. Requests your transcripts ASAP.
DPD Program Information
DPD contact info: If you are still in enrolled in program your director will send in a declaration of intent to complete the DPD program. If you already completed a DPD program your director will send in a verification statement.
Required Information
Awards, experiences & volunteer activities: Utilize complete sentences in this section, you are explaining your experiences.
Personal statement: You will be adding multiple personal statements. You will be adding one for each program you are applying to. Copy and paste your personal statement into the text box and name it according to the program. 1000 word limit. It should be tailored to each program.
Resume: The resume will be uploaded, it works best and keeps your formatting best if you upload it in a pdf.
References: Three references are need, you will enter in the contact information of your references and DICAS will send them forms to fill out.
Application
Certification: Review and sign
Program designations
You will enter in all the programs you are applying to. A pop-up will appear and this will be where you attach your personal statement to each program you are applying to. You will do the same thing with references.
Depending on the program you may have to enter a supplemental form.
Does this whole process still seem confusing and overwhelming? Schedule a free coaching call with us and we can create a game-plan together. Click here!
Did you apply to a dietetic internship and not match? Don’t give up, there is still second round matching! We have a video explaining the details!
Timeline if you were not matched:
Typically the first Sunday in April you are notified through D&D digital if you’ve been matched
The Monday after match day you are required to email the director of the program you’ve been matched to and accept your spot.
The Tuesday after match day internship directors with openings may contact unmatched applicants who were originally on their prioritized list of applicants. What this means is essentially it is a free for all. Internship directors can contact any unmatched applicants and offer them a spot.
On Thursday after match day, programs that did not fill their class size release their name to D&D digital. Applicants are able to apply to these programs.
The applications for second round matching are open until June or the spots are filled.
The strategy for second round matching:
Reach out to directors immediately, let them you are applying and ask a GOOD question or two.
Apply as early as you can since programs fill spots as they review applicants. We know this is already a stressful time but you really need to be aggressive and show your interest!
If you’ll be applying through DICAS again, change your personal statement.
You can add new references as well.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with this process, schedule a free coaching call with us and we can create a game-plan! Click here!
Other options:
ISPP – typically, you will set up your own rotations
Graduate school = will enhance your knowledge and expertise
DTR = gain real experience, makes you more competitive as an applicant
Retake classes = boost your GPA
Apply again! DICAS is open in both the fall and spring!
For additional resources regarding the computer matching for dietetic internships click here!
If you were not matched don’t let this deter you, this is just one small obstacle. Keep going, perseverance is worth its weight in gold!
You’ve matched to a dietetic internship, now how do you survive? We’re breaking down the basics of each rotation and providing you with essential tips!
Congratulations! All your hard work has FINALLY paid off and you have matched to a dietetic internship! The end is near! But first, you have to complete the internship. The thought of beginning the dietetic internship can be overwhelming. What should I expect? What should I bring? Wait, do we have to touch the patient? Don’t worry #RB2BE, we’re highlighting the key components of each rotation so you can plan accordingly! We not only want you to survive the dietetic internship, we want you to thrive!
First things first, depending on your program you will have assignments to complete before each rotation so you can brush up on your skill set. Assignments can vary but for clinical they can include case studies, similar to the ones you completed in your undergrad MNT class.
Next, you will have orientation, the length will vary depending on your program and whether it’s a DI, or DI + MS (or a Future Education Model program!). Orientation will provide you with a glimpse of each rotation and what to expect throughout the internship.
Now it’s go time! The moment you’ve been waiting for has finally arrived.
Oh clinical, I think we can all agree the clinical rotation is the most terrifying rotation to begin. Gaining clinical experience before the DI is hard, so this may be your first time in the hospital setting. In other words, your anxiety may be through the roof! But don’t worry, the thought of beginning clinical is more intimidating than actually starting clinical.
Your preceptor is not going to throw you to wolves and expect you to see patients by yourself on day one. You are going to be their shadow for the first few days, where they go, you go. Once you get a solid grasp of ADIME and the charting system, your preceptor will assign you patients to see YOURSELF. I know, I know SCARY. The first few times they will hold your hand (figuratively, but you may need a literal hand hold). They will go in to the patients room with you to make sure you are comfortable completing assessments yourself. Honestly, having them in the room made it even more intimidating. But just remember they are there to GUIDE you through the process, they are not expecting you to be perfect. Once you’re comfortable it is time to fly coop, the training wheels are off and it is showtime!
