Dietetic Internship Program
VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System
Curriculum
The VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS) Dietetic Internship offers a medical nutrition therapy concentration, and the curriculum provides experiences in administrative, clinical and community dietetics designed to prepare the intern for entry-level professional practice in dietetics in health care institutions, agencies, or community programs. All interns will rotate at our West Los Angeles campus and may be assigned rotations at our Los Angeles Ambulatory Care Center and/or Sepulveda Ambulatory Care and Community Living Center. Interns also have the option of completing rotations at the San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Ventura, Bakersfield, Lancaster, or other Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs). A summary of VAGLAHS DI rotations can be found here.
Administrative Dietetics: Interns work aside clinical supervisors, administrative dietitians, food service workers, cooks, and department leadership to gain an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of all levels of food service systems management and dietetic service administration. They will participate in hands-on, real-world experience involving food production, service, and supervision, menu planning, human and resource management, quality assurance, and process improvement. Projects are based on practical needs of the department and intern recommendations. Interns learn life-long skills of planning and coordination, time management and critical thinking.
Inpatient Clinical Dietetics: The clinical component of the program is designed to provide practical experiences in the nutritional care of patients including nutrition assessment, diagnosis, intervention, and monitoring and evaluation. Patient education as well as active participation in the multidisciplinary health care team is emphasized. The clinical rotations include specialized treatment in the areas of cardiology, endocrinology, nephrology, neurology, neuropsychiatric care, long-term care, oncology, pulmonary disease, rehabilitation medicine, substance abuse, surgery, critical care, and nutrition support.
Outpatient Clinical and Community Dietetics: Rotations at VAGLAHS and the local community provide experiences in outpatient clinical and community dietetics. Rotations include Ambulatory Care, Home Based Primary Care (HBPC), MOVE! (a national weight management program), and Renal. Interns will also spend time at WIC and a private practice specializing in eating disorder treatment and prevention. VAGLAHS dietetic interns are also responsible for the planning and implementation of the healthcare system's National Nutrition Month program at VAGLAHS and in the community.
Special Interest: Up to two weeks of the internship program are allotted for interns to select and plan a special interest rotation(s). This is an opportunity for interns to spend more time in an area of interest or an area of development, or to explore a new area not included in the supervised practice rotation. Special interest rotations must take place within VA or with an existing affiliate.*
*Interns in the Combined Master of Public Health (MPH) Program track must select special interest options in the area of public health and require approval. Interns in the combined MPH program must select special interest rotations where they can enhance their skills in the planning, administration, and/or evaluation of public health programs and policies. One special interest experience will be completed during the Fall quarter of the second year in conjunction with MPH faculty projects. Combined MPH interns will work 10 hours per week (100 hours total) during the quarter. The other 2 weeks will be scheduled in phase 2 of the supervised practice portion of the program. Combined MPH Program interns should submit their request for a special interest experience and indicate how they will further develop their skills in the areas of public health by developing rotation objectives that meet at least one public health competency. The special interest rotation must be approved by the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) MPH Field Studies Director or Supervisor.
Didactic Classes: Didactic classes, usually held on Mondays, are coordinated with the supervised practice rotations in our program. Currently, many didactic classes take place virtually. Interns will be issued VA laptops from which virtual didactic classes can be attended. During the summer, VAGLAHS hosts these classes at the West Los Angeles facility. Nutrition, medical, and allied health professional staff members from VAGLAHS serve as instructors. Beginning in the Fall and for the remainder of the program, classes are arranged with the Greater Los Angles Dietetic Internship Consortium (GLADIC), which include the following Dietetic Internship programs in Los Angeles, San Bernadino, Riverside, and Orange counites. Theses classes are often virtual, however the location for these classes can be at any of the facilities or areas covered by the GLADIC. Therefore, a car is strongly recommended and interns are responsible for transportation to these classes. The GLADIC classes provide interns with an opportunity to network with interns and dietitians from other local institutions.
