Dietetic Internships

Full-Time Track | Part-Time WIC Track

Maricopa County’s dietetic internship offers a public health focused supervised practice program with two tracks: a full time track and a part time track for qualified WIC employees working in an Arizona program. Interns will work with dietitians from a wide variety of disciplines and be exposed to a wide range of nutrition services from metropolitan and rural areas. Opportunities are provided to interact with individuals and groups from multi-ethnic backgrounds representing all ages and levels of education. Community, clinical, culinary, long term care, sports nutrition food service and management experiences offered will challenge interns to integrate knowledge gained from dedicated study with opportunities for practice and application. Because of the great diversity among the residents in Maricopa County, interns able to speak Spanish are highly valued by the rotation sites. However, the ability to speak Spanish is not a requirement for admission into the internship program.

The Maricopa County Department of Public Health dietetic internship is accredited through the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. All applicants for both tracks will apply through the DICAS online system (https://portal.dicas.org). The full-time track applicants must participate in D & D Digital computer matching (www.dnddigital.com). WIC track applicants will not participate in the computer match.

What Nutrition Services are provided to the residents of Maricopa County?

• Nutrition education programs for the community provided by Registered Dietitians
• Worksite and School Wellness ToolKits and Guides
• Nutrition services for K - 8th grade through the Arizona Nutrition Network, SNAP-Ed program
• A consumer nutrition e-mail and answer line
• Participant-centered nutrition education, high-risk counseling, and breastfeeding peer support program for WIC participants

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What are the Requirements to Become a Registered Dietitian?

1. Complete a bachelor's degree from a US regionally accredited university or college and Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) course work approved by The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).
2. Complete a dietetic internship accredited by ACEND.
3. Pass the national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).
4. After passing the exam, a RD must complete continuing professional education requirements to maintain a registration.

The Maricopa County Department of Public Health Dietetic Internship consists of a full time track and a part time WIC track. The part time WIC track is dedicated to accepting only qualified WIC staff currently working in any contracted Arizona WIC Local Agency. Full time dietetic interns will begin in mid August and complete the practicum the first week in June. WIC dietetic interns will begin in mid August and complete the practicum the first week in July. Performance will be evaluated on an ongoing basis throughout and at the end of each rotation. Satisfactory performance and practice skills must be demonstrated throughout the program as evaluated by each site director or preceptor. Dietetic interns are eligible for graduation from the program when assignments are completed satisfactorily and when intern has been in supervised practice for the required number of hours. All competencies for entry-level dietitians (Core and Public Health Concentration Competency for Supervised Practice) must be met by graduation. Dietetic interns who successfully complete the program will receive a signed program verification statement and will be eligible to sit for the national examination.

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What are the mission and goals of the Maricopa County Dietetic Internship with Community Emphasis?

The mission of the Maricopa County Department of Public Health Dietetic Internship Program is "to provide a quality public health/community nutrition education program through which dietetic interns develop the skills to translate nutrition theory and knowledge into effective application and practice to meet the needs of a diverse population." Planned experience and educational opportunities of the internship will prepare program graduates to sit for the national registration exam and enter the profession as entry-level dietetic practitioners.

Goals of the dietetic internship:

1. Prepare quality graduates who have met the core competencies as defined by ACEND and public health concentration competencies and are eligible to take the RD exam.

    

   Outcome Measurement:

   • At least 80% of interns will successfully complete the dietetic internship

   • At least 80% of graduates will pass the registration exam on their first attempt

   • At least 70% of graduates seeking employment will have obtained employment in the dietetic field within 12 months of completing the program

2. Prepare graduates to meet employer expectations as entry-level practitioners.

    

   Outcome Measurement:

   • 80% or more of employers will evaluate graduates as good or excellent in the overall preparedness for entry-level work, professionalism, communication, collaboration/compatibility, critical thinking, and problem solving.

3. Contribute to diversity in the dietetics profession by increasing the number of multicultural and bilingual graduates.

    

   Outcome Measurement:

   • No less than 20% of interns will be ethnically and culturally diverse

   • No less than 20% of interns will be bilingual

Outcomes data available upon request

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What are the Student Learning Outcomes for the Program?

• Outcome #1: Graduates will demonstrate the ability to integrate scientific information and research into the practice of dietetics.

• Outcome # 2: Graduates will develop beliefs, values, attitudes and behaviors for the professional dietitian level of practice.

• Outcome #3: Graduates will demonstrate the ability to develop and deliver information, products and services to individuals, groups and populations.

• Outcome #4: Graduates will demonstrate the ability to strategically apply principles of management and systems in order to provide services to individuals and organizations.

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What is the current first time pass rate for the RD exam?

For the five year period of 2007 - 2011, the first time pass rate for graduates of the Maricopa County dietetic internship program is 95%.

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Who has accredited Maricopa County's Dietetic Internship?

The Dietetic Internship at Maricopa County is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics: 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 200, Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995

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What are the graduation requirements?

Graduates of the Maricopa County Dietetic Internship will complete all program requirements. They will demonstrate achievement of the 35 core competencies and 2 public health competencies set forth by the ACEND.

Upon program completion, graduates will be competent to function as entry-level dietetic professionals and will receive a verification statement.

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Organization information

Shirley Strembel, MS, RD:

Maricopa County Department of Public Health
Office of Nutrition Services
4041 N. Central Avenue, Suite 700
Phoenix, AZ 85012
(602) 506 9325 (Phone)
(602) 506 9330 (FAX)
shirleystrembel@mail.maricopa.gov

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Full-Time Track | Part-Time WIC Track