Admission is open to qualified individuals regardless of race, national origin, sex, religion, age, veteran status, or disability. A selection committee comprised of departmental faculty and dietitians reviews applications that meet the minimum requirements. All applications must be received before or on the deadline date established by DICAS. Applications are evaluated in the areas of academic record (including overall GPA), work and volunteer experience, letter of recommendations, and applicant’s personal statement. Applications must meet the academic requirements of a Didactic Program in Dietetics accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).

Minimum eligibility requirements

  1. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
  2. A non-refundable application fee of $50.00 is payable online at PANTHERS Market Place.

Computer Matching

  1. The Texas A&M Dietetic Internship participates in the spring computer matching process.
  2. Applicant needs to make a Digital DI Application File through DICAS.
  3. Applicants must register online with D&D Digital Systems for selection of DI program priority and computer matching. This request should be made early to allow turnaround time to submit internship preferences to D&D Digital Systems. D&D Digital charged a $50 computer-matching fee.
  4. D&D Digital Systems will provide all applicants their personal matching results via posting on the D&D Digital Systems website. D&D Digital Systems will provide all DI Directors the list of applicants matched to their program on the match date. Applicants should contact D&D Digital Systems if matching results are not available to them via the Web site.
  5. Applicants who receive a computer match are responsible for contacting the DI Director and accepting or rejecting that match by email to the program director.
  6. As a participant in computer matching, it is expected that applicants who receive a match will adhere to the results of the match and accept the match. It is unacceptable to decline a match in order to pursue an appointment to another supervised practice program.
  7. As a participant in the computer matching process, it is expected that applicants who do not receive a computer match will not contact any program with open positions until the allowed D&D date. This will allow the programs time to confirm acceptance from their matched applicants and determine the process they will use to fill open positions. In addition, please do not ask your Didactic Program Director to inquire about or contact programs with open positions prior to the allowed date.

D&D Digital Systems
3100 S. Riverside Dr
PO Box 887
Ames, Iowa 50010
Phone: (515) 292-0409
Email: dnd@netins.net
Website: www.dnddigital.com

Students accepted into the internship program must submit a separate completed application packet to the graduate school for admission to the university. Transcripts, recommendations and other information submitted to the internship program are not part of the graduate school application and should be submitted to the university with the graduate application after the match process and upon admission to the internship program. See graduate admissions at the Graduate School for more detail.

  1. Minimum Grade Point Average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
  2. Original Verification Statement of completion of academic requirements or declaration of intent to complete academic requirements by the internship start date.
  3. A minimum of a Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. accredited university or college OR foreign equivalent verified by a Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) approved agency (Approved nonprofit agencies available at ACEND website). https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend/students-and-advancing-education/information-for-students/foreign-degree-evaluation-agencies
  4. A non-refundable application fee of $50.00.

Application Procedure

The dietetic internship program participates in the computerized Dietetic Internship Centralized Application Services (DICAS) for the spring application process (click here). Specific instructions on the DICAS application process are available from the DICAS portal. Following are some of the items that should be included with the DICAS application: The program deadline for the dietetic internship is the same deadline for the DICAS application.

  • Transcripts and three letters of recommendation are a required part of the application submitted to DICAS. Letters of recommendation should include at least two academic references and one from a current or recent employer.
  • A personal statement must also be included. The statement should describe the applicant’s professional and educational goals and interests, as well as an assessment of abilities/achievements.
  • Application and ranking set with D&D Digital Systems

Please note, do not submit an application for admission to the university until you are notified of a match to the dietetic internship program.

Second Round Match Requirements

In the event that the program does not fill all openings in the first round match the program will participate in the second round through DICAS. All applicants must submit the required application fee to the dietetic internship program.

Completion Requirements

Eligibility to take the registration examination requires that all students receive a verification statement confirming successful completion of the dietetic internship.

To successfully complete the Dietetic Internship Program and receive a verification, each participant must:

  • receive a score of satisfactory or better on each supervised experience
  • receive a score of at least 80% on each major exam
  • successfully complete all assignments with a grade of satisfactory or better
  • complete all required 1240 hours of practicum experience
  • meet all core competencies for the registered dietitian nutritionist during the course of the internship

Upon successfully completing the program, each participant will be eligible to register and take the Registration Examination for Dietitians sponsored by The Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics.

Examples of DI rotation sites

The Dietetic Internship will provide students with supervised practice in a variety of settings. The following is a partial listing of the affiliated practice sites:

Management and Food Service Rotations

  • Alief Independent School District – Alief
  • Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District – Cypress
  • Houston Independent School District – Houston
  • Waller Independent School District – Waller
  • Hempstead Independent School District – Hempstead
  • KIPP Houston Public Schools – Houston
  • Sodexo – Prairie View A&M University
  • Ripe Cuisine

Clinical Rotations

  • Tomball Regional Hospital
  • DaVita Inc.
  • City of Houston Department of Health and Human Services
  • Kindred Hospital
  • Scott & White Hospital – College Station
  • Joseph Regional Health Center – Bryan
  • Atrium Medical Center Hospital
  • Dietitians in Healthcare LLC
  • Kingwood Medical Center Hospital
  • HEB

Public Health/Community Rotations

  • Access Health
  • The Houston Food Bank,
  • Gulf Coast Community Service
  • Recipe For Success
  • Atrium Medical Center Hospital
  • Seven Acres Retirement Facility
  • Baker Ripley
  • Cooperative Extension, Prairie View A&M University
  • City of Houston Department of Health
  • Harris County Public Health
  • UTMB – WIC

The cost of the internship varies. The following is the best estimate for current fees and expenses for the duration of the program.

  • Dietetic Internship (Resident) – $7,733 (Nonresident) $16, 656
  • Application to Internship Program fee $50
  • DICAS application fee $40 for the first application, $20 for each additional application
  • D&D Digital application fee $50
  • Lab Coat $25 – 30
  • Immunizations – cost varies
  • Professional Liability Insurance $85
  • Drug Screen $45.00. However, some facilities required this test to be done by specific facilities.
  • Student membership to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics $50 – Membership is mandatory for all interns.
  • Criminal background check – provided by the Houston Police Department.
  • Textbooks and supplies – varies with individual students
  • Meals, housing, and transportation cost vary with the student.
  • Interns must have a reliable form of transportation to all practicum sites. Public transportation is not available. Gas price varies and must be factored in for the year.
  • Cost of living: the average rent for Texas is $750 per month. On-campus housing is available to graduate students if needed.

The internship is a full-time program requiring approximately 34 hours per week. This may preclude interns from working during the program. Please contact the Office of Student Financial Aid & Scholarships with questions pertaining to the availability of financial aid and or loan deferment. Departmental scholarships are not available.

Office of Financial Aid & Scholarship
P.O. Box 519, MS#1005
Prairie View, Texas 77446
Phone: (936) 261-1000
Email: fadmail@pvamu.edu