James H. Quillen VA Medical Center

Johnson City Program Introduction Program Mission and Goals Financial Information Application Guidelines FAQs Program Rotations MS degree Life in Johnson City James H. Quillen VA Medical Center About James H. Quillen VA Medical Center

Program Introduction

Thank you for your interest in the James H Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center (JHQVAMC) Dietetic Internship (DI) at the Mountain Home VA Health System in Johnson City, TN.  The internship provides experiences in clinical settings, food service management, and community dietetics while stressing medical nutrition therapy for health promotion, as well as disease prevention and management. 

A strong focus is placed on providing medical nutrition therapy in the outpatient settings including primary care, diabetes management, oncology, weight management, integrative and functional nutrition, home-based care, and specialty clinics through on-site appointments, as well as telehealth and video connect. Additionally, interns will provide inpatient medical nutritional therapy for patients in areas of chronic disease management, intensive care, surgery, long term care, and mental health. Our goal is to offer diverse learning experiences which will prepare you for a variety of positions in the field of dietetics. JHQVAMC DI is proud to offer Dietetic Interns a paid stipend for their training. This stipend is funded by the Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA) and is provided during supervised practice hours only.

Orientation

The first week of the internship will be spent in orientation. Included in this week will be a general orientation to the JHQVAMC along with introduction to computerized charting and utilizing the nutrition care process. Each intern will have 40 hours of supervised practice experience weekly.

Important Dates to Highlight

August 5^th- DICAS portal opens for JHQVAMC DI Program*

October 23rd- JHQVAMC Virtual Open House (12:00 pm EST)*

December 9th- JHQVAMC Virtual Open House (12:00 pm EST)*

January 15^th- Last day to apply to JHQVAMC through DICAS (11:59pm EST)

February 1^st- Last day to apply to University of Alabama

March 1^st - Offers extended to applicants. Those on waitlist will also be notified.*

March 15^th – Appointees to accept or reject offers by this date (4:00pm EST)*

*These dates apply to those interested in both JHQVAMC pathways (DI only or MS/DI). 

Accreditation

The James H Quillen VA Medical Center Dietetic Internship Program has been granted candidate status by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190
Chicago, IL 60606-6995, (312) 899-0040 ext. 5400.

  http://www.eatrightPRO.org/ACEND

The James H. Quillen VA Medical Center Dietetic Internship has two options for program completion: 

1. MS/DI combined option(total 20 months) in conjunction with the University of Alabama's online MS in Human Nutrition.
2. Dietetic internship only option(for those who have a master’s degree prior to admission to the DI, total 8 months).

Both options include up to a total of 1240  supervised practice hours, with rotations completed at JHQVAMC and affiliate sites, in and near Johnson City, TN. The MS/DI option begins in August with first year fully online coursework through UA in fall, spring, and summer semesters.  Interns will relocate to Johnson City, TN to begin supervised practice in August, year 2, while continuing on-line enrollment at UA, to complete the required two courses per semester (fall and spring).  Interns in this option will complete supervised practice and the UA program requirements in May. The DI only option begins in August and ends in May of the following year.

Upon satisfactory completion of all program requirements, the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) Verification Statement will be awarded. Interns in the MS/DI combined option must complete all program requirements of UA and the JHQVAMC DI to receive a verification statement. 

University of Alabama online MS / DI -James H Quillen VAMC Internship Combined Option:

The internship has established a partnership with The University of Alabama (UA) to provide interns with the opportunity to enroll in a fully online, 30 credit-hour Master of Science program in Human Nutrition. The program is creatively designed to provide foundational knowledge before starting coursework, integrate class assignments with experiences in the internship, and assure advanced knowledge in the field of nutrition and dietetics. Internship directors work directly with university faculty to align assignments and activities, allowing students to complete the internship and master’s degree in less than two years. All courses are offered fully online, and out of state fees are waived. Financial aid is available to cover course tuition and living expenses, for students who qualify. The graduate program can accept up to 12 hours of graduate coursework as transfer credit that may be applied to the degree.

For more information contact the Human Nutrition program director, Dr. Tiffany Hylton, RDN, LD, at tmhylton@ches.ua.edu and see the MS in Human Nutrition webpage at: University of Alabama Masters in Human Nutrition Website.

For a general overview of the program, click here: Welcome to the Master of Science in Human Nutrition at The University of Alabama on Vimeo

A more detailed Q&A session can be found here:  University of Alabama Q&A Link 

Dietetic Internship Only Option: 

Beginning with the Spring 2023 match, all applicants applying to the internship only track must have a master's degree prior to admission to the James H Quillen VAMC Dietetic Internship at Mountain Home/Johnson City, TN.  Degree conferral and submission of updated transcripts must occur prior to the program start date.