Tips for surviving clinical:
It is okay if you forget to ask a patient something during your initial assessment. You can go back and speak with them again. When I first started I had to go back into a patients room three times! It’s a learning experience, the more you do it the better you’ll become.
Be familiar with the Nutrition Focused Physical Exam (NFPE). If you have not had prior training for the NFPE ask your preceptor to train you! It’s a great tool to have under your belt and unfortunately malnutrition can be quite prevalent at some hospitals.
Do ask questions if you need clarification about anything and everything. Ask for help if you need it!
Do attend the interdisciplinary rounds and ask questions! Contribute your knowledge.
Make yourself known! Talk to the Physicians and Pharmacists, show them your value and that you are essential. Hey, they may even call the office and ask for YOUR recommendation for a patient! (BEST FEELING)
Let’s talk about the staff relief rotation. Staff relief may be the most unnerving part of clinical but trust me it is not. Since it is at the end of your rotation you will have gained SO much knowledge by this time that it should be smooth sailing. Your preceptor will still be there for you if you have questions or a complicated patient. But trust yourself, you are more than competent and capable of thriving! Having confidence is key! Remember, you are the captain of your ship.
Pop quiz! How many times can you stir muffin batter before a tough and dry crumb results? Just kidding, we don’t know either.
Seriously though, if you enjoy management and all things food then food service is the rotation for you! Be prepared to put on a hair net every day and be put to work. There will be many days when the kitchen is short staffed and you have to jump on tray line, and deliver meal carts. Depending on whether your hospital is room service or not you may have to work a few shifts in the dietary call office taking orders. Which big shout out to them because there are so many different buttons and options to press and patients spew there orders out so fast. Talk about STRESS. But after a few times of trial and error you will get the hang of it!
It is so important to remain positive throughout this rotation. You can easily go down the rabbit hole of this is a waste of time, it’s not utilizing my skill-set. BUT, IT IS! You are learning how to manage a team and part of being a GREAT manager involves stepping in when your team needs you! If there’s a fire you don’t just let the place burn, you get in there and you extinguish it!
Tips for surviving the food service rotation:
Get a planner and plan out your weeks and what assignments you will accomplish. The food service rotation usually consists of many projects and competencies you need to complete. You can easily get bogged down and stressed out if you are not organized.
Do something EVERYDAY. The last thing you want is to be at the end of the rotation and still have A LOT of projects to complete.
Contribute what you know and develop ways to improve their food service system.
Look over the menu’s, offer suggestions and improvements. Conduct in-services! Be creative!
Most importantly, have a positive attitude even if food service is not your niche.
Assessment. Goals. Plan. Manage. Funding. Support. Implement. And again. Assessment. Goals. Plan. Manage. Funding. Support. Implement. These are the steps for completing a community nutrition program. Engrave this into your brain, tattoo it onto your arm, whatever you need to do to remember it. It will come up everywhere in community and you NEED to know it for the RD Exam.
Community is less fast paced and not as high demand as clinical and food service. However, this doesn’t mean its a walk in the park. There are still projects and assignments you need to complete so stay ORGANIZED.
All of the rotations are fun if you let them be but community is especially fun because you get to focus on providing nutrition education to groups and individuals! You get to express your creativity and knowledge. Depending on your program you will have to complete a variety of nutrition education presentations and develop marketing materials. Canva is the ABSOLUTE BEST site to create anything and everything. And its free to sign up, bonus!
Tips for surviving the community rotation:
Assessing the needs of the community is key when providing a nutrition education program. You may want to do a presentation on the benefits of a plant-based diet but during your assessment you may find that it is not the best fit!
Have fun with your presentations. Engage the audience throughout it. If you mess up, roll with it. Remember you are the expert!
If you get to choose your own community sites choose ones that interest you, not ones you think will look good on a resume!
If there’s an RD you are really interested in working with but they are not in your area see if you can do an online rotation!
