The WVU Medicine Dietetic Internship Program accepts eight internship positions and typically receives about 15-25 applications from across the country.
Application Requirements
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Have completed a Didactic Program in Dietetics
- Have completed master’s degree or obtain master’s degree the same year as internship program finishes
- Overall grade point average of 3.0, including 3.0 in food and nutrition courses and 2.6 in science courses (for all program options)
- Submit the following to Dietetic Internship Centralized Application Services (DICAS) by Feb. 15:
- Supplemental application form
- All materials on prospective students’ checklist
- $50 application fee with check or money order payable to WVU Hospitals, Inc.; DICAS fee will be accepted as dietetic internship and graduate application fee (if applicable)
Applicants have four options for attending our program:
- Matching to our internship program and completing an in-person Master of Science in Food and Nutritional Sciences at West Virginia University prior to attending our internship program (two-year program with one-year master’s June – August, then 10-month internship September – June)
- Matching to our internship program and completing a distance Master of Science in Dietetics from Marshall University (one-year online master’s program August – August, with internship program attendance concurrently September – June). Marshall will grant nine hours of graduate credit toward the supervised practice rotations completed at WVU Medicine, leaving 24 hours of graduate credits to complete online.
- Matching to our program for students who are already in the process of completing a master’s degree online prior to application and will finish that master’s the same calendar year as the internship. Completion of the master’s degree will be required prior to receiving the internship certificate of completion (10-month to one-year period dependent upon master’s completion date).
- Matching to our program to complete the dietetic internship after previously obtaining a master’s degree (10-month period)
Following acceptance into our internship program, applicants needing to obtain a master’s degree will apply for the WVU or Marshall master’s program of their choice via the links listed above. Completion of the master’s degree will be required prior to receiving the internship certificate of completion.
General Program Selection and Length of Program
The WVU Medicine Dietetic Internship Program is 41 weeks in length for those who have already obtained a master’s degree from WVU or another university. If students choose to attend the online master’s degree program at Marshall University, their graduate classes will start in August prior to the start of the internship that September and then end the next August after completing the internship that June. For any other online master’s program, students will be required to finish that graduate degree the same year as the completion of the internship.
The dietetic internship program is associated with but is not part of West Virginia University. The WVU Medicine Dietetic Internship Program does not regularly give credit of prior learning toward internship program requirements due to the specific rotation experiences and competencies offered at our program.
Student Selection
Dietetic internship applications are evaluated by a selection committee comprised of the program director, clinical dietitians, and current students. We follow the equal opportunity policy of WVU Medicine in its application, admission, and operational policies and procedures. Individuals applying to and/or accepted into the program will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, sexual orientation, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, disability, or veteran status.
Students are selected based on:
- Personal goals and expectations as identified in letter of application
- Overall grade point average of at least 3.0 in food and nutrition courses and 2.6 in science courses and completed master’s degree
- Work or volunteer experience in a related field
- Extracurricular activities and leadership positions
- Scholastic honors
- Letters of reference
- Telephone interviews with the screening committee, which will be arranged by the internship director
Applicants will receive notification of their acceptance to a program by the middle of April from the D&D Digital Computer Matching Service.
Once you are matched to our internship program, if applicants need to obtain a master’s degree, they will need to apply to either WVU or Marshall to begin the process of applying to graduate school.
Vaccination Requirements
To protect all WVU Medicine patients and employees, dietetic internship students are required to have the following vaccines before the internship begins:
- COVID-19
- Influenza
- Hepatitis B: three doses or serological testing with positive antibody levels
- Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR): two doses; positive antibody levels for this will also be acceptable
- History of varicella or Varivax: two doses or proof of chickenpox
- Tetanus/Tdap
- Tuberculosis purified protein derivative (PPD) skin text: two-step process within the last 30 days; a copy of recent chest x-ray is required for those with history of positive PPD
Updated vaccines will be provided by WVU Medicine Employee Health if not within the acceptable date range.
Students/interns who have been granted a medical or religious exemption from flu and COVID-19 vaccines are required to wear a NIOSH-approved N95 mask for source control at all times while at work. Fit-testing and masks will be provided to those who are granted exemptions.
Students are covered during the internship for on-the-job injury only under a hospital-purchased policy (Mutual of Omaha). Payment/medical insurance for any other illness is the student’s responsibility.