Dietetic Internship

Last revised:  October 14, 2022

Spring 2023 Match cycle opened October 4, 2022, and will run through February 15, 2023. We will be matching for both our Masters Plus DI option and Dietetic Internship Only option for both August 2023 and January 2024 start dates.

This Dietetic Internship is a 10.5-month (Dietetic Internship only) or 22 month (Master Plus DI) program with a total enrollment of 16. One class of eight begins in early August and graduates in mid-June, and one class of eight begins in late January with an early December graduation. During the Spring Match cycle, applicants have the option to apply to the August start date, or the January start date, or both (ranked by preference). Therefore, all 16 Dietetic Intern positions may be filled during the Spring Match cycle. After the Spring Match, if positions are still available for the January start date, the program will participate in the Fall Match cycle to fill remaining openings. For each of the two program start dates, six applicants are selected to complete the Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) concentration and two are selected to complete the Food and Nutrition Management concentration.

Centralized Application Process: The internship at VCU Medical Center participates in DICAS (Dietetic Internship Central Application System). This requires that your application be submitted through a central application portal. The ACEND website provides additional information regarding the centralized application process. The deadline for application is February 15 for the Spring Match and September 25 for the Fall Match. Prospective applicants to this program should refer to Application Information and Admission Information for important details.

Master’s Plus DI Option: This option is for DICAS applicants who wish to complete an online master’s degree and onsite dietetic internship. The VCUHS Dietetic Internship has partnered with the University of Wisconsin, Madison to allow for completion of the majority of the coursework for their Online Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition degree, prior to the internship start date. Those who are interested in this option should refer to Application Information and Admission Information for important details. Please also visit the University of Wisconsin, Madison website for more information about their Online MS in Clinical Nutrition.

Dietetic Internship Only Option: This option is for DICAS applicants who already have/will have earned a masters degree (any discipline) prior to the start of their internship experience. Please contact the Program Director prior to applying to discuss your course of study if you are currently enrolled in a masters degree program. You will be required to complete all masters degree requirements prior to the completion of your internship experience.

Pre-Select Option: Four of the 16 openings will be reserved for students who are in the process of completing the Master of Science in Human Nutrition DPD Plus Partner Dietetic Internship track at Drexel University. The pre-select option does not require participation in the DICAS centralized application process. Those who qualify for this option should refer to Application Information and Admission Information for important details. For more information, please visit the Drexel University website.

After reviewing the remaining pages of the Dietetic Internship website, additional inquiries can be made by contacting the Program Director:

Stephanie Stockslager, MS, RD
Director, Dietetic Internship
stephanie.stockslager@vcuhealth.org

While this website provides the official and essential information regarding the program, you may also wish to view our Facebook page to see examples of recent activities and accomplishments of Dietetic Interns, program graduates, and preceptors.

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). In order to be approved for registration examination eligibility with a bachelor’s degree, an individual must meet all eligibility requirements and be submitted into CDR's Registration Eligibility Processing System (REPS) before 12:00 midnight Central Time, December 31, 2023. For more information about this requirement visit CDR's website: https://www.cdrnet.org/graduatedegree.