Now lets talk about the essential items you need to survive the dietetic internship:
Nutrition Focused Physical Exam Pocket Guide for all your malnutrition needs. Get it here.
Lab Coat – Check with your preceptor before purchasing a lab coat, the hospital may provide you with one or your site may wear scrubs! Get it here.
A clipboard with storage is SO vital. It’s a great and convenient way to to store notes, charts, and reference books. Get it here.
A clipboard with calculations, tube feeding formulations, malnutrition scores, and more. Get it here.
Meal-prepping will save you some much needed time during the week. They are glass so be careful and don’t drop it and lose your lunch for the day. RIP. Get it here.
Practice what you preach and stay hydrated throughout the day! Get it here.
For even more essential items for the internship check out our amazon store!
To survive the dietetic internship remember to be positive, open-minded, respectful and remain engaged. You’ve worked so hard to get this point, give this internship your all. This is the FINAL step before you are eligible to sit for the CDR exam and become an RD. You can do this! We believe in you!
Disclosure: The amazon links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase this blog will earn a commission. Please keep in mind these products are linked because they have been purchased and deemed essential by previous dietetic interns.
PS. Check out one of our FREE toolkits to help you feel confident and prepared during your rotations.
The competition among peers within the dietetic major is fierce! We’ve developed a guideline to help you stand-out with AWESOME dietetic experience!
Research the Field
Clinical Nutrition, Food Service and Community Nutrition may be the common areas dietitians are employed, but it is NOT the only area. The dietetics profession has significantly changed within the last fifty years! Let’s take it back to Economics 101 and the concept of supply and demand. Different demands, such as the increased need for weight loss solutions due to the rise in obesity mean an increased need for the supply of dietitians that specialize in weight loss. Telehealth is another booming industry for dietitians right now!
Be sure to engage yourself in the dietetics field! Know what the hot topics are and stay abreast of current research and media trends. A large part of the dietetic field involves communications. You should know how to translate evidenced-based research into layman’s terms for the public. A few ways to stay current is with the American Dietetic Association’s Daily News. After you sign in to eatright.org, go to ADA Member Updates and sign up for the Daily News. You will get daily emails about what is going on with food and nutrition in the media and with new research. You can learn so much just by reading this everyday! This will help you to gain AWESOME dietetic experience!
Let’s say it again, MAKE CONNECTIONS. And once more for the people in the back, MAKE CONNECTIONS. I cannot emphasize this enough! Dietetics is such a small world especially when you narrow down your niche. Dietitians truly want to help you, they’ve been in your shoes and know how hard and stressful this time can be! But to be helped you need to put yourself out there! Think of it in terms of wishes, you can wish all you want but there is no magic genie who is going to make that wish come true. Be your own magic genie and go make that wish come true!
The internet and social media have made it ridiculously easy to reach out to registered dietitians for guidance. It sounds intimidating, but it is not as hard as it seems. Networking is simply communicating with a purpose. Make connections in the classroom, go to your professor’s office hours, get to know them. More than likely they will know at least one dietitian they can connect you with. Make in-person connections with dietitians at professional meetings and conferences. If there’s a dietitian you admire email them and introduce yourself. Ask them about how they got into the field, if they have any tips for #RD2BE’s and if they take interns or assistants. Always be on the lookout for growth opportunities that can help you gain AWESOME dietetic experience!
Find a mentor
Having a mentor was the most beneficial aspect of my dietetics journey so far. My first mentor was Julie Burns, MS, RD, CCN a Chicago-based dietitian and owner of Sportfuel, Inc. (an integrative sports nutrition and wellness practice).
Our mentor-mentee relationship was more valuable to me than any traditional dietetics student job or any course in school. Julie provided honest and constructive feed-back, helped me develop self-awareness, challenged me to grow beyond my perceived limitations, connected me with the movers and shakers in nutrition, motivated me to join professional organizations, and above all, she was easy to communicate with. I could ask her any question I had about the real world, because she was in it.
Since the mentorship is between a mentor and a mentee, it is equally important to be a good mentee in order to have a successful experience. Here are some essential ways to foster a meaningful relationship:
Bring something to the table. Your mentor may have a lot of experience and valuable advice, but give your skills and time to them too. Offer to take on small projects or teach them your tech-savvy ways. Pass along an interesting article or recommend a book. The mentorship is mutually beneficial when the mentor believes he or she can learn from you and wants to invest more in your relationship.
