Dietetic Internship

MS/DI Program (MS-PD)

The Masters of Science in Nutrition-Professional Dietetics (MS-PD) is our MS/DI graduate degree program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Upon successful completion, graduates are eligible to take the RD registration exam.

The MS-PD program accepts up to 12 graduate students per year. The 22-month program includes 1000 hours of supervised practice hours in professional work settings. The MS-PD is a hybrid program, with the academic coursework delivered online and the supervised practice rotations located in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. The supervised practice hours are completed during the second year of the program. Interns are required to move to Oregon during the summer after their first year in the program.

The mission of the MS-PD is to provide a challenging, graduate-level supervised practice program that mentors and trains entry-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionists who are prepared to be leaders with advanced skills in diverse practice areas of food and nutrition practice, including clinical, food service systems, community, and primary care practice areas. The program comprises 30+ rotation sites and 55+ preceptors.

OSUDI Program

The OSU-DI is a non-credit, non-degree, post-baccalaureate program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Upon successful completion, graduates are eligible to take the RD registration exam.

The OSUDI consists of a 9.5 month, full-time supervised practice program commencing mid-September and running through June.

This internship includes diverse practice areas of food and nutrition practice, including clinical, food service systems, community, and primary care practice areas . Comprised of numerous rotations in different healthcare settings under the supervision of 56+ qualified preceptors, this internship prides itself on its diversity.

Why is this program unique?

• Broad-based exposure to dietetic practice; each intern will be placed in 6-8 rotations.
• More independent counseling/motivational interviewing opportunities compared to many other internships.

• Participate in the future models of healthcare delivery in patient-centered medical homes (physician offices and clinics) including Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic. Provide preventive nutrition care services in addition to traditional medical nutrition therapy.

Intern’s professional development is our focus

The dietetic internship exists to provide high quality supervised practice experiences for interns to attain the ACEND educational competencies, to initiate the development of professional networks, and to realize the value of engagement with the profession and with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

The focus of each internship rotation is learning; the program does not exploit interns for personal gain in the workplace. Interns may perform day-to-day work activities in a rotation but only in the context of completing an assignment or gaining experience, not to replace an absent employee.

Interns are encouraged to develop professionally, engage in opportunities to become independent practitioners, develop leadership skills, and gain exposure to professional mentors. 

Program prepares interns for RD exam

Following completion of the accredited didactic program in dietetics (DPD) and a master’s degree, the dietetic internship is a supervised practice program fulfilling the next step in the required educational process established by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to prepare entry-level RDs.

After successfully completing the dietetic internship, the student is qualified to take the Registration Examination to become an RD. Interns must be an RD in order to apply for state licensure; the State of Oregon has licensing for the RD credential.

Who is eligible?

Eligible students will have graduated (or are about to graduate) with a master’s degree and have completed requirements from an ACEND-accredited program called a "Didactic Program in Dietetics." Applicants come from all over the country.

More information about detailed selection criteria, qualifications and characteristics sought are available in the Selection, Qualifications, and Application link below.

Additional information

• Program philosophy, goals and non-discrimination
• Program description, schedule, rotations, program outcomes and completion
• Program costs, financial aid/loan deferments
• FAQ
• Selection, qualifications and application

Accreditation Status

The dietetic internship is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995, 1-800-877-1600 ext. 5400.

The last ACEND site visit for continued accreditation occurred in Spring, 2018. The next site visit is scheduled for Spring, 2026.

Contact

We appreciate hearing from prospective interns via email.
Feel free to contact us with your questions after reviewing our website.

We discourage in-person visits from prospective interns for several reasons:

1. Most of our out-of-state interns end up in rotations outside of Corvallis (Salem/Portland areas) so there is no need to visit the OSU campus and Corvallis community.
2. We believe visiting in-person potentially creates an unfair advantage as many prospective interns are unable to dedicate the time and money to visit programs.
3. We conduct Zoom interviews with all our applicant finalists (even Oregon students) to ensure fairness in selection, and this also gives us an opportunity to meet you face-to-face during the selection process.

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Dietetic Intern Erica conducts a nutrition consult with Oregon State University staff member.