Central Texas VA Medical Center
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Application Procedure for the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System Dietetic Internship Program
The Central Texas VA Dietetic Internship Program will accept 6 interns as part of the Spring DICAS application. Our application period begins August 5th, 2024. Applications must be received and completed in DICAS by January 15th, 2025 at 11:59pm (Central Time). Mailed applications are not accepted.
The VA does not charge an application fee or tuition for the internship program however prospective interns are subject to fees associated with the use of DICAS ($50 for the first application and an additional $25 per subsequent application).
Applicants must meet the following criteria for admission:
- Have a verification statement from a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) or Foreign Dietitian Education program (FDE) and have earned at least a master’s degree granted by a U.S. accredited college/university or foreign equivalent
- Be a citizen of the United States of America. Proof of US Citizenship (valid passport or birth certificate) is required to be submitted as supplemental documents through the DICAS portal
- Males must have registered for selective service or be exempt to be eligible to apply to this program. If matched to our program, males will be required to provide verification of their status through Select Service Online Registration Search
To apply, interns must complete an online application using the online centralized internship application, DICAS. Please note, mailed applications are no longer accepted. The online application may be accessed at https://portal.dicas.org beginning in August 2024 for the spring 2025-2026 match. DICAS may also be contacted via email at DICASinfo@DICAS.org for any questions or concerns. The online application must be completed by 11:59pm central time of the January 15, 2025 deadline date to participate in the spring match. The fee to use DICAS is $50 for the first application and an additional $25 per subsequent application.
The application will need to include the following:
- Personal statement (in 1,000 words or less) addressing:
- Reason you are specifically applying to the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System Dietetic Internship Program.
- What makes you a good match for our program?
- Why are you interested in pursuing a profession in the field of dietetics?
- What are your short-term and long-term professional goals?
- What are your strengths and how can these contribute to the program and profession?
- What professional areas do you feel as though you need improvement in?
- Official transcript(s) from all universities and colleges attended (must include graduate degree). Official transcripts should be sent to DICAS Transcript Dept. Please visit the DICAS website for complete instructions
- DPD Verification Statement
- Proof of completed Masters degree
- Three letters of recommendation uploaded to the DICAS website. References should include academic faculty and a work or supervisor reference. When completing the application, applicants must include the name and contact information (specifically e-mail address) for the three references. This will trigger an e-mail message requesting completion of a reference form. The form will be completed online by your reference.
- Submit a resume with complete work and volunteer history.
Note: If you are a Veteran, please select that option on the DICAS application under personal information.
No credit will be provided by the CTVHCS DI Program for prior learning.
Furthermore, there is no formal GPA requirement to apply to the CTVHCS Dietetic Internship Program however GPA, and specifically performance in dietetic related classes, will be reviewed and scored as part of the application review process.
What to Expect During the Selection/Appointment Process
- Open House: All interested applicants should consider attending an open house. The CTVHCS DI Program will be hosting 2 open houses for the Spring 2025-2026 application, all of which are virtual. If you desire to visit in-person, please contact the DI Director to set-up a private visit. If you are unable to attend any of the open houses, you are encouraged to contact the DI Director before applying to the internship. More information about the open houses can be found here: Central Texas VA Medical Center - Dietetic Internship Program
- Application Submission: Completed applications must be received in DICAS by January 15th, 2025, at 11:59pm (Central Time).
- Application Review and Interviews: Once applications are received from perspective students, a selection committee will score the applications based on established criteria. Interviews will be conducted for highly scored applicants who meet minimum program requirements. Notification of interview offer will be sent out to the applicants via the email listed on their DICAS application. Interviews will be conducted virtually with the DI Director along with other CTVHCS DI Program preceptors.
- Appointment Notifications: The 2025-2026 selection cycle will include the new pilot procedures for appointment notification and acceptance procedures. For additional information from ACEND regarding the Application Process for Students visit: Application Process for Students (eatrightpro.org).
CTVHCS DI Program Notification and Appointment Procedure
- CTVHCS DI Program may begin extending offers of admission on applications deemed complete by the program at any time during the admission cycle.
- CTVHCS DI Program will notify all applicants of their status no later than March 1st, 2025, at 10 am (Central Time). Applicants may receive an acceptance offer, a waitlisted status, or a rejection notification.
- CTVHCS DI Program does not require a deposit to hold acceptance.
- Applicants offered an appointment to the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System Dietetic Internship Program must notify the Dietetic Internship Director, Autumn Taylor, via email Autumn.Taylor1@va.gov (preferred) or by telephone at 254-743-1029 to confirm acceptance of their offer by March 15th, 2025, at 4 pm (Central Time). After this time, the CTVHCS DI Program has no commitment to hold acceptance offers to applicants.
- For applicants on waitlisted status, should positions become available, they will be notified of their acceptance starting March 16th, 2025 or sooner as positions become available.
- A letter will be sent to appointees confirming the dietetic internship appointment. This letter is considered tentative until the appointee has successfully completed all hiring and onboarding requirements of the VA including but not limited to a background check with fingerprints, physical/mental health examination, and demonstrating satisfactory immunization/vaccination status.
- Appointees must be physically and mentally able to safely and efficiently perform the responsibilities of a dietetic intern. Appointees will be subject to background checks and may be required to complete a physical examination with their private doctor prior to the internship start date. The physical examination will include documentation of vaccinations for healthcare workers as recommended by the CDC (Recommended Vaccines for Healthcare Workers - CDC) including the COVID-19 vaccinations. Should the physical examination be unsatisfactory, the appointee not pass their background check, or failure to provide appropriate vaccination records, the trainee will not be accepted into the Dietetic Internship Program and no part of the expense involved in reporting or returning home can be borne by the federal government.
- If, after beginning the internship it is found that the intern failed to provide honest and/or accurate information regarding their application, interview, etc. they may be dismissed from the program with no further pay or action.
- At this time drug screening is not required by the VA however may be required as part of affiliate rotations. Costs associated with drug testing are the responsibility of the intern.
- The federal government does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, age or disability.
For more information regarding the Dietetics Applicant and Program Code of Conduct and Traffic Rules for the 2024-2025 Pilot year visit: dietetics-code-of-conduct-and-traffic-rules.pdf (eatrightpro.org)
