Department of Nutrition

UIW Fully Accredited Dietetic Internship

dietetic internship program

UIW Fully Accredited Dietetic Internship

The Dietetic Internship Program at the University of the Incarnate Word is located in San Antonio, Texas, and offers an eight-month program for full-time students and a 12-month program for part-time students. This internship has a concentration in Diversity in Nutrition Care. Interns will have supervised practice experiences in hospitals (general clinical and intensive care/nutrition support, clinical management, foodservice management), diabetes out-patient clinics, renal dialysis clinics, home care, a corporate product development kitchen, school districts, long-term care, hospice care, food bank, child day care and clinic, and WIC clinics. All supervised practice experiences occur off campus and therefore, require each student to have reliable transportation and current liability insurance.

The UIW Dietetic Internship is currently granted continued accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the American Dietetic Association, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606-6995, 312/899-0040 ext 5400.

The Dietetic Internship program provides the supervised practice hours necessary in the training of registered dietitians. Interns must have already completed a Didactic Program in Dietetics before starting the internship. Upon completion of the Dietetic Internship, graduates are eligible to take the Registration Examination for Dietitians.

If you have additional questions after reviewing the website, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Joseph Bonilla, Dietetic Internship Director, at josephb@uiwtx.edu.

Mission Statement

The Mission of the University of the Incarnate Word Nutrition Program is to prepare professionals committed to providing nutrition and dietetic services to improve the health and well-being of individuals and groups.  The program emphasizes the importance of scientific and evidence-based practice, ethical decision-making, and understanding of social justice issues including regional through global ecological dimensions of food and nutrition.

The Dietetic Internship prepares competent, entry-level registered dietitians to meet the regional needs of individuals and groups while interacting with clients and colleagues with professionalism and respect for individual human dignity.

Program Goals and Outcomes

The goals for the Dietetic Internship of the University of the Incarnate Word are:

1. The dietetic internship will prepare innovative, competent, entry-level dietitians committed to the advancement of the profession of dietetics.

  • Over a period of five years, 85 % of the full-time dietetic interns will complete all DI requirements within 49 weeks and 85 % of the part-time interns will complete all DI requirements within 76 weeks.
  • Over a period of five years, the pass rate for DI graduates taking the registration examination for the first time will be at least 80%.
  • Over a period of five years, 70% of graduates who sought employment in dietetics will be employed within three months of program completion.
  • Over a period of five years, 70% of graduates will receive a rating of “Satisfactory” or better in their demonstration of Professionalism as evaluated by their employers.
  • Over a period of five years, 50% of graduates will report participation in professional organizations related to dietetics.
  • Over a period of five years, 50% of graduates will report participation in community service activities.

2. The dietetic internship will increase the supply of registered dietitians prepared to meet the nutritional needs of South Texas.

  • Over a period of five years, at least 30% of students “matched” to the program will be able to conduct a diet instruction in conversational Spanish.
  • Over a period of five years, 70% of DI students will demonstrate knowledge of nutrition issues in south Texas as evaluated by preceptors.
  • Over a period of five years, 80% of DI graduates will demonstrate knowledge of nutrition issues in south Texas as evaluated by employers.
  • Over a period of five years, 50% of DI graduates will be employed in their first dietetic-related job in South Texas.

Program Description

The UIW Dietetic Internship accepts 10 interns per year, 8 full-time interns and 2 part-time interns.  The full-time interns who complete 40 hours per week and the part-time interns complete 25 hours per week. Once assigned to a particular location, it is the intern’s responsibility to negotiate his or her work schedule with the preceptor. Hours and days of work will vary by location and rotation.

Each intern will complete work rotations and experiences that include the following:


Rotation

Full-Time Weeks

Full-Time Hours

Part-Time Weeks

Part-Time Hours

General Clinical

6

240

10

250

Intensive Care

2

80

3

75

Outpatient Diabetes Clinic

2

80

3

75

Renal Dialysis Clinic

2

80

3

75

Home Infusion Care

2

80

3

75

Clinical Management

1

40

2

50

Foodservice Management

5

200

8

200

Corporate Kitchen

1

40

2

50

Hospice Care

2

50

2

50

Long-Term Care

2

80

3

75

Child Day Care/Clinic

2

80

3

75

San Antonio Food Bank

2

80

3

75

School District

2

40

3

50

WIC Clinic

2

80

3

75

TOTAL

33

1250

51

1250

The UIW Dietetic Internship partners with Christus Santa Rosa Healthcare System, Lifecare Hospitals of San Antonio, Methodist Healthcare System, Southwest General Hospital, South Texas Veteran’s Administration Healthcare, University Health System, City of San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, Morningside Ministries, Methodist Healthcare Ministries, Fresenius Medical Care, H.E. Butt Grocery Corporation, A Med Community Home Health and Hospice, Daughters of Charity Services of San Antonio, San Antonio Independent School District, Harlandale Independent School District, Southwest Foodservice Excellence, LLC, Walgreens Home Care, and the San Antonio Food Bank.