Be respectful. The key to any great mentorship is respect. Make sure to show up for scheduled meetings, listen carefully, take notes and make sure you always express your appreciation. Above all, be willing to take the mentor’s advice. Mentors will be encouraging, but they will also challenge you because they know this will benefit you, so be open to feedback.
Ask a lot of questions, but have answers too. Your mentor will be a wealth of information, but don’t expect him or her to tell you exactly what to do to be successful in your career. Give this some thought on your own and bounce your ideas off of your mentor.
Remember, this mentorship is a two-way street. Know what your goals for the mentorship are and communicate your needs, desires and objectives with your mentor.
Joining your local dietetic association or a dietetic practice group is another effective avenue for networking with RDs and even other students. It also shows involvement in profession—what selection committee doesn’t like that?
To have AWESOME dietetic experience you must seek out opportunities! Volunteer, network, attend meetings or take on small projects. If your state doesn’t have much opportunity for students, ask how you can change that! Dietetic association board members are leaders that you should get to know. Reach out to them immediately! Involvement with this group early on will allow you to create a foundation of experience that you can use to prove you are devoted to the profession. You will inspire other students to follow your lead and before you know it, you have cultivated a passionate and enthused group of students to promote and advance the profession in the right direction! Do you see why this is so important? Hey, it looks like you have AWESOME dietetic experience in your application too.
Why is leadership essential to the application? Well, time and time again, directors are stating this is what they look for in an applicant. It is plastered all over their websites, requested in the application letter, and often comes up in an interview. A career counselor once advised me that if you are going to put down that you are in an organization, you should only list it if you had a position with responsibility, as opposed to just a membership. This advice really stuck with me. Most selection committees would agree that being a leader in the field of dietetics is important, since it is the leaders that can impact the field in a positive way.
Also, note that there are about 226 didactic programs in dietetics (DPDs). Let’s assume half of them have student nutrition clubs. Let’s again assume that there are 5 executive board members. This is about 565 applicants that will have nutrition club leader- ship on their application. While this is impressive for any applicant, consider how you can be even more competitive by showing both leadership AND entrepreneurship. You can do it! In order to stand out you have to have AWESOME dietetic experience!
If you ask any dietetics student about what it takes to be more competitive with their internship applications you may hear, “Start volunteering soon and often!” Then, he or she will emphasize that you should get as many experiences as you can before you are in the process of applying. Your experience says a lot about your interests as well as your personality traits. Be proactive about gaining experiences by taking the initiative. Show that you have the ability to juggle multiple things at once. A great example is holding a part-time job during the semester. You also want to convey your willingness to learn new skills and show your enthusiasm for learning. Take on a position that may be extra challenging. As directors review your experiences, they will notice qualities like professionalism, multitasking, leadership, and solid communication (just to name a few).
Your experiences are what you will use to show that you have the skills to excel in the internship. If you can’t find good experiences offered through your school or within your community, start a new club or work with an RD that can be your mentor and provide invaluable one-on-one experience. It shows that you are a go-getter and are not afraid to take initiative!
During the internship, each rotation may be very different from the others. Racking up exposure in a lot of different areas will make your internship year less intimidating. Getting experience in basic clinical, food service, and community areas are crucial since these are required rotations for every DI. Once you’ve done that, expand to more specialized areas like research, business, entrepreneurship, sports nutrition, pediatrics, or communications. Not only will you have your bases covered with “typical” student positions, you can bolster your application with impressive add- ons that allow you to rise above the crowd.
How exactly are you supposed to go about finding these impressive add-ons? Let me be the first to tell you that Google can only take you so far! As dietetics students, we all crave opportunities to prove ourselves in the professional world. However, you must be willing to take some risks. I want to let you in on my own personal secret called “making the ask”. Here’s how it works. If you haven’t already spent some time on the Internet researching companies, hospitals, professional organizations, dietitians in private practice, etc., then it’s time you got started. First, do the obvious. Check and see if they offer established internships or volunteer experiences. If they don’t, make the ask! If you don’t ask, your answer is always NO. To gain AWESOME dietetic experience you should ALWAYS MAKE THE ASK.
