Dietetic Internship

Cleveland Clinic's Dietetic Internship is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. Recognition by USDE affirms that ACEND meets national standards and is a reliable authority on the quality of nutrition/dietetics education programs.

ACEND may be contacted at:

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
Suite 2000
120 South Riverside Plaza
Chicago, IL 60606-6995
312.899.0040, ext 5400

Expenses*

• Application Fee – $50, nonrefundable
• Acceptance Fee – $250, nonrefundable
• Academy Student Membership – $ 50
• CDA Membership – $10
• Health Insurance – Variable; REQUIRED; responsible for own arrangements
• Liability Insurance – REQUIRED; $24 - 35 for student coverage through ADA
• Parking – Currently free to students (subject to change on a yearly basis)
• Identification Badge – Currently free to students (subject to change on a yearly basis)
• Keys – 4 each ($5/ea deposit required; returned at conclusion of program)
• Cleveland Clinic Nutrition Support Team Handbook – $10
• Housing – Variable; responsible for own arrangements. Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment: $650-800/month. Utilities can cost about $75 – search for apartments where heat and other utilities are included in rent.
• Board – Interns currently receive lunch passes during foodservice rotations.
• Transportation – REQUIRED due to varied schedules and travel to affiliations.
• Travel Expenses – Costs incurred for a one day Legislative Workshop conducted in Columbus, Ohio. Costs may include money for gas to travel to Columbus and, if you choose, for one night's lodging (registration fee, continental breakfast and lunch are provided). Interns will also be responsible for the costs incurred to travel to their outside community and sales & marketing rotations if going outside of Cleveland for the experience.
• Mantaux IPPD tuberculin test – Free (if given at County TB Clinic)

Post Internship Expenses*

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Membership Dues

• First transfer from Academy Student Membership: $110
• First time applicant OR renewing active membership:  $216 + $25 processing fee
• Registration Examination Fee — $200
• Annual Registration Maintenance Fee — $50/year

*All fees and expenses are subject to change

Financial Aid

As an intern at Cleveland Clinic, you are not considered a student and therefore are not eligible for federal loans, grants, etc. Cleveland Clinic Interns may apply for a $1000 loan available from Cleveland Clinic's Education Institute. Payments on student loans may be deferred while you are enrolled in the internship. In the past, students have been awarded scholarships through the The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Foundation.

• During orientation, a background check will be completed including fingerprinting.
• As our facility employees are required you also will be asked to participate in a drug screening.
• As an intern you may be required to lift boxes or pans weighing up to 30 lbs. during your food service rotations.
• As an intern you will be required to drive to affiliations' sites during certain weeks of the program. A valid driver's license will be necessary.
• This is a relatively high-pressure position with many deadlines and a busy work environment. You will be required to coordinate multiple projects interspersed within your rotations. As an intern, you will be expected to learn from required readings and assigned physical tasks.
• As an intern, you will be expected to learn from, interact with, and counsel a diverse population.
• Our facility is a non-smoking environment.
• As a full-time intern, you will be expected to work at Cleveland Clinic a minimum of 8 hours per day (5 days per week) in addition to completing additional homework assignments and attending evening meetings. Some of our staff members have elected to work 4-day workweeks. This schedule requires rotations, which may be scheduled at least 10.5 hours a day 4 days a week. In addition, with notice, you may be required to participate in rotations, scheduled on weekends.
• As an intern, you will be expected to learn from required readings and assigned physical tasks.

Once accepted into the program, all learning experiences specified in the program curriculum must be completed at a competent level. Interns will receive frequent evaluations from the supervising faculty and the program director in order to be assessed of their performance. Interns who fulfill all program requirements will graduate, be eligible to pass the national registration exam, and become credentialed as a Registered Dietitian.

