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

Application Instructions

Our program participates in 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 (Eastern Time). MAILED APPLICATIONS ARE NOT ACCEPTED.

Notification and Appointment Procedure and VA-Specific Admission Requirements

*Note: this section will be updated with additional details following the formal release of guidance from ACEND. 

• Applicants will receive notification of their application status on or before March 1st, 2025, at 10 am (Eastern Time).Applicants may receive an acceptance, waitlist status or rejection notification. 
• Applicants selected for the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center (JHQVAMC) Dietetic Internship Program must notify the Dietetic Internship Director, Lindsay Howell, via email Lindsay.Howell@va.gov (preferred) or by telephone at 423-979-2678 to confirm acceptance of their offer by March 15th, 2025, at 4 pm (Eastern Time). After this time, the JHQVAMC DI Program has no commitment to hold offers to applicants. 
• For applicants on waitlist status, they will be notified of their acceptance should 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 examination, and demonstrating satisfactory immunization/vaccination status.

This program is using the on-line centralized internship application, DICAS, which may be accessed at http://dicas.liaisoncas.com beginning August 5th for the Spring 2025-2026 Application; Customer service can be e-mailed at DICASinfo@Dicas.org. The on-line application must be completed for our program by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on the January 15, 2025 program deadline. No paper applications will be accepted. No applicants will be accepted after this deadline. A DICAS Process Overview handout can be found on the ACEND website at EatRightPro Website PDF.

VA-Specific Admission Requirements

• Applicants must complete the minimum academic requirements set forth by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). 
• All applicants must be a U.S. citizen at the time of the application submission.Green cards/work VISAs are not acceptable. If selected, proof of citizenship, such as a U.S. passport, birth certificate, or Certificate of Naturalization is required as part of Federal Government paperwork. Applicants must be able to read, write and speak English fluently and clearly.
• If selected for our program, male applicants will be required to have registered for selective service or be exempt and provide verification of their status through Selective Service Online Registration Search.
• If selected for our program, to be eligible for appointment, all trainees must show verification of good mental and physical health to meet the needs of a DI. Should the physical examination be unsatisfactory, the appointee/intern will be dismissed, and no part of the expense involved in reporting to JHQVAMC or returning home can be borne by the Federal Government.
• If selected for our program, to be eligible for appointment, all trainees must be up to date on vaccinations for health care workers as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Recommended Vaccines for Healthcare Workers | CDCand VA. This includes COVID-19 vaccination. Human Resources will provide the necessary forms for documentation that is required.
• If selected for our program, to be eligible for appointment, all trainees must pass a background check (paid for by the VA). Should the background check be unsatisfactory, the appointee/intern will be dismissed, and no part of the expense involved in reporting to JHQVAMC or returning home can be borne by the Federal Government.
• Check out the Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA) "Am I Eligible" document for a list of requirements specific for VA health professions trainees (HPTs). Find the document here: Am I Eligible? Checklist for VA HPTs. 