Dietetics is a profession that is capable of transforming into a passion if you know what you want and you go for it. The paths that we can take to achieve a lifetime of fulfillment are boundless, so long as we listen to ourselves and hone in on what it is that we want to achieve.
Remember, only YOU have the power to make your dreams come true. Get out there and gain AWESOME dietetic experience! You got this!
Determine the best solution to complete dietetic internship applications, so that you feel 100% confident in getting a dietetic internship.
Applying to dietetic internship programs can be overwhelming, stressful, and altogether new. At All Access Dietetics, we’ve designed programs to help you land the dietetic internship of your dream! You’re not in this process alone, and with a little extra help, you can gain the confidence and clarity in yourself to succeed.
The Get Matched Course is like a tool kit, in that it has every tool I’ve learned about how to stand out in the DICAS application.
It teaches you how to take every step of the process seriously, and how to approach each step wisely. Many students find the personal statement the hardest area of the application to navigate, and as we know, it is one of the most important pieces. Our course’s biggest module focuses on the personal statement, and we literally guide you through how to answer each of the standard DICAS questions.
To me, EVERY area of the application is important. Choosing where to apply is absolutely going to affect your chances of getting matched. Other underrated areas of the application, like director communication and references, are equally important, too. The Get Matched Course teaches you how to increase your chances of getting matched by using our strategies in every aspect of the application process.
Get Matched Coaching is going to provide you with support and guidance, so you don’t feel like you are doing this alone.
Our clients say they are less stressed, since they know they are on their journey with an expert coach. Plus, they feel more confident in themselves and their hard work. Our clients know they are representing themselves well and truly selling themselves as future dietitians- and doing it better than their competition. I always say that, if matched head to head against another applicant with a similar GPA and work experience, I would feel confident our client would get ranked higher because of the quality of their application, their director communication, and their interview skills.
The Get Matched Course is a great option if you want to apply the techniques your own way. But, coaching is a great option if you want more personalized advice and support along the way.
You’ve never applied to a dietetic internship before, so it is normal to feel overwhelmed and confused. My clients often ask 100 or more questions regarding the process and their applications, and I am sure you will have 100 or more questions, too. You’ve never been taught how to effectively put together an application for this purpose.
Because of that, my final advice is to use all the resources you can to inform yourself about the process. The more you understand, the better. Go all in on your application process, and start early, too. If you are in school, the best thing you can do is start your application during your summer break. It is night and day to wait and start your application in the fall, when you are then bogged down by classes. And if you wait until winter break, you are way too late!
Special thanks to Deanna Wolfe, MS, RDN (@dietitiandeanna) who recently did an Instagram Q&A for our Instagram community! Her insightful responses will help you navigate your RD2BE journey as you work towards landing your dream job.
Q: What is your advice to stay positive during the dietetic internship?
I did a Coordinated Master’s, which means I did the internship and Master’s combined in 2 years (instead of 3)! I would be in my training during the day and then have classes in the evenings. The first year was focused on community, corporate wellness, long-term care, WIC, retail, outpatient (diabetes, cancer, etc.), and a psych hospital (eating disorders). The second year was a FULL YEAR internship in a hospital plus rotations in a burn unit with a GI doctor, oncology, and a children’s hospital. It was a hard two years, but I stayed positive by enjoying downtime with friends on the weekends when I could (I also worked as a dietary food aide and a bartender) and enjoying where I was at in life. It was nice to have another year to focus on what I truly wanted to do with my life instead of jumping right into the real world. 🙂 Take it as a year to learn and grow!
Q: Do you have any dietitians that you look up to or have had as a mentor?
I have been a part of a mastermind with other celebrity/influential dietitians and love seeing how others have grown their business and made an impact.
Q: How much experience would you recommend before starting your own consulting business?
I would hire a mentor/coach and dive in. You don’t need ‘experience’ before starting your business- you have the knowledge you need. I had never worked a clinical job before I started. You don’t have to either.
