Welcome
The University of Virginia Health System Dietetic Internship Program is a clinically-focused supervised practice program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education and Nutrition in Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and is administered by the Department of Nutrition Services. Interns receive over 1000 hours of supervised practice and 250 hours of didactic training on advanced nutrition topics. Interns develop critical thinking skills to provide evidence-based medical nutrition therapy to adult and pediatric patients. Additionally, interns receive in-depth learning opportunities in the areas of nutrition support and pediatrics, which prepares them for employment in these areas following graduation.
The 43-week internship program accepts 12 students per year. Interns arrive in Charlottesville at the beginning of September (the day after Labor Day) and culminate their experience with graduation the last Friday in June or first Friday in July. Beginning with the Internship Class of 2023-2024, our program will be reduced in length to 9 months to allow for earlier entry into the workforce. The program will start in September and will now end the Friday before Memorial Day. Graduation will take place the following Friday.
Applicants applying to our program must meet the minimum requirements for entry, which includes a bachelor's degree and completion of an ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD). Beginning with the Spring 2023 Selection Cycle, a master's degree or master's degree in-progress will be required. For more information on requirements, please review our Program Requirements. Upon completion of the dietetic internship program, graduates are provided a verification statement and are eligible to sit for the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN).
"Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). In order to be approved for registration examination eligibility with a bachelor’s degree, an individual must meet all eligibility requirements and be submitted into CDR's Registration Eligibility Processing System (REPS) before 12:00 midnight Central Time, December 31, 2023. For more information about this requirement visit CDR's website: https://www.cdrnet.org/graduatedegree. In addition, CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in program(s) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited Dietetic Internship program at the University of Virginia Health System are eligible to apply to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN. In most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice. For more information about state licensure requirements click here. For more information about educational pathways to become a RDN click here"
ACEND can be contacted directly:
Email: ACEND@eatright.org
Phone: 800/877-1600, ext. 5400
Mail: 120 South Riverside Plaza Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995
Website: https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend
For specific questions regarding the University of Virginia Health System Dietetic Internship program, please use the 'Contact Us' tab to reach internship leadership.