MSU Denver’s Dietetic Internship

The mission of the MSU Denver Dietetic Internship is to prepare culturally aware and competent entry-level registered dietitian nutritionists to serve diverse populations through the promotion of optimal nutrition, health and well-being.

The program aims to produce Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) who:

• provide quality service that is culturally sensitive and based on customer expectations and needs
• serve the profession
• engage in life-long learning

Goals and objectives of the MSU Denver Dietetic Internship help interns meet our program mission.

Goal 1: Dietetic internship graduates will successfully meet employment needs as entry-level dietitian nutritionists with diverse clients in a variety of nutrition settings.

Objectives:

1. At least 80% of program interns complete program requirements within 14 months (150% of the program length).
2. Of graduates who seek employment, 80 percent are employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields within 12 months of graduation.
3. At least 80 percent of program graduates take the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists within 12 months of program completion.
4. The program’s one year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%.
5. Ninety percent of employers who respond to a survey on program graduates in their first year of employment report “agree” or “strongly agree” regarding the graduate’s knowledge and skill preparation for entry-level practice.
6. At least 80% of graduates who complete the 1-year post graduation survey indicate the program prepared them to work with culturally diverse populations.

Goal 2: Dietetic internship graduates will demonstrate their engagement with life-long learning.

Objective:

1. At least 75% of graduates who complete the 1-year post graduation survey indicate they actively engage in nutrition-related life-long learning (for example, attending professional education events, reading nutrition-related publications, writing blogs, serving in leadership roles for professional associations, taking classes, writing articles, conducting research, giving presentations, etc.)

The mission, goals, and objectives are monitored annually for program effectiveness. Program outcomes data are available on request. See the “Contact Us” section of the website for contact information.

Number of Weeks: 1

Every other Monday all interns come together at MSU Denver for a skill development seminar (Monday seminar). The purpose of Monday seminar is for interns to gain knowledge and skills related to competencies, hear presentations, give presentations related to their rotations, go on field trips, and prepare for the RDN exam. Monday seminar will also provide the opportunity for interns to check-in with the internship director, and to connect with and support each other.

Number of Weeks: 4

MNT in a hospital, working with lower-acuity patients.

Number of Weeks: 6

MNT in hospital, working with higher acuity patients.

Number of Weeks: 2

Interns will work in a long-term care facility.

Number of Weeks: 6

Interns will work in a community health nutrition / food insecurity facility.

Number of Weeks: 6

Number of Weeks: 6

Most interns will work within a school system on various management and child-nutrition projects, including farm-to-table programs.

Number of Weeks: 2

Interns will work in coordination with the internship director to select an area of interest.

Number of Weeks: 4

Each intern receives four weeks of vacation during the program. The exact four weeks are determined by the rotation schedule, which varies across interns. Individual requests cannot be honored. No other vacation time is included, nor allowed, during the internship. Interns are expected to work holidays (except Christmas and New Years weeks) and occasionally evenings during their rotations. The MSU Denver Events and Calendars website lists the current academic calendar: https://www.msudenver.edu/events/academic/.  Contact the Dietetic Internship Program Director for exact internship program dates.

• Dietetic interns must successfully complete all rotation, assignment, attendance and behavior requirements and must follow all policies and procedures associated with the internship to graduate from the MSU Denver Dietetic Internship. This includes earning a “Satisfactory” rating from preceptors on all rotation learning activities/projects associated with the ACEND-required competencies. All graduation requirements must be completed within 33 weeks, excluding situations of an approved leave of absence.
• If the intern successfully completes the program, the internship director will provide the intern with a signed Verification Statement at the conclusion of the last day of the internship. The internship director will enter interns into the Registration Eligibility Processing System (REPS) as eligible to take the Registration Examination for Dietitian Nutritionists. This will enable graduates to take the registration examination.

The MSU Denver Dietetic Internship has the following program costs.

• $16,093 for in-state tuition ($14,400) and fees ($1,693)
• $18,709 for out-of-state tuition ($17,016) and fees ($1,693)
• $250 for books and supplies

The above includes costs for the entire program, assuming normal time to completion. This information is subject to change.

Note: Some meals may be provided during rotations.

• Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics student membership (required): $50
• Professional liability insurance (purchase through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics): $50
• Professional meetings: $150
• Housing: $7,000 – $10,000
• Health insurance: Interns must provide proof of insurance.
• Transportation:
  • Interns will be expected to drive to and from sites or use public transportation on a daily basis. A car, auto insurance and gas must be provided by the intern.
• Compliance management services to manage background checks, drug screen and immunizations records: $130

Note: Due to the demands of this full time program, it is strongly recommended that you do not work during the internship.

You may be eligible to receive financial aid loans for the MSU Denver Dietetic Internship.  Please contact the MSU Denver Financial Aid Office to learn more about financial aid at: https://msudenver.edu/financialaid/graduate/.

If you are accepted into the MSU Denver Dietetic Internship, prior to completing the FAFSA application please contact the program director to get instructions for completing specific parts of the application.

MSU Denver dietetic interns should inquire about loan deferment with the lending institution for their specific loans.

Dietetic Internship Policy and Procedure Manual

Complete an ACEND accredited DPD program and obtain a bachelor’s degree* Please note:  MSU Denver’s Dietetic Internship now requires a Masters Degree for program eligibility.

*Effective January 1, 2024, the CDR will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a RDN. For more information about educational pathways to become an RDN please visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 

Apply for and complete an ACEND accredited program

• • Dietetic Internship or
  • Individual Supervised Practice Pathway

Pass a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR)***

***The MSU Denver Dietetic Internship meets the supervised practice experience required to take the Commission on Dietetics Registration’s Registration Examination for Dietitian Nutritionists.

Yes, financial aid is available to interns participating in the Dietetic Internship. Interns should contact the MSU Denver Financial Aid Office. https://msudenver.edu/financialaid/

Interns enrolled in the Dietetic Internship must abide by all professional standards and polices outlined within the Dietetic Internship Handbook. In addition, interns must pass drug screening and criminal background checks. The program has a zero tolerance for all illegal drugs, including marijuana, even though recreational marijuana is considered legal in Colorado. Random drug screenings may be requested by the Dietetic Internship director or preceptors. More information can be found in the Dietetic Internship Policy and Procedural Manual.

MSU Denver requires that all incoming interns have:

• measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine or evidence of titers
• Hepatitis B (HBV) vaccine or evidence of titers
• Tdap vaccine/booster within the past 10 years
• varicella vaccinations or positive antibody titer
• TB test (Mantoux)
• flu shot
• COVID-19

More information can be found within the Dietetic Internship Policy and Procedure Manual.