There are also tons of business tools and systems you can put in place to help with back-end things you may be worried about. Dietitians are known to be Type-A perfectionists. I would have never gotten to where I am or started my business if I had waited for the perfect name, perfect website, etc.
Q: What are your tips for finding opportunities on the business side of health and wellness?
The best thing I did for my career/entrepreneurial spirit was dive into roles in corporate wellness. This expanded my ability to understand products, technology, sales, and marketing on a large scale with Fortune 500 companies.
If you love social media, other avenues would be social media PR agencies or even working with brands.
Q: As a student, how did you gain dietetics-related experience?
I worked as a dietary aide at UPMC Shadyside (a local hospital), getting the meal tickets ready for the tray line. This made me realize that clinical wasn’t my favorite. 🙂
I also was the food science laboratory assistant at PITT, which meant I grocery shopped for the food science labs each week! I loved that job, haha. I also was the president of the Student Dietetic Association. I networked with my professors, stayed in contact with people I admired. Get out and network!
Q: How did you build your Instagram?
1. Being authentic.
2. Understanding marketing and sales.
3. Consistent hard work. No one sees the years I spent hustling on the side to create the brand I have now. It wasn’t luck but hard work. If you procrastinate, find a business partner or mentor who will set goals and challenge you. The first business I opened with a partner.
Q: What are your tips for starting out as a nutrition influencer?
Focus on building a community FIRST, and the sales will come. Don’t just focus on ‘followers.’ Every single follower wants to learn something from you, so provide that knowledge. If you’re going to ‘influence,’ you will need a community of people who know, like, and trust you.
Q: How did you begin marketing yourself?
Understand who I was talking to. Understand what they need to hear. Being a person first, not a dietitian. I am sharing my mistakes, not just being an expert.
Q: How did you get to where you are?
Wow, maybe this would be best reserved for a book. 🙂
P.S. Did you find this collaboration helpful on your dietetics career journey? Could you share it with your fellow RD2BE friends? Also, don’t forget to follow Deanna on Instagram and let her know how this interview resonated with you.
When studying nutrition and dietetics, there will be some textbooks you will want to learn from for life! These are the top textbooks you should never sell.
Have you ever watched the show Hoarders? I think it’s crazy interesting. Namely because I am the exact opposite of a hoarder and find it extremely fascinating that people actually like keeping stuff.
I would consider myself more clutter phobic…willing and ready to recycle, sell, trash, or give away practically anything. This can be a blessing or a curse depending upon the situation.
In the case of selling off textbooks that in hindsight I actually needed…it’s more of curse. So that’s why I’m here, to give you some useful textbooks that you should never get rid of!
Why: It’s the bible. Well, not exactly. But it is one of the main books used by most nutrition programs. It comprehensively covers most conditions/diseases dietitians would encounter, the nutrition care process, life cycle nutrition, as well as all of the nutrition basics. Essentially, if you could memorize everything in this book, you would make a bomb dietitian.
2. Mosby’s Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference
Why: This book literally has every lab test known to man and explains what the test is for, normal results, abnormal results, and test explanation and physiology… all in alphabetical order. Definitely handy if you are going to be in a clinical setting.
3. A Food Service Management Textbook (recommendation, Foodservice Management: Principals and Practices)
Why: This one isn’t specific, you just need to make sure you have a textbook that involves the principals of food service such as quantity food productions, accounting/financial management, food safety, menu planning, etc. Given that food service systems comprises 17% of the RD exam, it’s an area to know well. It’s also great to have a textbook on hand that reminds you how to perform all of those pesky calculations. 🙂
4. Life Cycle Nutrition: An Evidenced-Based Approach
Why: This is a personal fav. I found this book randomly in the library and fell in love. Because it has an emphasis on “evidenced-based”, it gives you the actual studies from which the nutrition recommendations are based on. Plus the book is new (2015) so all of the research is newer findings compared to stuff from the 80s. It is broken down into diseases the way Krause’s is, but also includes quick reference charts, case studies, medical terminology, and more. I love it for the research aspect, but it’s a great textbook all-around!
Why: Quite simply, because no other book goes into nutrition support in enough detail. Face it, during the internship or if working in a clinical setting, you’re going to be working with enteral and parenteral nutrition. There’s a lot of information to know, so it’s crucial to have a reference text to go back to and refresh your memory. Plus it has practical clinical scenarios that are useful to run through.
