Dietetic Internship Program Information

Get details about UC San Diego Health’s nine-month Dietetic Internship program, including financial costs, scholarships, onboarding and completion requirements, and program schedule and rotations.

Financial Information

Note: Expenses and costs are estimates and are subject to change. Individual costs may vary.

Program Costs

• Application Fee: $50 (nonrefundable)
• Tuition: $10,000 (nonrefundable, paid in three installments)

Additional Expenses

• Liability insurance (required): $35–$40 (student coverage)
• Computer and home internet access: $70 per month
• Student membership for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND): $58
• AND's San Diego District student membership: $20
• Books and supplies (none required): $200 (variable)
• Conferences: $100 (variable)
• Housing: $1,200–$1,800/month
• UCSD Parking Permit: $95/month (optional)
• Transportation and travel expenses: Variable
• Health insurance: Variable
• Up-to-date immunizations or proof of immunity

Interns are required to locate housing, which should be completed before starting the internship. Although many rotations will be at UC San Diego Health's two main campuses (in Hillcrest and La Jolla), interns need access to reliable transportation to get to off-site rotations and field trips.

Financial Aid

As a dietetic intern, you are not considered a student and therefore are not eligible for student loans. Our Dietetic Internship does not currently participate in Title IV Federal Financial Aid. However, payments on student loans may be deferred while you are in the internship program. We can provide documentation to verify your status in an accredited program.

Scholarships

Some scholarships are available, which may assist with program costs.

• Applications for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation scholarships open in February and close in April each year.
• State affiliates of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), as well as AND's Member Interest Groups (MIG) or Dietetic Practice Groups (DPG), may also offer scholarships.
• The California Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics Foundation also offers some scholarships.

Onboarding Requirements for Dietetic Internship

Upon acceptance to the UC San Diego Health Dietetic Internship, the accepted applicant must undergo a California State Criminal Background Check (at no cost to the intern). Successful admission into the program is contingent on this background check. This is consistent with the University of California procedure for all staff, residents, interns and volunteers.

Upon acceptance to the internship program, the accepted applicant must obtain a health clearance from UC San Diego Health’s Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine (COEM). Interns must complete a pre-employment physical exam that includes a TB skin test and drug screen (at no cost to the intern). False information or misrepresentation may disqualify applicants and/or be grounds for dismissal from the program.

Program Completion Requirements

All dietetic interns are required to meet the competencies, supervised practice hours, duties and responsibilities set forth by the internship prior to program completion.

For successful completion of the internship, interns must have:

1. Satisfactorily completed all rotations or alternate planned activities in the achievement of Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) required competencies.
2. Earned a minimum of 70% on assignments and projects, either initially or through repeat/additional work.
3. Demonstrated entry-level competence (at least 3.0 out of 4.0 scale) in the performance of Clinical and Food Service Management staff relief.
4. Completed a minimum of 1,198 supervised practice hours.
5. Demonstrated satisfactory written and oral communication skills, as well as a satisfactory degree of professionalism, as evidenced by rotation evaluations and trimester evaluations in conjunction with informal observations.
6. The above requirements (1–5) must be completed within 14 months of the program start date (150% of program length).

The internship director will provide verification statements to each intern upon achievement of program completion requirements.

Program Schedule and Rotations

Our Dietetic Internship is a full-time program that operates from August to May each year. Interns are scheduled to work approximately 40 hours per week, usually Monday through Friday. The sequence of each intern’s schedule is different, but each intern will complete similar core rotations.

View Sample Program Schedule

Skill Development Seminar

Didactic classes accompany supervised practice and occur approximately 1–2 times a month. Classroom time and field trips may be scheduled within the weekly 40 hours or outside of the regular daily schedule.

Contact Us

Program Director

Janine Doggett, MS, RD, CNSC

Email: jdoggett@health.ucsd.edu

Office phone: 619-543-3351

Cell: 619-213-2219

Mailing Address

UC San Diego Health Dietetic Internship

200 W. Arbor Drive, Mail Code 8801

San Diego, CA 92103-8801