Dietetic Internship Program
Michael E. DeBakey Houston VA Medical Center
Supervised Practice Rotation Experiences
Interns complete all rotations at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (MEDVAMC) and its affiliate sites. The program is approximately 1616 clock hours in length. The average work day is eight hours but additional time is sometimes necessary at home after hours to complete projects, assignments and unit readings. On rare occasions, interns are scheduled to work on a holiday or weekend. The program will begin in August with orientation and complete at the end of July with a capstone nutrition practicum and completion of the supervised practice portion. The fall semester will be spent completing graduate coursework. An approximate breakdown of the primary rotation blocks is listed below and a more detailed description follows.
Orientation and Management Rotations
|
Rotation |
Length |
Overview |
|
|
Orientation (MEDVAMC) |
3 weeks |
Overview of medical center, rotations, intern responsibilities, computer training and clinical classes with preceptors. |
|
|
General Nutrition Management (MEDVAMC)
|
3 weeks |
Provides comprehensive exposure to the process of assessing, planning, directing, controlling, and evaluating nutrition care in a clinical setting as well as administrative. |
|
|
Food Service Administration (MEDVAMC)
|
4 weeks |
Follow the flow of food from the receiving dock to patient delivery. Participate in food waste evaluation, sanitation inspections, menu development and recipe modifications. |
|
|
School Food Service (KISD)
|
|
Experience firsthand the role of the School Foodservice RD to implement healthy lifestyle menus. Become familiar with the Federal School Breakfast and Lunch Program Regulations and Commodities System. |
Community Rotations
|
Rotation |
Length |
Overview |
|
City of Houston Women Infants and Children |
3 weeks |
Increase knowledge and skills to provide nutrition counseling and focused education to WIC participants with high-risk conditions. Rotation includes hybrid onsite/remote work. |
Clinical Rotations
|
Rotation |
Length |
Overview |
|
Primary Care/Community Outpatient Based Clinic Outpatient Nutrition |
3 weeks |
In-depth outpatient counseling experience involving a variety of disease states. Activities include counseling with motivational interviewing strategies, developing patient education handouts, creating a PowerPoint presentation on an emerging trend nutrition topic. |
|
MOVE! (Weight Management)
|
3 weeks |
Offers comprehensive experience counseling overweight/obese patients in both group and individual settings. Activities include counseling, class development, leading support group sessions. Includes hybrid onsite/remote work. |
|
Diabetes Specialty Care |
2 weeks |
The intern will work with Veterans diagnosed with Diabetes and will learn to provide instruction to Veterans for self-monitoring blood glucose, considering diabetes medication and medical nutrition therapy. |
|
Home Base Primary Care |
2 weeks |
Participate in the unique learning experience of providing nutrition education to Veterans and their care givers in the home setting. |
|
Outpatient Specialty Care- Oncology
|
1 week |
Introduction to outpatient nutrition counseling in the Oncology population. |
|
Outpatient Specialty Care-Transplant (Kidney, Liver, and Heart) |
1 week |
Introduction to outpatient nutrition counseling in the Transplant population. Includes hybrid onsite/remote work. |
|
Outpatient Specialty Care- Renal |
1 week |
Introduction to outpatient nutrition counseling in the Renal population. Includes hybrid onsite/remote work.
|
|
Long Term Care/Extended Care
|
4 weeks |
In-depth exposure to the geriatric population's special needs, as well as principles surrounding extended care, long-term care, and palliative care issues. |
|
Medicine
|
4 weeks
|
Provides intense, in-depth exposure to a variety of acute and chronic medical conditions. Activities include assessments, counseling, team meetings, meal rounds, and observing medical procedures such as barium swallow evaluations and PEG placements |
|
Intensive Care Unit |
4 weeks |
Gain practical experience in the assessment, nutritional support, and follow-up of critically ill patients, working as part of an interdisciplinary team |
|
Capstone-Nutrition Practicum |
4 weeks |
Unique commencement to the supervised practice experiences. Students will assume the role of a dietitian in designated units/clinics and perform all duties and responsibilities. This represents a chance for the student to demonstrate his or her knowledge and competency, and to gain first-hand experience as an entry-level dietitian |
|
Whole Health |
2 weeks |
Whole Health is VA’s approach to care that supports the Veteran and employee health and well-being. Whole Health centers around what matters to the Veteran and employee, not what is the matter with the Veteran/employee. Interns will have the opportunity to work with both employees and Veterans and focus on wellness initiatives during the rotation. |
Dietetic Internship Additional Projects and Assignments
Dietetic interns also engage in several educational activities designed to promote skills in public speaking and presentation. Projects and assignments may include:
- Medical Nutrition Therapy Care Plans
- Case Study/Journal Club presentation
- Emerging Trends Presentation
- Healthy Teaching Kitchen demonstration
- Legislative Advocacy Assignment
- Mentoring incoming Interns
- Professional Development Assignments
- Professional Continuing Education
- Cultural Sensitivity Training
- Literature Reviews and critical thinking assignments specific to each rotation
- Orientation begins Monday August 11, 2025
- Vacation/Holidays: Approximately 2 weeks (Thanksgiving Day and the Day After (11/27/25 & 11/28/25), 1 week Christmas (12/22/25 thru 12/26/25), and 1 week in May ( 5/11/26 thru 5/15/26) *Dates are subject to change*
- Federal Holidays (Interns will observe federal holidays which occur during their rotations. Ex:Indepenence Day, Juneteenth
- Supervised Practice portion completion date will be July 24, 2026
* Please do not make any scheduled plans prior to receiving a final schedule when you begin the internship. These dates are subject to change*
Note: In our program, interns are scheduled for rotations 4 days each week during the fall and spring semesters for a total of 32 hrs/week. Between semesters and during the summer, rotations are scheduled over the entire five-day work week (Monday through Friday) for a total of 40hrs.week. Outside employment is not recommended. Some sick leave is excused however, excessive absences must be made up in order to meet ACEND requirements for completion of required hours for program completion and graduation.