• Complete the scheduled 45 weeks of performance and didactic experiences within a 52-week period.
• Fully prepare for each rotation and satisfactorily complete the requirements listed on the evaluation documents for each rotation. An overall score of 2.8 is necessary to pass the rotation. If a total score of 2.79 or less is received, the intern will be placed on a probationary status that will remain in effect until the end of the internship program. If a second rotation is failed, the intern will be dismissed from the program.
• Complete all rotation assignments by established deadlines.
• Attend all classes.
• Schedule and prepare a presentation for an audience in the community on a nutrition topic.
• Complete a team project for National Nutrition Month.
• Complete a team project to publish Internal News, a newsletter distributed to graduates of the Dietetic Internship Program.
• Complete case study presentations as directed by the curriculum.
• Attend three (3) Cleveland Dietetic Association meetings.
• Attend Ohio Legislation & Public Policy Workshop in Columbus, Ohio.
• Complete Intern Portfolio.

As a full-time intern you will be expected to work a minimum of 8.5 hours per day 5 days per week in addition to completing additional homework assignments and attending breakfast, lunch or evening team meetings. Some of our staff has elected to work 4-day work weeks. This schedule requires rotations which may be scheduled at least 10.5 hours a day 4 days a week. Also, with notice, you may be required to participate in rotations which are scheduled on weekends.

Being a Cleveland Clinic dietetic intern requires great responsibility and time management. Therefore, it may be difficult to hold an outside job during the program. In the past, some interns have been able to work occasionally; however, none of the interns from the 2010-2011 class held outside jobs during the internship program.

Additional Classes: Throughout the internship, classes are scheduled; topics include clinical, foodservice, community, management, research, publishing, and sales & marketing issues.

Projects: There are also two group projects that are completed by the entire intern team, one for National Nutrition Month and the second, to create the annual alumni newsletter. This is a chance for interns to work together and be creative.

Time Away

Interns will be scheduled off on most weekends and the following Cleveland Clinic-designated holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas.

Winter Vacation: Two weeks are set aside around the December holidays for the interns to relax away from the internship and be close to friends and family.

Optional Spring Break: Each intern class will have the option as a group to choose whether or not they wish to have a simultaneous week-long spring break.

Sick Days: Each intern has two days set aside for personal illness or family emergencies that unexpectedly arise during the internship.

Interns do not receive additional time off for vacation or personal holidays and are expected to work a weekend when the preceptor, with whom they are training, is scheduled to work.  

To be considered for acceptance into Cleveland Clinic’s Dietetic Internship Program, candidates must complete a minimum of a bachelor’s degree at a US regionally accredited university or college and course work accredited or approved by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and present a Verification Statement or Declaration of Intent prior to admission into the internship. Overall grade point average must be at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).The policy of Cleveland Clinic’s Dietetic Internship is to provide equal opportunity to all applicants for admission into the program. Decisions concerning selection are all made upon the basis of the best qualified candidate without regard to color, race, religion, national origin, age, gender, handicapped status, ancestry, or status as a disabled or Vietnam era veteran.

Selection Criteria

Selection of interns will be based upon the following criteria:

• Knowledge: Overall and professional coursework; GPA ranking, recipient of college achievement scholarships, awards and honors.
• Work Experience: Paid or voluntary work experience in two of four areas; medical nutrition therapy, food service, community, or research. Positions are of high quality and with responsibility.
• Leadership and Self Motivation: Positions of leadership in extracurricular activities or work experiences; ability to set goals, take initiative, make decisions, use good judgment, and work independently. Previous and future goals are realistic and clearly identified.
• Management of Multiple Responsibilities: Coursework taken per semester/quarter in conjunction with work experience or family responsibilities; involvement with extracurricular activities; organizational skills, dependability, adaptability, and ability to handle stress.
• Communication Skills: Application packet presentation; letter of application; audio description; experience communicating with groups and individuals; empathy, self confidence.

