Dietetic Internship

Achieving Excellence in Public Health Nutrition

Welcome, aspiring dietitians! Thank you for your interest in our internship program. We are delighted to have you explore the wealth of information contained on our site about this exciting opportunity to further your nutrition education and training. Our internship provides a comprehensive, hands-on experience that will equip you with the skills and knowledge necessary for a rewarding career in dietetics. We look forward to learning more about you and supporting you on your journey to becoming a nutrition professional.   

Internship Overview

The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County is a 9-month internship program that provides a minimum of 1,000 supervised practice hours in clinical (320 hours), community (320 hours), foodservice (320 hours), and management (40 hours). Supervised practice is completed in a variety of practice settings within the regional location an intern is assigned to. Our regional locations include Duval County, Escambia County, Pasco County, Palm Beach County, and Miami Dade County.  Click on "Regional Supervised practice Facilities" under "Important Documents" for more information on the facilities you may be placed in as an intern in the program.    

As a graduate level dietetic internship, interns need to have a graduate degree to complete program requirements and receive their Dietetic Internship Verification Statement. Interns entering the internship without a graduate degree must apply to the Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietetic Professional Studies (online) program at the University of North Florida (UNF). The graduate online program starts in August and ends the following August after the internship ends in June. Interns accepted into the internship in the Fall may be able to start their graduate work in the Spring and internship accepted into the internship in the Spring may be able to start their graduate work in the Summer. Click on "UNF MS Degree Information Sheet" under "Important Documents" for more information on the graduate program.

The internship provides nutrition employees from WIC agencies in Florida an opportunity for priority selection into the internship. If a WIC employee qualifies for sponsorship into the internship, their applications are accepted from the first Monday in August to the first Monday in October each year. Admission and Application information is found under "Important Documents." 

The internship also accepts interns who are not Florida WIC employees. These candidates will apply through the Dietetic Internship Centralized Application Services (DICAS). Candidates will be accepted in the Fall and Spring within the notification and acceptance timelines set by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) as part of their Dietetics Supervised Practice Application Process. Information for candidates applying through DICAS can be found in the document titled “Supervised Practice Application Process_DICAS” under “Important Documents.”  

Internship Mission

To prepare entry-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionists for leadership roles in the profession of Dietetics committed to improving the health status of the community.

Internship "Mission, Goals, and Objectives" can be found under "Important Documents." Outcomes are monitored annually for program effectiveness. Currently, the internship is meeting all its objectives. Outcome data will be made available upon request.  

Important Notices

To earn a Dietetic Internship Verification Statement of completion, interns must provide proof of successful completion of a graduate degree. Click on "Program Completion Requirements and Requirements for the RDN and LDN Credential" under "Important Documents" for more information.

Priority selection applications for the Class of 2026 (sponsored WIC employees) will be accepted from August 5, 2024, through October 7, 2024.  Applications postmarked after October 7^th will not be considered for priority selection.  Forms needed for this application process are located under "Important Documents."

For candidates applying through DICAS, the application window for Fall is from August 5 through October 7, 2024.  The application window for Spring is from December 2, 2024, through February 3, 2025.      

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. 

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 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.  For more information about state licensure requirements: https://www.cdrnet.org/licensure

For more information about educational pathways to become a RDN: https://www.cdrnet.org/RDNeligibility   

Important Documents 

Dietetic Internship Handbook:

The "Dietetic Internship Handbook" under "Important Documents" contains policies and procedures applicable to interns after acceptance into the program.  Policies include + insurance requirements + liability for safety in travel + injury or illness while in a practice facility + drug testing and criminal background checks + requirement that interns are not used to replace employees + paid compensation during WIC weeks for sponsored interns + process for filing and handling complaints + process for submission of written complaints to ACEND + procedure for evaluating and awarding prior experience for Licensed Dietitians entering the internship + process for intern assessment + retention and remediation procedures + disciplinary and termination procedures + program completion requirements + verification statement requirements + distance education requirements + withdrawal and refund of tuition and fees + program schedule + protection of privacy + intern access to their files + intern access to support services.

Accreditation

The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County Dietetic Internship is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995, USA; (800) 877-1600 ext. 5400; ACEND@eatright.org; https://www.eatrightpro.org/ACEND 

2024 Internship Class