JHQVAMC DI Program Admission Requirements

• United States citizen.
• Grade point average of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale for both the cumulative GPA and the nutrition/dietetics-specific classes, undergraduate and graduate coursework.
• Letter of application/ personal statement. This should be completed in 1,000 words or less and include:
  1. An elaboration on relevant work and volunteer experience. Experience is a factor that is weighted in the selection of candidates. Non-dietetic related work experience may also be included on your application. If the bulk of your work experience is not related to dietetics, you may wish to explain in your personal statement on how it transfers to dietetics.
  2. A description extracurricular activities related to dietetics. These may include volunteer experiences, food drives, student dietetic club membership, nutrition educational materials and/or classes you have developed, mission work, etc. Describe how these activities/experiences have affected you and will benefit you in your career as a dietitian. Do NOT include Practicum experiences as required by your school program. If your extracurricular activities are limited or not dietetics-related, please explain and/or describe how these experiences are beneficial to your future as a dietitian.
  3. Provide your "why" for entering the dietetics profession
  4. Finally, applicants should also include a written response for EACH of the following five (5) questions:
  • • What do you see yourself doing 5 years from now as a practicing dietitian?
    • What personal or professional experiences have you had that you feel will prepare you for that job?
    • What characteristics or aspects of our program do you feel will help you achieve your career goals? Explain how you will benefit. (i.e., Why are you applying to our program?)
    • What areas of professional and personal growth would you like to enhance or work on during the internship? (i.e., What are your strengths and weaknesses?) Explain where you are now and how you would like to continue to develop in these areas.
    • Tell us about a specific time when you felt overwhelmed by life, professional studies, and/or work. How did you handle the situation and what was the outcome? What did you learn from it?
• Completion of an ACEND approved Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD). Applicants must have completed the requirements of an ACEND accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) and hold a bachelor's from an accredited college or university.  Official transcripts indicating the date of confirmation of your degree plus a Verification Statement of Program Completion are required prior to the start of the internship.
• Applicants must show proof of a completed master’s degree or enrollment in the UA Master’s Program in Human Nutrition. Please note that no credit will be given for previously obtained learning or work experiences prior to entering the internship program. Please note that 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). All applicants without a previously obtained Master's degree in clinical nutrition (or related approved field) interested in the JHQVAMC Dietetic Internship MUST apply to the University of Alabama's MS in Human Nutrition by February 1st, 2025 to be considered. 
• Mastery of the English language (reading, writing, speaking and comprehension)
• Education Requirements:
  • Dietetic Internship Only option:  Minimum of a master's degree in a related field. 
  • Combined Dietetic Internship and Master's Degree option: 
    • Minimum of a bachelor's degree
    • Acceptance into University of Alabama MS program

Students whose ACEND DPD verification statements are five (5) years or older are required to complete a minimum of 3 academic courses to 'refresh' their preparation for this program. Courses may be taken at the undergraduate or graduate level from any accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's program in nutrition. One course must address principles of advanced nutrition therapy; one course must be in biochemistry or other biological study related to human metabolism and one course must be in research or statistical methods. Transcripts must reflect a minimum grade of "B" in each course.

Students have the opportunity to take the listed required ‘refresh’ courses with our affiliated university, University of Alabama. Those interested in this option will be enrolled in the comparable classes during their first year of the MS and DI combined program. Students must show a minimum grade of “B” in each of the courses indicated below to proceed to their second year with JHQVAMC DI Program  and participate in supervised practice. Should student be found in poor academic standing, a remediation plan will be discussed with JHQVAMC DI Director, UA Graduate Director and student.

 Note: Currently, an additional background check and drug testing is mandatory for admission to some affiliate community rotations. The intern will be contacted by the affiliate site and is responsible for completing the required tests. The cost is paid by the affiliate site and the results sent directly to the affiliate site. The JHQVAMC is not involved in this process and does not receive the test results. However, if the intern is not allowed to participate in the rotation due to the test results, the intern may be dismissed from the internship program. This will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

Application Checklist

Important Fees

• Appropriate application fees sent to DICAS which is $50 for the first program you apply to and $25 for each additional program.
• There is NO SEPARATE APPLICATION FEE for our program.

Items to be uploaded on the DICAS website

• Personal Statement
• Resume
• Completed DICAS application. *Please list, on DICAS, your best email to reach you.*
• A total of three letters of recommendation should be submitted to DICAS. Two should be from college professors/instructors and one should be from a work or volunteer supervisor. Letters must have been written within the past 12 months. DO NOT send more than three letters.
• Official transcripts
• Verification statement (or "Declaration of Intent" to complete degree and approved minimum requirements). This form will be completed by your DPD director.
• If verification statement is older than 5 years, applicant will be required to show transcript indicating that the student has taken the minimum 3 academic courses to ‘refresh’ their preparation for this program.
• GRE will no longer be required for application 
• Proof of citzenship (valid passport or birth certificate)
• Education Requirements:

• Those applying to Dietetic Internship Only Option: Minimum of master’s degree in a related field. Please upload proof of completed Masters (or enrollment in Masters program) if applying for internship only. This can be done by including Masters level work in uploaded transcripts.    
• Those applying to Combined Dietetic Internship and Master’s Degree option: Minimum of a bachelor’s degree and acceptance into the University of Alabama’s MS program.

 Application Fees

There is no application fee for the dietetic internship program. If you are pursuing the combined MS/DI program, it is required to enroll in graduate school no later than February 1^st of your application year. University of Alabama will review your application once received. Applicants will be notified of their decision (acceptance or denial) via email. Please forward your acceptance email to the JHQVAMC DI Director to provide proof of acceptance. The director can be reached at: Lindsay.Howell@va.gov.