Internship Schedule

Orientation will begin during the first full week of August. All interns begin the completion of supervised practice hours during the second full week of August, with full-time working until April and part-time interns working until the following August. Interns will also be required to attend one weekly class meeting to review skills and knowledge necessary for overall completion of the dietetic internship.

Student holidays and vacations include Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the Friday after, two full inclusive weeks around Christmas and New Year’s Day for full-time interns and one full week between Christmas and New Year’s Day for part-time interns, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Good Friday, Battle of Flowers, Memorial Day, and Fourth of July.

Estimated Program Costs

For more complete information about the University of the Incarnate Word’s cost, click Tuition and Fees.

  • Application Fee: $25
  • Program Fee: $425
  • Tuition and Fees: $725 (per hour; enrollment in 10 total hours is required)
  • Additional University Fees: $850
  • Parking Fees: $130
  • Housing: $1,620-$3,600 (on-campus, per semester)
  • Textbooks: $450-500
  • Lab Coats: $15-25
  • Health Insurance: $315
  • Professional Memberships: ADA $49, SADA $15
  • Student Disclosure and Release Fee: $48.50 (Background Profile)

Financial Aid and Loan Deferment

Students enrolled as degree-seeking students in the University of the Incarnate Word Dietetic Internship are eligible for a Graduate Student Loan. The FAFSA is available on-line after January 1 at www.fafsa.ed.gov.  Priority for financial assistance is given to those submitting completed forms prior to April 1. For expediency in processing, the application should be completed and submitted to the Office of Financial Aid at the same time the student's acceptance of appointment letter is sent to the Dietetic Internship Director. For further information and applications for financial aid contact the Office of Financial Aid at (210) 829-6008.  While interns are enrolled in the program, they are eligible for student loan deferment.

Application Instructions

  • Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
  • ADA Verification Statement of completion of a Didactic Program in Dietetics within the last 5 years.
  • Minimum grade point average of 2.5 on all undergraduate coursework with an average of 3.0 for DPD courses, or a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in graduate coursework.
  • Graduate Record Examination:  for those who have taken the GRE prior to August 2011, a minimum total score of 800 in the Verbal and Quantitative sections and a minimum score of 6 on the Analytical essay are required.  Standards for scores for those taking the GRE after August 2011 have not been determined at this time.
  • A score of 550 or higher on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for international students whose undergraduate studies were conducted in a language other than English.

University of the Incarnate Word dietetic interns MUST also be accepted into the Graduate School.  The Dietetic Internship provides 10 graduate semester credit hours upon completion of the program. Students must enroll in the following classes each semester:

Fall

NUTR 6100: Dietetics – This is the week-long orientation that occurs during the first full week of August preceding placement in supervised practice experiences.
NUTR 6400: Clinical Dietetics Practice – This course provides for the review of medical nutrition therapy skills and the supervised practice portion of the dietetic internship related to inpatient and outpatient care.

Spring

NUTR 6200: Community Nutrition Practice – This course provides for the review of skills and knowledge and the supervised practice portion of the dietetic internship related to community nutrition services.
NUTR 6300: Foodservice Management Practice – This course provides for the review of skills and knowledge and the supervised practice portion of the dietetic internship related to foodservice management.

