Dietetic Internship

DOH-Pasco’s Dietetic Internship is a nine-month program that provides a minimum of 1,000 supervised practice hours in clinical (320 hours), community (320 hours), food service (320 hours), and management (40 hours) rotations. We also provide a minimum of 240 hours of didactic education to assist in rotation readiness and RD exam preparation.

Our regional locations include Duval, Escambia, Pasco, and Miami-Dade counties. For the Class of 2027-2028, our capacity is 12, and we will not be placing students in the Duval region. Review regional supervised practice facilities for more information on the locations you may be placed in as a student in the program.    

As a graduate-level program, students must have a graduate degree to complete program requirements and receive their Dietetic Internship Verification Statement of Completion.

Students entering the program without a graduate degree can complete a graduate program concurrently. Students selecting this option must earn their graduate degree prior to the program end date. Students in the 2027-2028 class year must earn their graduate degree by Spring of 2028.

For more information on completing a student-identified graduate degree concurrently with the program, review the student identified graduate degree information in the “Program Information” section of this webpage.

The program accepts two types of applicants:

1. WIC employees who are sponsored by their WIC agencies. These applicants will be reviewed during our priority selection period in the fall. 
2. Applicants who are not WIC employee and applicants who are WIC employees but do not qualify to be sponsored by agency. These applicants are reviewed in the Fall and Spring and must apply through the Dietetic Internship Centralized Application Services (DICAS).

Applicants can find all the forms in the “Admission and Application Information” section of this webpage. For applicants who are not sponsored WIC employees, please read the “Dietetics Application Process – DICAS” document under “Admission and Application Information” first.

To earn a dietetic internship verification statement of completion, students must provide proof of successful completion of a graduate degree. Review the program completion and RD, LD/N credential requirements.

Priority selection applications for the 2027-2028 class year (sponsored WIC employees) will be accepted from August 3, 2026, through October 5, 2026. Applications postmarked after October 6 will not be considered for priority selection. Application information and forms can be found in the “Admission and Application” information section of this webpage.

Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require at least 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 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 midnight CT on December 31. 

In addition to degree requirements, CDR requires individuals to complete coursework and supervised practice in programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited Florida Department of Health in Pasco County’s Dietetic Internship Program are eligible to apply to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN. 

In most states, including Florida, graduates must also obtain licensure or certification to practice.  

The Dietetic Internship Handbook contains policies and procedures applicable to interns after acceptance into the program. Policies include: