- How long is your program?
- What is the emphasis of your program?
- What is the tuition of the program?
- Is out-of-state tuition different from in-state tuition?
- What forms are used in the application?
- Who should write references, i.e. letters of recommendation for me?
- Where do I mail my packet?
- Are the Graduate Record Examinations (GREs) required?
- What level/kind of computer skills are needed?
- Are phone or in-person interviews possible?
- Are the interview dates flexible?
- Am I considered a University of Maryland student?
- How much time does the internship require per week?
- How often do interns meet together?
- Are meals provided at the rotations?
- Is parking provided at the rotations?
- Can I come visit the program?
- When are the Virtual Open Houses?
- How are the program's preceptors selected? Are they paid to provide intern experiences?
- Are the preceptors always the same for all interns?
- Do interns have a say in their sites?
- Are there any required assignments of the intern prior to the program starting?
- Are there exams or tests throughout the year?
- What are the job opportunities after graduation from the program?
- Are there any medical or other requirements when the intern enters the program?
- Are intern policies and procedures available at this website?
- Can I do my internship part-time?
- Can I work at one of my facilities and still get paid while I am there as an intern?
The program is 44 weeks long. It begins in August and ends mid-June with program graduation.
What is the emphasis of your program?
The program emphasis is information management and communication and meets all of the internship requirements of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. It is critical for dietitians in the future to understand and practice "cutting edge" information technology in order to best function in the ever-changing environments of healthcare, business, research and education. This hold true in both the public and private sectors.
What is the tuition of the program?
Please view the Costs / Financial Aid section for a detailed listing of all program costs.
Is out-of-state tuition different from in-state tuition?
No. This is a non-credit program and tuition is the same for in-state and out-of-state students.
What forms are used in the application?
This program is using the online centralized application, DICAS. E-mail: DICASinfo@DICAS.org. The online application must be completed for our program by 11:59 Central Time on February 15, 2021 The fee to use DICAS is $50 for the first application submitted and $25 for each additional application.
Who should write references, i.e. letters of recommendation for me?
As required by DICAS -- two faculty members and one employer. These forms are submitted on-line via DICAS system. If you are a returning student who has worked for several years, you are welcome to use two employer (work or volunteer) references along with one faculty reference. You should pick references who know you and your abilities well.
Where do I mail my University of Maryland Supplemental Internship Application Form and Application Fee?
It is recommended that packet be sent via overnight mail service and/or certified mail to:
Dietetic Internship Selection Committee
c/o Anyea Lovette
Department of Nutrition and Food Science
University of Maryland
0119B Skinner Building
College Park, MD 20742
New procedure due to COVID-19: Please take a picture of your check and email it to Anyea Lovette for with the subject line of "UMD applicant - [your last name, your first name]. It is recommended that you mail your application and check no later than February 1 since mail service has recently been delayed.
Are the Graduate Record Examinations (GREs) required?
No, the GREs are not required.
What kind/level of computer skills are needed?
Candidates should have standard ability to use Microsoft Office suite and an interest in learning more.
Are phone or in-person interviews possible?
Due to Covid-19, all interviews will be done via Zoom.
Are the interview dates flexible?
No, the dates are set by the program. They occur in March and are scheduled in advance so that the interviewing team and candidates can reserve time on their schedules.
Am I considered a University Maryland student?
Interns are University of Maryland Outreach Students and eligible for select university services.
How much time does the internship require of an intern per week?
It is expected that most weeks will involve 35-40 hours (excluding travel) for supervised experience and class days. In addition, interns will have reading assignments and homework relating to each rotation.
How often do interns meet together?
With the exception of the clinical experience, interns go through each rotation paired with another intern from the program. Interns generally see the rest of the internship class once a week at class days. Due to Covid-19, our current class typically meets via Zoom on class days.
Are meals provided at the rotations?
Some food service rotations provide meals, but otherwise meals are not typically provided.
Is parking provided at the rotations?
Parking at many facilities is free. The program pays for parking on UMCP campus.
Due to Covid-19, we cannot currently have in-person visits. We urge anyone interested in our program to attend one of our virtual open houses. If after attending a virtual open house you have additional questions, you may reach out to the internship team or our current interns for additional information.
When are the Virtual Open Houses?
Our Virtual Open House dates are listed on our main internship page each November.
How are the program's preceptors selected? Are they paid to provide intern experiences?
The program's preceptors are selected based on their willingness to take interns and skill level in their area of practice. Many of our rotation sites have also requested interns, as it is their hope to hire our graduates into their clinical, community, food service and/or information technology sites. No preceptor is paid to provide an experience to interns; all preceptors know they will be working extra hours themselves in order to precept the intern and also do their own jobs. Our preceptors want interns because they like to teach.
Are the preceptors always the same for all interns?
For some rotations the preceptors are the same for all the interns, but for others they are not (e.g. clinical rotations).
Do interns have a say in their sites?
Site determination is made by the internship director who takes into account many factors, including the experience of staff/ preceptors at site, willingness of site to have interns, staffing at site at point of rotation and the distance intern would drive to reach rotation site.
Are there any required assignments for interns prior to the program starting?
Yes, there are a limited number of summer assignments. These include an information technology self-assessment, 3-day grocery list for couple on a limited income, a review of one complementary medicine or health food store product, a grocery store visit to review low cholesterol, low sodium and diabetic-type products and a technology assignment, which are due prior to orientation week testing.
Are there exams or tests throughout the year?
There are either oral and/or written quizzes with some rotations. The focus is on the ability to apply information rather than scoring a grade on a test.
What are the job opportunities after graduation from the program?
As noted above, most of our facilities are providing supervised practice experience as it is their hope to be able to hire our interns once they graduate from the program. There are also many other job opportunities in the Baltimore-Washington area for new graduates.
Are there any medical or other requirements when the intern enters the program?
Yes, all interns must have the following medical documentation:
- Immunization records for MMR or titers documenting prior vaccination;
- Record of negative QuantiFeron or Tspot for Tuberculosis (UMD no longer accepts PPD) prior to program start;
- Record of tetanus shot – Tdap in past 10 years;
- Record of Chicken Pox/ varicella vaccination plus blood test to document vaccination is still effective;
- Record of hepatitis B vaccination;
- Health screening by primary care provider;
- Flu shots, which are obtained after the start of the program; and
- It is expected that many facilities will also require COVID-19 vaccination once it becomes more available.
Interns are also required to carry medical and professional liability insurance. Each intern must have a car and carry automobile liability insurance, so that they can provide their own transportation throughout the program.
Are intern policies and procedures available?
Yes, all intern policies are listed on this website.
Can I do my internship part-time?
No, not at this time. We are accredited to be a full time program. A minimum of 35-40 hours is required per week during the internship.
Can I work at one of my facilities and still get paid while I am there as an intern?
Yes and no. You can work after internship hours are over (weekends and evenings). You CANNOT be paid for the hours you spend as an intern. The rule is that you may not replace a full time employee while training as an intern. If you were both working and functioning as an intern there would be a conflict of interest. While in a facility as an intern, you should be learning and working on project/homework assignments
