National Institutes of Health Clinical Center Nutrition Department Dietetic Internship

National Institutes of Health
Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is one of the world's foremost biomedical research centers and the Federal focal point of health research. On its campus-like grounds, the NIH maintains hundreds of laboratories, a 350-bed hospital known as the Clinical Center, a large outpatient clinic and the National Library of Medicine. The 24 institutes and research divisions of the NIH conduct and support research on almost every disease and disability. Patients who consent to participate in research studies as well as the professional staff come from all over the United States and from abroad. At the NIH, the blending of professional commitment and dedication to patient care, while furthering biomedical research, provides a unique learning environment for NIH Dietetic Interns.

Located in Bethesda, Maryland, NIH is minutes away from Washington, D.C. The subway system called "Metro" allows easy access to the Nation's capital so that interns can take full advantage of the city's cultural, historical and recreational opportunitites.

The Nutrition Department

The Nutrition Department is a dynamic and progressive organization responsible for all meal and professional nutrition services for Clinical Center inpatients and outpatients. Some of the features of the department include a metabolic kitchen and extensive computerization in addition to an array of procedures and special diets to support research protocols. The department is staffed by registered dietitians, a majority of whom have advanced degrees or special certifications. Registered dietitians provide patient care, protocol development and support services to both inpatients and outpatients,and manage patient food production and service.

Check here for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the Dietetic Internship program.

Click here for the Year 2001 Application Procedures for the Dietetic Internship Program.

The Dietetic Internship Program

The NIH Dietetic Internship is committed to preparing interns for careers in dietetics. The program is designed to exceed the experiences necessary for an intern to enter the highly competetive, challenging job market. In addition, the program prides itself on preparing graduates for careers in clinical nutrition research.

During the 45-week program, interns apply theoretical knowledge to a variety of professional experiences. Interns will work in clinical, food service, outpatient, and specialized outplacement settings. They also have the opportunity to see first-hand clinical trials in action. Working with the research dietitians on staff, interns participate in designing clinical research diets, dietary data colletion and analysis, anthropometry, and protocol design. The staff conducts practice-based research, research designed to improve the field of dietetics, and each year the interns conduct a practice based research protocol as one of their projects.

Mission of the NIH Dietetic Internship The Mission of the NIH Dietetic Internship is to provide rich and varied opportunities for the application of theoretical knowledge to develop competent entry-level dietitians. Internship Goals: To provide the intern with a gradual assumption of professional responsibilities from basic patient care and food service to performance at entry level. To provide a curriculum that allows the student to practice research evaluation, methodologies and implementation. To provide a program that exposes the intern to the depth and breadth of current dietetic practice.

Expenses and Benefits

There is no enrollment or application fee for the program, nor is there a stipend or meal allowance. Interns are responsible for making their own housing arrangments. Rent in the Washington, D.C. area is comparable to that of other large metropolitan areas. Public transportation is available to affiliation sites, however, a car may be necessary for optional rotations as selected by each student. Lab coats and all instructional materials and supplies are provided by the Nutrition Department.

Financial assistance is available to interns through the American Dietetic Association Foundation's scholarship program. The Edith A. Jones Scholarship is granted only to interns accepted to the NIH Dietetic Internship. For further information on this scholarship and other scholarships and for applications, contact the ADA foundation.

Time of Duty, Holidays, and Vacation

Shifts and days on duty will vary with rotations and may include some weekends. Interns will be scheduled on duty four days per week. One day per week will be dedicated to classes, presentations, and field trips. Assignments are expected to require extra time. Two weeks of vacation will be arranged, one week in December and one week during the spring. Government holidays or alternate days off will be scheduled depending upon the rotation.

Graduate Courses

Graduate courses are available in the area, however they are not a component of the internship program.

Admission Requirements

Candidates for the Dietetic Internship Program must meet the following requirements:

• Successful completion or anticipated completion of an American Dietetic Association accredited Didactic Program in dietetics.
• Completed application packet.
• Official transcripts from all universities attended.

To receive an application packet, please contact Denise Ford, Program Director, Dietetic Internship, Nutrition Department, Clinical Center, NIH: e-mail address dford@cc.nih.gov.