James A. Haley Tampa VA Hospital
I had no idea the great reputation this internship has until I started. I made wonderful friendships during the internship year that I still keep in touch with 7 years later. Tampa is a great place to live with plenty to do and I landed the best job ever, working as an RD at the Tampa VA.
This staff is ready to greet you with open arms! Independent thought is encouraged but the resources are plentiful, and the best efforts are made in helping meet the needs of our dietetic interns. The eagerness of the staff was evident to me right away when I was an intern. There wasn't anyone I felt I couldn't ask for help.
I wish I had known how exciting the opportunities I would be presented as an intern at the Anne Brezina dietetic internship. The dietitians were always willing to afford interns every opportunity to learn more and truly grasp the role of nutrition in medical care. It was also a great place to see the autonomy dietitians have cultivated in a multi-disciplinary setting.
My college program director said that this was the best internship and she was right! We had so many great rotations and the dietitians were wonderful. We got to do so many things that other programs didn't like observe a surgery, present at a local dietetic association meeting, and go on a field trip to a dairy plant. I was so prepared for the registration exam and work. From my experience at Tampa VA, I was able to help the hospital I work at now start the Nutrition Care Process. I highly recommend this program!