Admission Instructions

  • Access DICAS (Dietetic Internship Centralized Application System) at http://portal.dicas.org to fill out the centralized application.  If you have additional questions regarding the online application process, contact DICAS at DICASinfo@DICAS.org.
  • On-line application must be completed by 11:59 p.m. Central Time on February 15, 2012.
  • Fee: $40 for the first program application submitted and $20 for each additional program application.
  • For the Formal essay part of the application, for the UIW Dietetic Internship, address the following topics instead of the ones listed on DICAS (no more than 2 pages total in length with 1-inch margins):
    • Describe your professional goals regarding what you will do as a registered dietitian. What do you have to offer to the profession that your peers may not? How will the UIW Dietetic Internship program help you toward achievement of your professional goals?
    • Describe your experience and abilities in working with people of the Mexican-American or other cultures. Give concrete examples of your experiences.
  • Official Transcripts from all colleges and universities must be submitted to DICAS (DICAS – Transcript Dept., PO Box 9118, Watertown, MA 02474).
  • When completing the application form, applicants must include the name and contact information (specifically, an e-mail address) for each reference and for your DPD Director for submission of either your Intent to Complete or your Verification Statement. This will trigger an e-mail message requesting completion of on-line forms by your references and DPD Director. Students submitting more than one application will need to use the same individuals as references for each program application.
  • Applicants must also register online for Computer Matching and select their dietetic internship priority choices by 11:59 p.m. Central Time on February 15, 2012. There is a $50 computer matching fee. Please visit http://www.dnddigital.com/ to register.
  • A $25 application fee made out to University of the Incarnate Word must be sent to the dietetic internship director by February 15, 2012 (Joseph Bonilla, Nutrition Program, University of the Incarnate Word, 4301 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209).
  • If necessary, a personal or phone interview with the members of the dietetic internship admissions committee may be made.
  • Applicants must complete and send a Graduate School application to the School of Graduate Studies by February 15, 2012:

    Graduate Admissions
    University of the Incarnate Word
    4301 Broadway
    San Antonio, TX 78209

    The application packet includes the following:
    • Graduate Application (available online at www.uiw.edu/admissions)
    • One complete set of official transcripts (note: this is a separate set from what is sent to DICAS)
    • Graduate Record Exam score
    • TOEFL or Michigan Test score (international students only)
    • $20 application fee made out to University of the Incarnate Word (note: this is a separate fee from the dietetic internship application fee)

Note: Applicants MUST be admitted to the University of the Incarnate Word School of Graduate Studies in order to be accepted into the Dietetic Internship.

Selection Process/Appointment Phase

An admissions committee consisting of the Dietetic Internship Director, one additional University of the Incarnate Word Nutrition faculty member, and one representative each from the areas of clinical dietetics, community nutrition, and foodservice management will review each individual application based on scholarship, experience, references, cultural sensitivity, and personal statements. Review of all applications will be in accord with the University of the Incarnate Word’s Non-Discrimination Policy as published in the Student Handbook.

The admissions committee will rank the applicants based on the above criteria. This ranking is submitted to a nation-wide computer matching service.

D&D Digital will notify each applicant if she or he has been matched to an internship.  This notification will be by e-mail, and will occur in April.  The matched dietetic internship will not make notification. Applicants matched to the UIW Dietetic Internship must provide written notification of acceptance of their match by either e-mail (josephb@uiwtx.edu) or fax (210-829-3153) to the dietetic internship director by the designated deadline to confirm their match to the program.  Students completing their Didactic Program requirements during the spring or summer need to provide a copy of their Verification Statement by the start of the internship.

What if you Have Other Questions?

If you have additional questions about the program, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Joseph Bonilla, Dietetic Internship Director, at josephb@uiwtx.edu.

Requirements to Receive the ADA Verification Statement

To receive a verification statement and to have paperwork submission to the Commission on Dietetic Registration demonstrating eligibility to take the Registration Examination for Dietitians, dietetic interns in this program must demonstrate the following:

  1. a minimum total of 1000 supervised practice hours;
  2. a minimum average grade of “satisfaction” (i.e., 3.0 out of 4.0) by preceptors on the evaluation forms for each required rotation;
  3. a minimum average grade of 80% or higher across unit exams (i.e., clinical, community, foodservice) or a grade of 80% or higher on the final exam;
  4. acceptable performance and completion of all assignments and projects pertaining to NUTR 6100, NUTR 6200, NUTR 6300, and NUTR 6400;
  5. appropriate demonstration of professional readiness and suitability for a career in dietetics as determined by observation by the instructors and preceptors.

Greivance Procedure

Whenever a student feels that a situation has been dealt with in an unjust manner, grievance procedures have been established to assist the student. Applicants desiring assistance in clarification of a particular circumstance regarding the application process should first discuss it with the Dietetic Internship Director, Dr. Joseph Bonilla, (210) 829-3908, and/or the Graduate Nutrition Advisor, Dr. Beth Senne-Duff, (210) 829-3165. If resolution is not obtained, the Dean of Math, Science & Engineering, Dr. Glenn James, (210) 829-3148, is to be consulted.

 


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