Center for Human Nutrition Employees: NEW for 2012

Due to the shortage of dietetic internship slots nationally, the Center for Human Nutrition (CHN) has approved two options for current employees who would like to become Registered Dietitians. Interested employees must possess a four-year degree in nutrition/dietetics and hold a verification statement from an accredited institution. They must also have participated in the national match process and failed to receive a match in that process.

The two options for CHN employees are as follows:

1. Pre-Select Method: The Cleveland Clinic Dietetic Internship has been approved for the pre-select process by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Employees interested in pre-selecting the Cleveland Clinic Dietetic Internship must first notify the Program Manager, Dietetic Internship in writing. Potential pre-select applicants will then be evaluated by the Program Manager and by the CHN Leadership Committee for approval to participate in the pre-select process.

In the pre-select process, approved applicants will still complete the online application through DICAS and participate in the online spring match through D&D Digital. Pre-select applicants will list Cleveland Clinic as their number one choice for a dietetic internship program and are then selected and confirmed acceptance into the Cleveland Clinic Dietetic Internship Program before other applicants participating in the spring match. One CHN employee will be considered as a pre-select applicant each year.

2. The Individualized Supervised Practice Pathway (ISPP): The Cleveland Clinic Dietetic Internship has also been approved by ACEND for participation in an ISPP. The ISPP concept involves interns seeking out their own supervised practice sites, in accordance with an ACEND-approved curriculum, to meet competencies necessary to sit for the Registered Dietitian exam. ISPP applicants are also provided with the opportunity to use assessment of prior learning and competence (APLC) to evaluate ACEND competencies that may have already been met through past work experience.

The Program Manager, Dietetic Internship, and the CHN Leadership Committee will select one employee per year to complete an ISPP within the Center for Human Nutrition. All interested persons must inform the Program Manager in writing for consideration.

For additional information on either option, please contact Lauren Melnick, Program Manager, Dietetic Internship, at melnicl@ccf.org.

International Students

International students wishing to apply must follow procedures set forth by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) for international students. Please refer to the ACEND website, and their "International Fact Sheet" for additional information.

Online Application Process

Candidates must complete all application materials on the Dietetic Internship Centralized Application Services (DICAS) process, register with D&D Digital for computer matching and program selection, and submit to Cleveland Clinic an audio description and application fee. Application and computer matching materials must be submitted by the Academy February deadline date. These materials will not be returned. The code for Cleveland Clinic’s Dietetic Internship Program Fall class is 395.

DICAS

Cleveland Clinic's Dietetic Internship Program is participating in the on-line centralized internship application, DICAS. Check the DICAS site for application dates for the Spring 2012 Match. The on-line application must be completed for our program by 11:59 p.m. Central Time on February 15, 2012. The fee to use DICAS is $40 for the first application submitted and $20 for each additional application. For questions, email DICASinfo@DICAS.org.

Transcripts – Official Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended should be sent to: DICAS - Transcript Dept., PO Box 9118, Watertown, MA 02472.

Complete Verification Statement of Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) coursework or Declaration of Intent.

When completing the DICAS application form, applicants must include the name and contact information (specifically an e-mail address) for each (3) reference. This will trigger an e-mail message requesting completion of a reference form. The form will be completed on-line. Students submitting more than one application will need to use the same individuals as references for each application. You should ask for references from someone who knows you. The reference letters should be able to share information about you that is unique from your transcript or may corroborate your statements in your audio or written application. We do not require information from specific professors. That said, since we select for leaders, as a leader of your class the program director or university leaders should know you and be able to speak to your strengths with pertinent concise information.

Letter of Application

Questions to be addressed:

• Why do you want to enter the dietetics profession?
• Discuss experiences that have helped to prepare you for your career.
• What are your short-term and long-term goals?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses or areas needing improvement?

Word limit

Compose the statement in Word and cut & paste. You will be able to print this out and review for accuracy

If you need accommodations or assistance regarding the accessibility of the DICAS Online,   please contact customer support at 617-612-2855.

