James A. Haley Tampa VA Hospital
The James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital sponsors a dietetic internship program which prepares the graduate to take his/her place in the health profession as an entry-level dietitian with a general background in clinical, administrative, business and community dietetics. The program emphasis is evidence-based practice. Supervised practice is blended with didactic classes. Interns also receive many opportunities for interdisciplinary experiences, participating in noon conference weekly, case study presentations, medical team rounds and care plan meetings.
The intern will be on duty 40 hours a week, including the occasional possibility of some week-end duty. The program begins in August and interns graduate in May of the following calendar year. Classes are held during on-duty time, but additional time for study and project development is necessary over and above scheduled duty hours.
There is a one-week orientation period at the beginning of the 42-week program. Most rotations are two to four weeks long.
Two one-week vacations (1 week in December and 1 week in Spring) and ten holidays are planned during the internship period.
The program has a 100% one-year pass rate for the dietetics registration examination for over 40 years. The internship director also helps graduating interns find their first jobs as an RDN. Past interns have found employment opportunities at the Tampa VA, in the Florida area, and beyond.
Accreditation
The program is currently granted continued full accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) for a term of seven years ending June 30, 2024.
More information is available on the ACEND website at: https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend
Address:
ACEND
120 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190
Chicago, IL 60606-6995
312-899-0040 or 800-877-1600
Requirements for Program Completion
- Completion of 1120 + supervised practice hours
- Successfully complete all supervised practice rotations
- Successfully completes all projects, as assigned
- Achieve a rating of 4 (Performs at Entry Level) for all internship competencies
A verification statement will be issued upon successful completion of all program requirements.
Becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) is a five-step process with the Dietetic Internship being step 2:
- Complete a bachelor's degree or a graduate degree and receive a verification statement from an ACEND®-accredited program
- Complete an ACEND®-accredited supervised practice Dietetic Internship program or Individual Supervised Practice Pathway is an option. Supervised practice/experiential learning is combined with the Coordinated Program and Graduate Program.
- Pass the Commission on Dietetic Registration's dietetic registration exam.
- Gain licensure in your state of practice, if applicable.
- Maintain continuing education.
**NOTE: Effective January 1, 2024, the CDR will require a minimum of a graduate degree to take the Dietetic Registration Examination. In order to be approved for registration examination elgibility, an individual must complete all eligibility requirements before 12:00 midnight Central Time, December 31, 2023.
For more information, please visit: https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend/students-and-advancing-education/information-for-students
Compliance With Equal Opportunity Programs and Student Civil Rights
The Dietetic Internship is in compliance with the institutional equal opportunity policies/programs:
It is the policy of the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital 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 at 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 Women'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 employment discrimination.
