Dietetic Internship
At Ohio State, the dietetic internship prepares you with the skills and knowledge to become a registered dietitian. You’ll have a broad spectrum of opportunities, can personalize the internship to your interests and receive comprehensive counseling training to help others change their behaviors. Successfully completing the internship qualifies you to take the registration exam. Ninety-five percent of our interns pass the exam their first time.
Internship Highlights
An accredited internship program that allows for individualization of schedule and sites
Focus on learning and delivering personalized nutrition and counseling
Advance you knowledge in nutrition assessment, dietary planning, counseling and education, management, problem solving and decision making
Successful completion of the dietetic internship qualifies graduates for the Registration Examination for Dietitians administered by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Earn prior learning credit for previous experiences, such as thesis or capstone graduate project and management roles/responsibilities for paid or unpaid work.
Internship Rotation Schedule
Outpatient and acute care rotations, 400 hours
Includes corporate wellness, private practice, non-profits, and government agencies, 260 hours
Hospital, school, long term care, restaurant, non-profit, 320 hours
Gain additional experience in any of the above areas, 200 hours
Internship Options
|
|
Full Time | Part Time | Individualized Supervised Practice Program* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Program Length |
9 months |
12-16 months |
Up to 2 years |
| Hours/Week |
34-40 |
20 |
Varied |
| Attend Seminar |
Tuesdays |
Tuesdays, first 9 months |
No |
| Required Total Hours |
1,250 |
1,216 |
1,200 |
| Number of Interns |
5-10 |
1-5 |
Up to 4 |
| Minimum degree to apply |
Masters |
Masters |
Doctorate |
* Contact Program Director Julie Kennel for more information about applying. Interns admitted through this path are responsible for securing their own supervised practice placements.
Have questions about the Dietetic Internship? Learn more with our frequently asked questions.
Student Outcomes
Without the extensive and in-depth hands-on experience I gained through the dietetic internship at Ohio State, I would not have had the background knowledge to get my current job at one of the best children’s hospital’s in the country. Specifically, my preceptor tailored my clinical rotations to my interests in nutrition support and complex disease states so that I could use my critical thinking skills to participate in medical rounds and gain exposure to unique situations unlike anything I could have imagined.
Additionally, the preparation for the RD exam through weekly seminars and resources given by OSU faculty allowed me to take the RD exam within 1 month of finishing my internship and pass on my first attempt. Completing my dietetic internship at Ohio State was truly the best experiences of my life, and I would not be the dietitian I am today if I didn’t have the guidance and knowledge that I acquired in my training.
Internship Requirements
Prerequisites
Master’s degree from accredited university or plan to complete master’s program by completion of internship; original ACEND-approved Didactic Program in Dietetics verification statement or doctoral degree from accredited university and work/life experiences demonstrating knowledge and skills.
Deadline to apply
Rolling admissions
Accreditation
The Ohio State University Human Nutrition Dietetic Internship Program is fully accredited through 2022 by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, Illinois, 60606-6995, 312-899-0040.
Licensing requirements
The process of becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutrition requires completing the following:
- a bachelor’s degree (will advance to a master’s degree in 2024) granted by a U.S. regionally accredited college/university or foreign equivalent,
- an ACEND accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics,
- an ACEND accredited Dietetic Internship with a minimum of 1,200 supervised practice hours, and
- successful passage of the national credentialing exam set by the Commission on Dietetics Registration and state certification/licensure, as applicable.
The Ohio State Human Nutrition Dietetic Internship fulfills the supervised practice step of the process.
- Ohio State's Dietetic Internship prepares interns to obtain dietetics licensure in Ohio. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Ohio, please review state educational requirements for licensure and certification and state licensing board contact information at go.osu.edu/onground.
- Ohio State Master’s Degrees in Nutrition
The requirements set by the Commission on Dietetics Registration to become registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) include a minimum of a master’s degree to take the credentialing exam for RDNs beginning on January 1, 2024.
Learn more about Ohio State two master’s degrees in human nutrition: