VA Medical Center - Veterans Affairs



VA Healthcare SystemNFS POLICY AND PROCEDURE 120-11-GBay Pines, FL 33744Issue Date: February 2018Recertification Date: February 28, 2021SELECTION AND ADMISSION PROCESSPURPOSE: To outline the policy for application to the Dietetic Internship and selection criteria. Admission requirements and procedures protect the Dietetic Intern’s civil rights and comply with medical center policy requirements for equal employment opportunity.POLICY: Applicants must be U.S. citizens and submit all required credentials as part of the application process. Dietetic Interns selected must provide documentation verifying a baccalaureate degree and an Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) Verification Statement before being fully admitted into the program. ACTIONVeterans Health Administration (VHA) policies require verification of U.S. Citizenship and a background investigation and physical prior to appointment as a Dietetic Intern. VA covers the cost of the background investigation and physical. Drug screening is not required for admission to the internship program but may be required by an affiliate site for which the intern will be personally responsible. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is required. An original, official transcript confirming degree and date of conferral must be given to the Internship Director before beginning the program. Completion of all requirements for the ACEND accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) program must be completed within the past four years. An original, signed copy of the DPD Verification Statement must be given to the Internship Director before beginning the program. If the date on the DPD Verification Statement is more than four years prior to the starting date of the internship, the applicant must take or have taken one course in Medical Nutrition Therapy through an ACEND-accredited DPD. Requirements for application to the Bay Pines VAHCS Dietetic Internship are posted on the program’s website for potential applicants.All applicants must be registered with D&D Digital Systems and submit prioritized ranking by established timeframes. Instructions for computer matching are provided on the program website. Only completed applications submitted through the online centralized internship application, Dietetic Internship Centralized Application Process (DICAS), will be accepted. DICAS may be accessed at or by email at info@. The online application must be submitted by the posted deadline to be considered by the selection committee. No application fee is required for the Dietetic Internship, however, there is an application fee for the University of South Florida graduate school as well as a fee by D&D Digital Systems and an application fee to use DICAS. The Internship Director appoints the selection committee. The Internship Director will screen all applications for completeness and qualifications. Incomplete applications, GPA below established criteria of 3.0, or non-U.S. citizens will not be considered.All qualifying applications will be reviewed by the Internship Director and at least one other reviewer. Applicants will be evaluated and ranked based on academic standing, letters of recommendation, personal statement, and experience in the field of nutrition and candidates will be interviewed by a team consisting of the Internship Director and one other member of the selection committee. All interviewees are asked the same questions, which are performance based.The selection committee meets and determines the final ranking of applicants, which is then submitted to D&D Digital Systems for matching.Matched applicants must telephone, email or fax their acceptance or rejection of the match by the appointment day. Additionally, matched applicants must respond in writing within 24 hours of appointment day of their acceptance or rejection. If all positions are not filled, the Internship Director may appoint interns on an individual basis. Priority will be given to applicants remaining on the prioritized computer-matching list. The Internship Director will inform Human Resources of matched applicants to begin the VA application and appointment process. Dietetic Interns are paid a stipend directly by VA from VHA centrally-allocated funds, based upon the allocation process managed by the Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA). The stipend is paid bi-weekly during the supervised practice portion of the program only (August-May). Stipend rates are set by OAA, and vary by discipline and level of the trainee. The basic pay rates are geographically adjusted according to the same adjustment percentages used for federal employee locality pay.REFERENCES: Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) Accreditation Standards for Internship Programs in Nutrition and Dietetics (2016); VHA Handbook 1400.08 Education of Associated Health Professions, dated February 26, 2016.RESPONSIBILITY: The Chief, Nutrition and Food Services (120).RESCISSION: Nutrition and Food Services Policy and Procedure, Selection Process and Required Credentials 120-11-G (September 2012).Barbara K. Harrington, MS, RD, FAND Sharon M. Hickman, MPH, RDChief, Nutrition and Food Services Internship Director ................
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