Notable Mentions:
Any quick reference text- Great for during the internship process so keep those if you have them. Plus, they are small and store easily.
Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism- DETAILED, yet super relevant, and can be a great biochem review.
Any Community Nutrition book- Personally, I have an old, old book but keep it on hand in case I need a refresher on the theories of educational readiness or stages of change.
Nutrition and Diet Therapy Reference Dictionary- Another great reference text. It’s a dictionary made just for nutrition and medical terms that is full of suggested nutrition therapy and dietary guidelines, perfect for when you come across a word you are unfamiliar with!
In addition to these books, click here to view some of my go-to websites for evidenced-based nutrition information. If you have recommendations on great books to keep, please comment below! Sharing is caring 🙂
There’s a lot of pros and cons to any program, but when deciding if a distance based DPD program is right for you, here are 6 things you should know.
The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND®) has approved three online Didactic Programs in Dietetics (DPD) and even more distance based internships. These online programs are allowing students that need flexibility or are geography-bound to fulfill the requirements to become a Registered Dietitian. But as you may have guessed, online programs are highly different than traditional classroom based programs.
Below are some key points to think about when deciding if a distance-based program is the right decision for you.
You may feel alone.
It’s a lot easier to connect with your professors and your fellow students when you’re in a classroom with them a few times a week. But when you’re taking online courses, you lose that forced connection. Instead, you will need to find opportunities to connect virtually, like creating a Facebook group for your cohort, scheduling Skype study sessions, or meeting at conferences. Your professors are also an email or phone call away and some offer online office hours. You may feel alone but it just takes a little more work to connect with your fellow students and professors.
Self-teaching happens.
Some professors record their lectures and post in discussion boards. Others provide you with a PowerPoint and handouts. And since you don’t have to attend a lecture, sometimes you feel like you’re teaching yourself the content. Some professors are not great at responding to questions via email so they might not fully answer your question and respond with, “Look in your book.” Some classes end up consisting of a lot of reading, searching for videos that give a deeper explanation of the topic, and chatting with other students who are just as confused as you are. Being in a distance-based program means you have to be comfortable with self-teaching and researching for answers.
Due dates exist.
In the DPD programs, the online courses follow the same calendar as the in-classroom classes. Due dates for assignments are assigned. Along the same lines, group projects exist. Nearly every online DPD course I have taken has had a group assignment. So this goes back to you are not alone and finding virtual ways to connect with your fellow classmates is essential to your success.
You have to be organized and disciplined.
We have all heard this one before and it applies to traditional style DPD courses but it applies even more to students who complete their DPD courses online. You have to set up a manageable study schedule for yourself and be disciplined to stick to it. Students who succeed are those who log in and make progress every day. I use an app called Egenda and at the beginning of the semester I put my assignments in with their due dates. The app pushes reminders to my phone and I can see what’s due.
Tests are proctored and assignments are photographed.
My school uses an online proctoring service, which includes a proctor controlling your computer and connecting with you via video chat. Other schools require you to find a local testing center to complete exams. Depending on your school, the fees for proctoring may be an expense that you are responsible for. For many assignments, you have to take photos and some require signatures from participants that you recruited. Since you don’t have a captive participants in a classroom, some assignments require you have to recruit your own participants.
Find unique ways to connect with your professors.
Since most internship applications require at least one of the letters of recommendations come from a professor, it’s pretty important to create a strong relationship with your professors. Being a distance student makes it a little more difficult to form those relationships but not impossible. You can offer to help your professor with any research they may be doing, or schedule monthly check-ins with them, or ask if they would be willing to be your mentor.
You may also have to explain your program to everyone you talk to since you may not live in the same state as your program. But being in a distance-based program can have a lot of advantages and can help prepare you for career experiences. This kind of learning requires you to learn on your own and demonstrates that you can be successful.
P.S. Do you have more tips about being a distance student? DM us with your best advice on Instagram (@allaccessdietetics) and we’ll share!
We all have one classmate who seems to have years of nutrition experience, even though they’re still in school. Take our advice and gain experience, too.