Important Dates

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)

Appointees to the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center's Dietetic Internship Program are to contact the Dietetic Internship Director by phone (423-979-2678) or by email (Lindsay.Howell@va.gov)  to accept or reject the appointment. Appointees must accept or reject the appointment by the deadline provided. The program is under no obligation to hold the opening for any applicant who does not accept the appointment by the required date/time (March 15th, 2025, at 4 pm Eastern Time). 

Please note, applicants placed on the program’s waitlist will be notified by or on March 1^st of their waitlist status. Those not selected by the program will alerted via email.

 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 prior to reporting for duty. A physical examination (completed prior to onboarding with the facility) must be satisfactory in order to be accepted into the Dietetic Internship Program. The physical examination will include documentation of vaccinations for healthcare workers as recommended by the CDC including the COVID-19 vaccinations.  Should the physical examination be unsatisfactory, no part of the expense involved in reporting or returning home can be borne by the federal government. The federal government does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, age or disability. 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. As a part of your training program requirements you may be required to complete rotations at affiliation sites. The program director will provide you with a list of specific requirements for each affiliate site which must be completed in order to train at that site (drug screening, vaccinations, background checks, etc).

Appointees accepted into the Combined MS/Dietetic Internship will be required to apply to the University of Alabama’s Masters in Human Nutrition graduate program and proof of enrollment will be provided to the dietetic internship director prior to starting the program. There is a $65.00 application fee for this program. For application information, deadlines and course descriptions please visit the university website at Admission Requirements and Materials for UA Graduate School.

For the 2024-26 MS University of Alabama / DI academic year, the program will begin in mid-August 2024 with coursework at UA. DI supervised practice will begin in mid- August 2025 and conclude in mid-April 2026. University of Alabama coursework completion is early-May 2026; MS-DI graduation will follow in mid-May 2026.
For the 2025-26 DI-only supervised practice year, the program will begin in mid-August 2025. Graduation will be in mid-May 2026.

Selection Criteria and Applicant Review

Applicants will be reviewed by a Selection and Interview Committee, consisting of the DI Director, DI Advisory Committee members and staff dietitians who serve as preceptors. Interviews may be scheduled depending on ranking by the committee and occur between application deadline and late February. The number of interns appointed annually to the MS/DI option and DI-only option will vary each year, for a total of 4 interns per year. If you have questions concerning the number of available spots, please email the JHQVAMC DI Director (Lindsay.Howell@va.gov) for availability.

A selection committee utilizes established criteria to select the best-qualified applicants. Overall, the committee is looking for a well-rounded individual with a solid dietetic knowledge base, awareness and understanding of our program concentration, professional goals that match our program, well developed verbal and written communication skills, and who have demonstrated maturity and a solid work ethic.

Applications of qualified candidates will be reviewed and scored on GPA, work experiences, volunteer experiences, letters of recommendation and the personalized statement/letter of application. The top candidates will be contacted and interviewed over Teams using the Performance-Based Interviewing method. No in-person interviews are conducted. It is highly recommended that applicants selected for an interview review the following website to learn about the performance-based interview process and how to prepare. There are 4 interview levels discussed. Applicants should focus on the first level only.   

Compliance with Equal Opportunity Programs

The Dietetic Internship is in compliance with the institutional equal opportunity policies/programs:

It is the policy of the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center to provide Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) for all qualified persons; to prohibit discrimination in employment because of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin or handicap; to maintain a work environment that is free of any form of unlawful discrimination, including sexual harassment; to promote a positive, continuing affirmative program designed to eradicate barriers to employment and to achieve a representative work force, with special emphasis on minorities, women, handicapped individuals and disabled Veterans; to recognize the special employment needs and problems of women and Hispanics, making the Federal Woman's Program and the Hispanic Employment Program integral parts of the total EEO program; and to provide for the prompt, fair and impartial review and adjudication of complaints involving issues of discrimination.

For more information regarding the Dietetics Applicant Process and Program Code of Conduct and Traffic Rules for the 2024-2025 Pilot year visit:Application Process for Students (eatrightpro.org).

* Links above 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.

Page Updated: October 2024

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