Timing:

• In December DICAS will open its site for February applicants.
• February 15 -  DICAS site closes to applicants
• February 15 - Matching with D & D Digital still a separate process
• April 1 - Notification of Acceptance. Applicants will be notified of the final decision regarding the selection of the internship classes by the April deadline established by The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Applicants to most Dietetic Internships must participate in computer matching. You must register online with D&D Digital for computer matching and select dietetic internship priority choices by 11:59 p.m. Central Time on February 15. There is a $50.00 computer matching fee. The number for Cleveland Clinic’s Dietetic Internship Program Fall class is 395. Applicants should request instructions to prioritize their DI preferences. Applicants should request this material from any Academy-approved Didactic Program in Dietetics or from D&D Digital Systems. This request should be made early enough to allow turn around time for submitting by the February deadline established by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. There is no charge for this material. However, there is the $50.00 charge for computer matching that is due when you complete your prioritized ranking.

Register Online

You may register online by paying the $50 Registration Fee by a VISA/MASTERCARD credit card (with a USA billing address). You will receive a username and password after payment is completed, that will allow online access for you to enter, verify and change if necessary, your contact information, release information and DI choices.

Download Application Form

A PDF registration form with your contact information, DI choices, and release option can be printed out and mailed to D&D Digital with the $50 Registration Fee. A username and password will be emailed to the address in the contact information that will allow online access for you to verify and change, if necessary, your contact information, release information and DI choices.

Address requests to:
D&D Digital Systems
304 Main Street, Suite 301
Ames, IA 50010
www.dnddigital.com/ada/index.php

In addition to the DICAS application we require an audio description, 5 minutes maximum length. It should include an overview of responsibilities and experiences you have managed over the previous 3-5 years which would qualify you as an excellent intern candidate and briefly reasons for applying to Cleveland Clinic’s Dietetic Internship. We recommend recording from an outline, rather than reading verbatim from a script.

Options for recording:

Record message via computer and send audio file to audioapps@ccf.org with your full name in the subject line (You will need a microphone and headphones, to block out background noise). There are several websites that offer free download-able programs to record audio. Some examples include:

• www.audacity.sourceforge.net
• www.ezaudiorecorder.com

Using an Apple IPod (fully-sized, software beginning version 2.1 (released in October 2003) or newer). To make a voice recording on your IPod, you'll need a microphone and an adapter (example: Universal Microphone Adapter ($30) or Griffin Technology's ITalk ($40).

You can then send the audio file to audioapps@ccf.org with your full name in the subject line. Ensure the extension of your recording ends in one of the following:

• .mp3
• .wav
• .wma
• .pdf

Application Fee of $50.00 payable to Cleveland Clinic mailed to:

Dietetic Internship Program
Center for Human Nutrition
Cleveland Clinic
9500 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44195

Dietetic interns at Cleveland Clinic have their own office space to work independently, complete projects, hold meetings, and access electronic medical records. The office space contains 8 desks with overhead storage shelves, 4 computers, a mini refrigerator, and other resources such as textbooks and nutrition education materials. The classroom is across the hall from the intern office, making it easy to work and learn as a group.  In addition to their office, interns have computer access on patient nursing floors, Center for Human Nutrition offices, and various off campus Cleveland Clinic facilities.

During the Patient Foodservice rotation, interns work in pairs to organize a product taste panel. Interns invite members of the Nutrition Therapy department and Patient Foodservice staff to evaluate current and new menu items for appearance, taste, texture, and overall quality.

In keeping with The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' theme “Eat Right with Color,” the class of 2010-2011 created four healthy (and colorful) recipes to sample at local grocery stores in the Cleveland area.

Being an intern can be stressful! It is important to take some time off to relax and have fun with friends. The 2010-2011 interns found several fun things to do in Cleveland such as going to a baseball game, picnicking at the beach, ice skating, and hosting dinner parties!