Nutrition experience can help you succeed in matching to a dietetic internship program and getting one step closer to becoming a Registered Dietitian. But where do you begin? Instead of comparing yourself to another classmate, follow this list and you’ll be racking up shadowing dates and volunteer experiences in no time.
1. Befriend your Professors
Your professors are key to making connections in the nutrition field. Many of them have work experience outside your university, so they can help guide you in the right direction. Plus, they can give great advice that will help you succeed.
2. Go to Local Conferences
Your future mentor might just be sitting next to you! Conferences draw RD’s from all over your state, so you never know who you will meet. Plus, the presentations will teach you something new and may even inspire your niche.
3. Join a Club
Clubs at school can help you find opportunities in and out of your university. They can also help connect you with faculty or outside professionals to score a volunteering or shadowing opportunity.
4. Use Technology
Scout LinkedIn for professionals in your area who are working in the field you are interested in. Find someone? Don’t be shy and send them a message.
5. Put your Foot in the Door, Sometimes Literally
Want to work in a hospital one day? Start by volunteering and work your way up. Is food service your calling? Snag a job in a restaurant. Being able to get a feel for your desired environment is key to finding more opportunities.
An ISPP is another route you can take to accomplish your supervised practice and become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. Let’s break it down.
Have you heard of ISPPs?
Have you heard of ISPPs? ISPP stands for Individualized Supervised Practice Pathway. They are an option for those that don’t get matched, and many people don’t fully understand how they work. Completion of an ISPP can still provide you with experience so you can sit for the national exam and become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics shares more about ISPPs here. We’re sharing a few tips on how to prepare for ISPP applications:
1) Research.
Just like traditional DIs, ISPP programs will have their own application requirements. Some ISPPs require a Ph.D!
2) Contact Directors.
Introduce yourself and have questions prepared that are not already answered on the program’s website.
3) Secure preceptors.
ISPP tracks are a similar model to distance dietetic internships. While preceptor searching is a lot of upfront work, the benefit is being able to CHOOSE your own preceptors and create your own schedule. Click HERE to learn five strategies for finding preceptors.
4) Keep an open mind.
Click HERE to read a 2017 success story and how the Purdue ISPP helped Natalie finally become an RD! An ISPP is a great option for you to stay on track and achieve your goal of becoming an RD.
P.S. ARE YOU IN YET? The Get Matched Course is a 17-module e-course to walk you through EVERY step of the application process and increase your chances of landing a dietetic internship.
Writing the perfect “thank you” note after your dietetic internship interview can help you stand out from the crowd. Use our formula below!
You’ve landed the dietetic internship interview, but did you thank the Director and selection committee for their time? Check out our top five tips on how to craft the PERFECT thank you note after a DI program interview:
1) Send a handwritten card.
In a world of emails, a handwritten note is greatly appreciated by all and will help you stick out from other applicants.
2) Address the note to the Director AND the selection committee.
All members are key in the decision making process. By including the the selection committee in your note, you are extending your appreciation to all members of the team for their time.
3) Keep it concise.
Time is valuable. Thank the Director and the selection committee for taking the time to interview you and express your appreciation for their consideration of your application. Keep this short and sweet!
4) Include two new things you learned.
Mention two NEW things you learned about the program during the interview. This demonstrates that you were fully present during the interview and gives you even MORE reasons why that program is your perfect match.
5) Bring it all together.
In two concise sentences, summarize why that program is your TOP choice and remind them why you’re a perfect fit for their program culture and curriculum.
Now you’re ready to put a stamp on it! Have it out in the mail by the next morning after your interview. Address the envelope to the mailing address on the dietetic internship’s website.
A strong “thank you” note is a KEY element of your application. If this post resonated with you and helped you increase your confidence after the interview, please share it with your #RD2BE friends.
P.S. Now that you’re ready to land your dream dietetic internship, we encourage you to think more long term! The RD exam is right around the corner. Schedule your free 15-minute coaching call with Jenny to discuss how Pass the Exam Prep and Career Coaching will help you to land your dream job after the dietetic internship.
Since 2008, we've made it easier to become a dietitian by coaching thousands of future dietitians to get accepted to dietetics programs, pass the RD exam, and become confident dietitians.
