VA Caribbean Healthcare System

Accreditation Status

The dietetic internship at the VA Caribbean Healthcare System is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education Programs (CADE) of the American Dietetic Association, 120, South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL.  60606-6995. The next site visit will be in May 2009 

Program Description

The VA Caribbean Healthcare System Dietetic Internship Program is a general program of eleven and a half months duration established in 1950 (58 years) and accredited by CADE until 2009. The Internship Program provides supervise experiences in Food Service Systems and Management; in Clinical Dietetics, Community Nutrition, and Research. In addition to the supervised practical experiences, the program includes medical and dietetic lectures, seminars, case presentations, research projects and community experiences.

The Dietetic Internship Program will provide the student with the following:

• Expertise to assume an expanded role in clinical nutrition including nutritional assessment, development of nutritional care plan, its implementation and evaluation.
• Expertise in translating knowledge of food, nutrition and medical sciences into the practice of nutritional care.
• Basic functional skills necessary to manage Food Service System.
• Basic skills for planning, implementing and evaluating the teaching learning process.
• Basic functional skills necessary to perform as an effective administrator, as a clinician, educator and consultant.
• Develop motivation and interest in the area of Nutrition Research.
• Eligibility to take the registration examination, become an active member of the American Dietetic Association and get the Puerto Rico licensure.

Program Goals and Measurable Outcomes

Goal #1 - Provide learning/clinical experience to the dietetic interns that gear them to obtain the necessary knowledge, skills and attitude in medical nutrition therapy, food service system management, community and dietetic research through the completion of supervised experiences to perform as entry level-dietitian.

• 1.1 80% of interns who initiate the program will complete it.
• 1.2 80% of the interns when surveyed, will rate as adequate the Learning /clinical experiences provided by supervised practice (internship) to assume their role as entry level-dietitian.

Goal #2 - Graduates will demonstrate they are equipped with basic functional skills to meet the standards expected of an entry-level dietitian.

• 2.1 80% of the interns will approve the Puerto Rico Licensure Exam.
• 2.2 First time pass rate of the RD exam over a 5 year period will be equal or grater that 80%.

Goal #3 - The Dietetic Internship Program will prepare graduates to work as effective professionals in the clinical, administrative or educational areas of dietetic related fields.

• 3.1 80% of the program graduates when surveyed, will respond they are employed in any of the dietetic related field.
• 3.2 When surveyed, more than 50% of the employers will rate internship graduates “as well prepared ”.

Benefits

• Stipend – Varies on an annual basis, but is approximately $10,000 for 1,550 hours, (Dietetic Internship is comprised of 2,040hrs).
• Annual Leave - 5 working days per year
• Sick Leave - 13 working days per year
• Federal Holidays: Interns are also off all federal holidays during the internship.

Certificate

• Certificate of Internship in Dietetics of the VA Caribbean Healthcare System Dietetic Internship Program, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
• Verification Statement of Dietetic Internship.

Applicants Qualifications or Requirements to be Admitted

A maximum of twelve interns are appointed annually.

•  Must be a graduate from an accredited college or university. Curriculum must be in accordance with current qualifying educational requirements established by the American Dietetic Association (DPD Academic requirements).
• Must have graduated with a grade index of 2.7 or above in courses of specialization.
• Citizenship * Appointed under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 4114(a)(1)(A). Must be citizen of the USA.
• Must read, write and speak Spanish and English fluently. *Manual of Academic Affairs, M8, Part II, Chap. II
• Interview with Director, Service Chief, and Staff.
• There is no application fee for our program.

Application Process and Contact Person

In order to be considered for the VACHS Dietetic Internship Program:
All applicants must submit the following:

1. Letter of application for appointment in English, in the applicant's own handwriting.
      • Reasons you select this internship
      • Area (s) of dietetics you are most interested at this time and why.
      • Examples of your organizational skills, work ethic, interpersonal communication skills with customers/patients, peers, supervisors and enthusiasm /dedication to the field of dietetics
      • Future goals
     Note:  Please limit letter to one page
2. Dietetic Internship Application Form (Used the standardized application form of the ADA which can be downloaded from the ADA website).
3. Official transcripts from each university or college attended.    
      • Only original transcripts accepted; or college attended
      • Mailed directly from registrar’s office OR sealed in envelope with registrar’s signature across the flap
      • All Fall semester or quarter grades must be included for application to be considered complete
4. Three letters of reference.
      • Use ADA form
      • Two references from professors in Food and Nutrition or related area
      • One reference from a supervisor of a work experience
   NOTE:  REFERENCE FORM MUST BE SENT INSEALED ENVELPES WITH THE SIGNATURE OF THE REFERENCE PERSON ACROSS THE FLAP.
5. DPD Verification Statement or Declaration of Intent. The Verification Statement signed in original by DPD representative confirming completion of academic requirements.  Declaration of Intent in original signed by DPD representative with the list of coursed to be completed.

Mark/Sense card with Dietetic Internship prioritized choices to the computer's matching company. Card must be sent by certified mail accompanied by money order for $50.00. Applicants not currently enrolled in a DPD program must request mark/sense card from the company. Any questions about computer matching process, applicant responsibilities, and deadlines can be obtained from the D&D Digital System web site www.dnddigital.com *

  • Submit complete application to the Dietetic Internship Director after January first and no later than January 31. 
  • All internship appointments are made in April following the American Dietetic Association and Veterans Affairs Standards.
  • Recruitments and selection practices are non-discriminatory with respect to race, color, creed, sex, age, handicap and national origin.
A selection committee reviews application packets, conducts interviews and participate in the selection process.