Dietetic Internship

The philosophy of the Bastyr University Dietetic Internship is to effectively deliver an internship that meets the accreditation standards set by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (the Academy) while supporting the mission statement of the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Science. The mission of the Bastyr University internship is to educate future leaders in the dietetic profession who will integrate whole foods, environmental nutrition and complementary medicine perspectives into their nutrition practice. The program is designed to meet the eligibility requirements and accreditation standards for dietetic internship programs as defined by the Academy, with the intention that those who successfully complete the program will have met the performance requirements for entry-level dietitian nutritionists through supervised practice. The internship provides an interactive set of educational experiences in which participants perform the Nutrition Care Process in a variety of settings, demonstrate professional skills, perform continuous self-assessment and develop collaborative relationships to achieve desired outcomes. The program includes didactic coursework via seminars, group projects and individual self-enrichment experiences.

Interns gain experience in medical nutrition therapy, community nutrition and food service administration. Interns develop insight into the unique nutritional needs of populations from all stages of the life cycle and in various degrees of health through rotation sites that include acute care and outpatient clinics, WIC programs and food service departments.

The Bastyr University Dietetic Internship has a concentration in natural medicine and whole-food nutrition. Interns have the opportunity to practice with clinicians in the naturopathic medicine program and in the acupuncture and East Asian medicine program at the University’s teaching clinic, Bastyr Center for Natural Health. Interns create whole-food menus and consider the environmental impacts of food choices.

The internship is a full-time program (minimum of 40 hours per week) meeting the requirements for 1,200 minimum supervised practice hours. The program also includes didactic hours, enrichment hours, and hours for orientation and evaluation, as well as vacation and holidays.

Interns are required to register for 15 graduate credits, which may be applied toward the elective requirements of the Master of Science in Nutrition degree at Bastyr University upon acceptance into the master’s program. The graduate course content is structured to complement the supervised practice component of the internship. The internship graduate courses follow, listed in the order taken:

Admission Requirements for Dietetic Internship

Applicants must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in nutrition, dietetics or an equivalent program from an accredited educational institution. A strong background in science and high academic performance are essential. A GPA of 3.0 or higher is required for acceptance into the program.

It is highly recommended that students have paid or volunteer experience in all three areas of clinical nutrition, community nutrition and food service administration.

All applicants must complete an internship application via the Dietetic Internship Centralized Application Services (DICAS) system. The following items will be uploaded by each applicant to the DICAS site:

• Completed Academy Dietetic Internship application
• One-page typed letter of application/personal statement
• Three letters of recommendation (the Academy Waiver and Recommendation Forms are to be included): one reference related to work experience and two references related to academic performance
• All official transcripts
• DPD Verification Statement or Declaration of Intent

Supplemental application materials to be sent directly to the Bastyr University admissions office:

• Completed Bastyr University Dietetic Internship application, available for download on the Bastyr University website
• Nonrefundable $75 application fee, with check written to “Bastyr University"

All application materials must be received by the February application deadline date established by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Interns begin the program in September and complete the program in June of the next calendar year. Applicants are informed of acceptance through the designated computer matching system.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Meet eligibility requirements to write the registration examination to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN).
• Demonstrate all the competencies required to practice as a competent entry-level dietitian.
• Provide exceptional nutrition and dietetic practice to individuals and institutions that effectively supports integrated health care, incorporating whole foods, complementary medicine perspectives and environmental considerations into nutrition care and protocols.

Expected Competencies

Interns are required to pass all internship graduate courses with a grade of achieved competency (AC) and must have demonstrated competency in all learning outcomes. (The achieved-competency-based grading system is explained in the Grading Policy, Naturopathic Medicine and Dietetic Internship section in this catalog.) Graduates of the program meet eligibility requirements to write the registration examination to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). Bastyr internship graduates are qualified to provide exceptional nutrition and dietetic services to individuals and institutions and contribute positively to the nutrition awareness and health education of the community. Upon achieving the RDN credential, graduates are responsible for contacting the Department of Health or other governing agency for the state(s) in which they practice, as each state may have unique requirements for attaining either licensure or certification in order to practice nutrition services.

Accreditation Status

The Bastyr University Dietetic Internship is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL, 60606-6995, (800) 877-1600, ext. 5400, email: acend@eatright.org, website: www.eatright.org/acend, a specialized accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Additional program information, including goals and objectives measured to assess program effectiveness, costs to interns and the program content, may be found at www.Bastyr.edu/Academics/Areas-Study/Study-Nutrition/Nutrition-Dietetic-Internship. Program policies and procedures are made available to accepted applicants in the annually revised Bastyr University Dietetic Internship Handbook. Program outcomes data are available upon request.