VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System - FAQs
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Where should I live?
You may live anywhere within the Las Vegas Valley. However, the North Las Vegas VA Medical Center, where you will be spending most of your time in supervised practice, is located at the very north end of the city. There are apartment complexes near the medical center.
2. Can I work outside the program?
Outside employment is strongly discouraged during the DI Program. You will be spending 4 full days each week at the VA, and you will have a significant amount of preparation and projects to do in the supervised practice rotations. Plan to commit your time to the program to set yourself up for success.
3. Do I need a car?
Yes, it is strongly recommended that you have your own reliable vehicle. While there is public transit in Las Vegas, it is limited, and you may not be able to travel between sites in a timely manner.
4. Is the Master’s degree mandatory, or can I do just the supervised learning alone?
Yes, you must have a master's degree upon entry into the DI Program if you are starting in the 2024-2025 school year. There will be a combined Master's/Dietetic Internship option with a partner university starting in Fall 2025.
5. What is your patient population?
The Department of Veterans Affairs provides health care to men and women who have served in the branches of the military: Navy, Army, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. Our population is made up of Veterans from World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Persian Gulf Wars, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn. Many Veterans also served during the Cold War era. While the majority of Veterans are male, the numbers of females are increasing every year. Various ethnicities are represented in the Veteran population, but southern Nevada has a large Latinx and Asian American representation.
6. I hear VA internships are super competitive, so should I even bother to apply?
VA programs have earned a reputation for being “too competitive.” All Dietetic Internship programs are competitive, and that is not a unique characteristic of VA programs. If your education goals align with what our program offers, you should apply to a VA program. With no application fee, it’s a good deal.
7. What is a “rotation?”
A rotation is a supervised learning experience with a specific focus. During the rotation, you will have multiple assignments and hands-on work to master designated competencies. A list of the rotations is provided on this site. Rotations require full 8-hour days and specific times depend on the preceptor and rotation.
8. I am not a US Citizen. Can I still apply to your program?
All applicants to VA programs must be a US Citizen at the time of application.
9. Are vaccinations required for the internship?
Yes. Based on the Centers for Disease Control and Federal guidelines, specific immunizations are required. These include, but are not limited to, annual influenza, hepatitis B series, the COVID-19 series, and tuberculosis screening.
Currently, the policy of VASNHS is that any VHA employee (including Health Professions Trainees, i.e., Dietetic Interns) or volunteer who works in VHA facilities, visits VHA facilities, or provides direct care to those we serve is required to be fully vaccinated. Exceptions are approved on a case-by-case basis, and those with exceptions must comply with workplace safety protocols (i.e., appropriate masking and testing). Exceptions related to a medical condition or a religious belief are processed as a request for reasonable accommodation to the vaccination requirement.
Exceptions cannot be reviewed or approved prior to the onboarding process. HR does not address vaccine status with employees until they are offered employment, which would be after matching occurs. There is no way to get any exemption approved in advance, and there is no way to predict if exemptions will ultimately be honored at the time of employment.
In addition to VA policies, VASNHS is subject to federal laws and executive orders, which means policies are frequently evolving. Students applying for our internship program who have not received the COVID-19 vaccination cannot be guaranteed that they will be able to complete their internship at the VA without receiving the vaccination. At any point, including after matching, after onboarding, or even after the internship has started, vaccination requirements may change and the intern may no longer be able to complete supervised practice rotations at the VA if they aren’t vaccinated.