General Orientation
The first week of the internship is spent in general orientation. Interns are provided with an overview of the MEDVAMC's mission, philosophy and vision. They learn about the organizational structure of the department and are informed of important policies and procedures. Interns meet the Food and Nutrition staff and key administrators in the facility.
Clinical Orientation and Training
Interns are scheduled to participate in a variety of didactic classes, role plays, simulations, observations, quizzes and other experiences to assure they are prepared to enter clinical rotations. Classes include nutritional assessment, nutrition counseling, documentation in the medical record, malnutrition screening, nutrition focused physical exam, and food service systems. A number of classes summarize nutritional care for diseases and conditions commonly encountered in the clinical setting (i.e. renal, oncology, liver, and spinal cord injury) and are associated with case study examples. Because the VA operates using a completely paperless medical record and utilizes multiple software, a number of computer training classes provided.
Clinical Nutrition
The clinical medical nutrition therapy experience is comprised of rotations which provide interns both broad-based and in-depth experiences in nutritional care. Clinical rotations are designed to allow the intern to first master basic clinical skills before progressing to more specialized areas and assuming additional professional responsibilities. Clinical rotation areas may include, but are not limited to long term care, extended care, rehab, medicine, oncology, cardiology, surgery, intensive care, and nutrition support. Interns gain knowledge in a wide variety of diseases and conditions including oncology, cardiology, liver disease, and renal disease. Experiences may also include the following clinical areas: spinal cord injury, rehabilitation, transplant, palliative/hospice, mental health, and substance abuse.
Administration and Food Service Systems Management
Rotations are planned to provide interns with a variety of food service systems and management experiences within the VA hospital and also in school food service with Klein Independent School District. Interns learn about food production and procurement, food service systems, menu planning, recipe development, employee education, sanitation, safety, personnel management, and a number of other administrative experiences.
General Management
Additionally, interns work with the NFS Associate Chief of Clinical Nutrition and the Clinical Nutrition managers for both inpatient and outpatient care, where they hone leadership, marketing, and management skills. They participate in performance improvement, systems redesign, lean management, personnel management, fiscal management, budget planning, and interdisciplinary leadership meetings. Through projects, meetings, and role plays, interns gain an understanding of skills needed in upper management and leadership roles.
Outpatient Nutrition
The outpatient nutrition rotation provide interns with an understanding of the role of the dietitian/nutritionist in a managed care setting. Experiences include VA Outpatient Nutrition Clinics such as the Nutrition Clinic, Individual Weight Management Clinic, Eating Discorders Clinic, Transplant Clinic, and Oncology Clinic. Interns will also work with the MOVE! Weight Management Program as well as the Diabetes Clinic. Interns provide individual counseling, teach group classes, organize health promotion events, and participate in a variety of community health and wellness projects.
Home Base Primary Care
This is a unique rotation in which the intern travels to the Veterans home with the RDN preceptor and conducts in home nutrition assessment and provides in home diet education as needed.
Community Nutrition
The community nutrition rotations provide interns with an understanding of the role of the dietitian/nutritionist in a variety of agencies and programs in the local community. Expriences include Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program as well as the Houston Food Bank. Interns will have an opportunity to participate in a variety of community health and wellness projects as well as visit community sites via field trips.
Capstone Nutrition Practicum
The final nutrition practicum provides a capstone experience in which interns assume the duties of a dietitian under supervision. This four week rotation affords interns an opportunity to build confidence and demonstrate they are competent to enter practice as entry-level dietitians.
* 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.
