Requirements

Admission Requirements

Admission into the SCH Dietetic Internship requires standards to ensure acceptance of quality students who are likely to pass the program successfully. These requirements, in addition to DICAS requirements, are listed below:

  • A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
    • A minimum DPD GPA of 3.0 is preferred
    • Medical Nutrition Therapy courses completed within the last 5 years (preferred)
  • A signed and valid DPD Verification Statement.
  • A master's degree or proof of ability to complete a master's degree by the end of the DI program.
    • Applicants to the Full-Time DI track must have >/= 20% of graduate program requirements completed at the time of application to SCH DI.
    • Applicants to the Part-Time DI track need only to submit proof of acceptance into a graduate program at the time of application to SCH DI.
    • See below for further instructions based on the desired pathway.

Upon review of submissions, Program Leadership will select applicants for an interview through HireVue, a video interviewing system.

We are looking for applicants with competitive GPAs, strong work and/or volunteer experience, excellent communication skills, self-initiative and a strong interest in the field of nutrition and dietetics.

Additional Instructions for U of MN MPS Program Applicants

This application pathway is for those interested in completing their master’s degree via the University of Minnesota 12-month MPS Program.

DI Application Deadline(s): January 15th

DI Application Additional Requirements: See MPS Admission Procedures for full instructions.

Contact for MPS Program:
Corrie Marion MS, RD
MPS Program Coordinator
cmarion@umn.edu

Pre-Select Option for Graduate Students

Students currently enrolled in Rosalind Franklin University Graduate Program (RFU) https://www.rosalindfranklin.edu/academics/programs-of-study/, Andrew’s University Graduate Program (AU) https://www.andrews.edu/chhs/publichealth/, or Ohio University(OU) https://www.ohio.edu/chsp/ahsw/food-nutrition/graduate#no-back are eligible for applying to SCH DI via pre-select.

These students will bypass the DICAS national application process by submitting their applications directly to the Program Director by the second Monday in January.

All admission requirements for pre-select applicants are the same as those applying via national match, but the $50 application fee will be waived.

Admittance into SCH DI is contingent upon remaining enrolled in good standing at either university and remaining on track to complete graduate requirements by the end of the SCH DI Program, which is 8 months for FT interns and 11 months for PT interns.

The SCH DI Program accepts up to 10 interns annually via this process. Applicants interested in this option should contact the Graduate Program Director (see below) or the SCH DI Program Director, Sierra Quarnstrom at QuarnstromS@centracare.com for further information.

For Andrew’s University:
Sherri Isaak MS, RD, CDCES, BC-ADM, DipACLM
Director, Dietetics Internship, Associate Professor
isaak@andrews.edu

For Ohio University:

Vatsala Maitin Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Instruction, Food and Nutrition Sciences
Maitin@ohio.edu

For Rosalind Franklin University:
Melissa Bernstein PHD, RD, LD, FAND
Chair, Program Director, Associate Professor
Melissa.Bernstein@rosalindfranklin.edu

Post-Matching

Students are required to agree to intern contract requirements, see the St. Cloud Hospital Internship Contract for details.

Please see the Non Employee Student Requirement Form (PDF) to see what is required at least three weeks before starting the program. Paperwork should all be sent as one packet to Michella.Frank@centracare.com.

Required information should be gathered as soon as possible since some information/ immunizations may take several weeks to gather. Once all required paperwork has been received, you will be eligible to start and you will be contacted to confirm your eligibility to attend orientation. Late start dates are not accepted except in cases of intern medical emergencies. If all information is not received prior to three weeks before the start date of the program, students will forfeit the entire program.

Any required transcripts, the $50 application fee (unless applying via preselect), and/or any other hard copy items, can be mailed to:

Sierra Quarnstrom
CentraCare Clinic - River Campus Administration
1200 Sixth Ave North
St. Cloud, MN 56303

The first payment of $5,000 is due no later than June 1, as a check made out to the St. Cloud Hospital and mailed to Sierra Quarnstrom. The second payment of $5,885 is due no later than Sept. 1.

Prior Assessed Learning (PAL)

The SCH DI assesses for prior learning in the areas of food service management and community nutrition. See policy below.

Registration Requirements

Requirements for Registration are established by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). The present eligibility requirements are described on the ACEND page of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website at https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend/students-and-advancing-education/information-for-students and include the following:

  1. Complete a minimum of a bachelor’s degree at a U.S. regionally accredited university or college and course work accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
  2. Complete an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program at a health care facility, community agency, or a foodservice corporation, or combined with undergraduate or graduate studies.
  3. Pass a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). Information about the examination can be found on the CDR website at www.cdrnet.org.
  4. Complete continuing professional education requirements to maintain registration.

Please Note! 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 addition, CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in program(s) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). In most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice. Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited dietetic internship program at St. Cloud Hospital are eligible to apply to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN.

Starting with the 2023 cohort, applicants will be required to have a master’s degree, or be enrolled in a master’s program, to be considered for placement in the SCH Dietetic Internship Program.

In addition to the preceding requirements for registration, the State of Minnesota has a licensure requirement. Minnesota Statutes define licensure and states in 148.630 (a) No person may engage in dietetics or nutrition practice unless the person is licensed as a dietitian or nutritionist by the Board. No person may use the title “dietitian,” “licensed dietitian,” “nutritionist,” “licensed nutritionist,” or any other occupational title using the word “dietitian” or “nutritionist” unless so licensed by the board, nor shall any person hold out dietitian or nutritionist unless so licensed. Additional information is available at http://mn.gov/boards/dietetics-and-nutrition/. Several other states have licensure/certification requirements. For more information about licensure requirements in these states, see the state licensure agency contact list posted on the Commission on Dietetic Registration website at https://www.cdrnet.org/state-licensure-agency-list

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Membership Information: As an intern enrolled in an ACEND-accredited dietetic internship program, you are eligible for student membership in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Membership is required for the SCH DI Program. Membership benefits include career resources, information resources, educational opportunities, policy initiatives and advocacy, publications and subscriptions, science and quality and networking and promotion. Visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website at http://www.eatrightpro.org/ or contact the Program Manager if you have questions about how to apply for membership. Membership is required for all interns in the SCH DI.

Program Policies & Materials

For more information, please download the following PDFs:

Discipline Policy
Educational Purpose of Supervised Practice
Graduate Preselection Procedures
Inclement Weather
Insurance Requirements
Intern Rights
Preceptor Handbook
Prior Assessed Learning (PAL)
Reporting Concerns
Site Selection
Verification Statement
Withdrawal and Refund of Fees