Combined Degree Programs
Master of Public Health (MPH) Degree at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
The graduate study program leading to the MPH degree in the Department of Community Health Sciences focuses on the health-related behaviors of individuals within the context of the social structure, community, health care system and family unit. Of particular interest is how health-related behaviors of individuals are influenced by and interact with conditions in the social, cultural, physical and biological environment to influence health status with particular emphasis on identifying, evaluating and discouraging health-damaging behaviors and facilitating health-promoting behaviors. The department's curriculum seeks to integrate basic and applied public health theories and methods in applying them to real problems of human populations. Assessment, planning and evaluation are common themes in the department's educational programs.
The MPH program does not provide further education in clinical nutrition or medical nutrition therapy. Nutrition courses in the MPH program focus on public health aspects of nutrition. While graduates will likely gain new perspectives and broader world views of nutrition, Combined MPH interns should not expect further dietetic training as classes are generally designed for students without a nutrition background. Graduates of the Combined MPH program track gain a versatile perspective that is invaluable when designing programs, interventions, or educational materials for individuals or groups and can be translated to many settings.
The Master of Science degree in Nutritional Science is an individualized program designed to develop specialized professional competence in selected areas of dietetics, nutrition, and food science. The program is designed for students preparing for positions as public health nutritionists, supervisors in dietetics and food production and service, or doctoral study in nutrition and dietetics.
Master of Science (MS) Degree in Human Nutrition at California State University (CSUN)
The MS in Human Nutrition is designed to advance professional competence and personal nutritional needs of individuals who want to increase their opportunities in the selected areas of nutrition while also providing breadth in related areas. Students will develop competencies in research methods and advanced practice comprehension relevant to their area of study. Completion of the program will increase competence in food and nutrition subject matter in preparation for a wide variety of professional opportunities, including nutritionists or supervisors in nutrition, doctoral study in nutrition, research, and administrative positions in public and private agencies.
Graduation Requirements
To successfully complete the VAGLAHS Dietetic Internship Program and be eligible to sit for the RD Examination, interns must:- Complete all required supervised practice rotations, earning an overall rating of "Meets Expectations" or "Exceeds Expectations" on all final rotation evaluation.
- Complete at least 1000 hours of supervised practice.
- Successfully complete all required internship projects and assignments and be rated as entry-level competent for all associated ACEND competencies.
- Successfully complete a Master's degree program (as of December 31, 2023) by no later than 6 months after completion of supervised practice rotations.
- Provide the Dietetic Internship Director with official copies of a graduate degree transcript indicating degree conferment* and a DPD Verification Statement.
MPH Degree at UCLA Graduation Requirement:
- A total of at least 60 graduate and upper-division units, taken for a grade and receiving a B-minus or better (not Pass/Fail or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory), is required for graduation
- Completion of credible hours for CHS 400 Field Studies
- Pass a comprehensive examination for degree conferment
- Additional information can be found here: http://chs.ph.ucla.edu/academics/degree-programs/masters/mph-curriculum
MS Degree at CSULA graduation requirements:
- Completion of a minimum of 30 units, including 23 units of core courses, one culminating experience (thesis, comprehensive exam or directed project), and 3 to 7 units of option requirements.
- Maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Additional information can be found at: https://ecatalog.calstatela.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=54&poid=29137
MS Degree at CSUN Graduation Requirement:
- Complete all of the courses required by their option.
- Earn a grade of B or better in all courses.
- Maintain an overall minimum GPA of 3.0 in the program
- Total Units Required for the M.S. in Human Nutrition Degree: 48 (includes 9 units of internship credit)
- Additional information can be found at: http://www.csun.edu/health-human-development/family-consumer-sciences/graduate-program-human-nutrition
Upon successful completion of the dietetic internship program, individuals will be eligible to write the Registration examination for Dietitians from the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). Passage of the examination is required for certification as a Registered Dietitian from CDR, the credentialing agency for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Effective January 1, 2024, CDR will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a RDN. In addition, CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in program(s) accredited by ACEND. Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited VAGLA DI are eligible to apply to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN. For more information about educational pathways to become an RDN please visit https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend/students-and-advancing-education/information-for-students
Those students successfully completing the Combined MPH Program will also earn a MPH degree from UCLA in the Community Health Sciences Department. Those in the Combined MS Optional program tracks will in some cases complete MS degree requirements after completion of the dietetic internship.
Accreditation
The program is currently granted continued accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Address:
Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
120 S Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190
Chicago, IL 60606-6995
Telephone: (312) 899-0040 ext. 5400
