What are my responsibilities
for the Dietetic Internship application process?
Visiting and
selecting an internship
- Contact the
internship early -- several months before application.
- Learn about the
programs that are offered. One of the best ways to learn is to
visit open houses.
- The more
internships you visit, the better position you are in to compare
them and make an informed decision about which match your
interests.
- If you can't
make a particular open house, phone the internship director to see
if a special time can be set up for you to visit. Many directors
don't hold formal open houses, but they encourage interested
students to schedule a visit at their mutual convenience.
- Read the web
pages of an internship before you visit or call with questions.
Please remember to call before you show up for an open house.
Applying for a Dietetic Internship
and Computer Matching
Students apply to Dietetic
Internships through a process of Computer Matching. An applicant
is "matched" with the highest ranked program that offers the
applicant a position. In this way, computer matching helps
applicants to obtain a position in the supervised practice program
of their choice. Details about the computer matching process are
available in web pages of the American Dietetic Association and D&D
Digital Systems.
Here are some points to consider:
- Most internships
participate in the computer matching process for applicants.
- The applications
and computer matching are generally made in the spring (for fall
internships) and in the fall (for spring internships). Please
take important note of the application dates and deadlines for
spring computer matching and for fall computer matching. (see
address below)
- Applicants
should request instructions and mark/sense cards to prioritize
their dietetic internship preferences.
- Computer
matching materials are available from the Director of the Didactic
Program in Dietetics or from D&D Digital Systems (see address
below).
- Requests for
materials should be made to allow turnaround time for submitting
by the postmark deadline for internship applications. There is no
charge for computer matching materials.
- There is a $50
charge for computer matching (payable to D&D Digital Systems) that
is due with the applicant's prioritized ranking.
- You can
request computer matching materials by contacting:
D&D Digital Systems
304 Main St, Suite
301
Ames, IA 50010-6148
Phone: 515-292-0490. Fax:
515-663-9427
E-mail: dnd@netins.net
http://www.dnddigital.com/ada/index.html
Applicant Responsibilities for Dietetic Internship
Applications
The American Dietetic Association has published a document of
Applicant Responsibilities for Dietetic Internship Applications,
Computer Matching and Appointment Procedures. If you are applying
to a dietetic internship, be sure to become familiar with this
document, summarized below:
APPLICATION PHASE
Applicants are responsible for obtaining current application
materials from selected Dietetic Internships (DI). The basic steps
in this process are:
·
Become familiar
directories of Dietetic Internships that are published by the ADA:
http://www.eatright.org
·
The
Guide to Supervised Practice
2006-2007.
is a really good resource is available from the ADA's Dietetic
Educators Practice Group.
You will need to have the Microsoft
Access database program to open this guide.
It
lists the internships and describes their program emphases and
specialties, costs, duration, and contact information.
·
Obtain current application
materials from selected Dietetic Internships at least 6 months prior
to the appointment dates in November and April.
·
During the fall semester
prior to application to the Dietetic Internship, be sure to take
HEV 479 Professional Issues in Dietetics, a one credit course
designed to prepare the student for the internship application
process.
·
Become involved with
activities that acquaint students with Dietetic Internships (DI) and
the application process. These activities include:
o
visiting Internship Open
houses
o
exploring Internship
websites
o
attending CMU’s Student
Dietetic Association (SDA) meetings that invite representatives
from Dietetic Internships
o
attending Tri-City
Dietetic Association (TCDA) and Michigan Dietetic Association (MDA)
meetings. See:
http://www.eatrightmich.org
o
if possible, attending the
ADA Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE).See:
http://www.eatright.org/fnce.
·
Discuss application
materials with your Didactic Program Director and/or your Dietetics
advisor
·
If required, apply to take
Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
·
Obtain the Declaration
of Intent form or Verification Statement from the Director of the
Didactic Program in Dietetics. This standardized form is to be
completed by the Didactic Program Director and will be required as
part of the DI application materials.
The Director, Didactic
Program in Dietetics is:
Christine Henries-Zerbe, MS,
RD, CLE
Director, Didactic
Program in Dietetics
Central Michigan University
Department of Human Environmental Studies
Wightman 118
Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859
989-774-5501(voice)
989-774-2435 (fax)
henri1cr@cmich.edu
A
Verification Statement is issued by the Program Director when
the student has successfully completed the Didactic Program in
Dietetics (It is usually issued after graduation with the dietetics
major.
A
Declaration of Intent is supplied to a Dietetic Internship
applicant who has not yet completed the requirements. The
Program Director completes a Declaration of Intent, indicating that
the student will graduate soon and will complete all the didactic
program requirements before the Dietetic Internship begins.
Request references from
advisor/faculty/employers and order transcripts as needed.
· Complete
each application according to instructions provided with the
Dietetic Internship application and submit the materials to the
Internship director by the designated deadline date. Since Dietetic
Internship applications are different, Questions about completing
applications should be referred to the Director of Dietetic
Internship that you are applying to
.
·
Provide telephone number(s)
with applications where you can be reached on Appointment Day.
·
It is recommended that all
materials be sent by receipted mail for proof of mailing date and
delivery. Enclose a self-addressed stamped postcard if you want to
be notified of receipt of the DI application from the program.
·
Submit to D&D Digital
Systems the mark/sense card with the prioritized list of selected
Dietetic Internship/AP4s and the computer matching fee ($50.00) by
the deadline date. The card must be sent by certified mail (return
receipt requested). D&D Digital Systems will not send notification
of receipt. Applicant should call D&D Digital Systems if the
certified mail receipt is not returned within three weeks.
·
Applicants please note:
DI priorities should be selected carefully; no changes will be
accepted by D&D Digital Systems once you submit your mark/sense
card!
COMPUTER MATCHING PHASE
·
The applicant is
responsible for notifying D&D Digital Systems, in writing, of
his/her decision to withdraw from the matching process if he/she
makes other arrangements and will be unable to accept a match that
may occur.
·
The applicant is
responsible for telephoning D&D Digital Systems if they cannot
access the D&D Digital Systems Internet site to view their personal
matching results on the specified date
APPOINTMENT PHASE
·
Applicants who receive a
computer match are responsible for accepting or rejecting the match
by telephone or fax on the appointment date.
·
Applicants must obtain a
signed DPD Verification Statement from their DPD Program Director
prior to beginning the supervised practice program (if applicable).
PLEASE
NOTE: IMPORTANT APPLICANT RESPONSIBILITIES
- As a
participant in the computer matching process, it is expected
that applicants who receive a match will adhere to the results
of the match and accept that match. It is unacceptable to
decline a match in order to pursue appointment to another
supervised practice program.
- Programs with
open positions will be posted on the D&D Digital Systems Web
site. As a participant in the computer matching process,
applicants who do not receive a computer match must not contact
any program with open positions after the internship acceptance
day. This will allow the DI programs time to confirm acceptance
from their matched applicants and determine the process they
will use to fill open positions.
- In addition,
please do not ask your Didactic Program Director to inquire
about or contact programs with open positions prior to the
internship acceptance day.