Dietetic Internship Director- Contact Information: 

James H. Quillen VAMC
Lindsay Howell, MS, RDN, LDN
Dietetic Internship Director / 120
Corner of Lamont & Veteran's Way
Johnson City, TN 37684
Email: Lindsay.Howell@va.gov
Phone: 423-979-2678

Current Credentialing Process to Become a Registered Dietitian

• 1. Earn a minimum of a graduate degree from an accredited dietetics program. Classes vary according to program, but in general, coursework covers subjects that may range from food and nutrition sciences, foodservice systems management, business, economics, computer science, culinary arts, sociology and communication to science courses such as biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, anatomy and chemistry. A master's degree is required to be eligible for the RDN exam.Some accredited programs include a master's degree, while other students complete their undergraduate in dietetics and earn a master's degree in another field (e.g. public health, communications, etc.).
     • The JHQVAMC DI Program requires an ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in the Dietetics (DPD) track with delivery of a DPD Verification Statement.
     • The JHQVAMC DI path requires your graduate degree to be a Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition or similar related field.
     • For those interested in the JHQVAMC MS/DI path, interns will be able to obtain a master’s degree online through the University of Alabama with a Masters in Human Nutrition.
     • The JHQVAMC DI Program has a recency of education requirement. For those with a DPD verification statement completed greater than 5 years from time of application, refresher courses will be required.
  2. Complete a supervised practice requirement. In addition, individuals must complete at least 1,000 hours of supervised practice to gain real-world experience and apply knowledge learned in the classroom to the context of a variety of work settings.
     • Interns in the JHQVAMC DI Program are scheduled for up to 1240 hours in supervised practice. Interns must complete a minimum of 1120hours within the program to be eligible for the verification statement issued by ACEND. This allows the intern to take the National Registration Exam.
     • The minimum number of supervised practice hours for the program are set to ensure the intern meets the competencies/ learning outcomes defined for entry-level practice a registered dietitian.
     • The Dietetic Internship must provide at least 1120 hours of supervised practice experiences to meet the competencies/learning outcomes defined for entry-level practice as a registered dietitian.
     • Interns must meet entry-level for all competencies to successfully complete the supervised practice hours. 
  3. Pass a national exam for RDNs. Once you complete your degrees and supervised practice, you may schedule to take CDR's Registration Examination for Registered Dietitians to become a credentialed as registered dietetics nutritionist. This is called "RDN eligibility," meaning you have completed the requirements to become eligible to take the national exam.
     • Successful completion of the JHQVAMC DI Program provides the intern with a verification statement issued by ACEND which allows the intern to take the National Registration Exam. Upon successful completion of the exam, the intern is officially designated as a Registered Dietitian.
  4. Meet requirements to practice in your state. Many states have regulatory laws (i.e. licensure) for food and nutrition practitioners. All states accept the RDN credential for state licensure purposes. It is important to review your state’s requirements. In most, graduates will also need to obtain a licensure or certification to practice.

  While state interpretations of statutes may vary, it is ACEND's considered opinion that the program meets the educational requirements for dietetics licensure and certification in all states. However, completing an ACEND accredited academic program alone does not qualify an individual for licensure or certification as a dietitian in any state. Individuals should review their state's licensing statutes and regulations to understand the specific requirements, including supervised practice and examinations, needed to obtain a dietetics license. For more information about state licensure requirements visit the Commission on Dietetic Registration State Licensure - Commission on Dietetic Registration (cdrnet.org).

  *Licensure is required in the state of Tennessee.  More information about licensure can be found online at the Tennessee Board of Dietitians/Nutritionist Examiners.

  5. Stay up-to-date in dietetics through continuing education. After successfully passing the national exam and earning the credential, RDNs maintain ongoing professional development in order to stay up to date on the latest research, recommendations and best practices.

  
  Overall, as an accrediting agency, ACEND makes sure that students preparing for careers as RDNs are getting the education they need to qualify for taking the national RDN exam. There are several kinds of accredited dietetics education programs — each offering a different experience and "pathway" to RDN eligibility. To find out more about each “pathway” please see the EatRight.org website.

  
  
  

  *Links will take you outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs Website. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of the linked websites. The link will open in a new window.

Open House: Each year, the JHQVAMC hosts Open House forums, which provide attendees with the opportunity to learn all about our program. These are held each fall and winter. Forums for 2024 have closed. Please check back for 2025 offerings. For those unable to attend any planned session, small group meetings can be arranged. 
Planning a visit to the area? Reach out! We would love to meet up on campus to show you around. 

Open House Dates and Information: 

TBD for 2025

For any questions, email Lindsay Howell at Lindsay.Howell@va.gov. 


Page Updated: November 2024

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