Requirements to Become a Registered Dietitian
Steps to Becoming a Registered Dietitian or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist:
Garden to Table Nutrition (GTTN) is an ACEND accredited Dietetic Internship that provides the supervised practice hours (Step 2) in the Steps to Becoming a Registered Dietitian or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.
NOTE: as of Jan 1, 2024, all persons who want to become RDNs must have a Masters Degree before sitting for the exam. The master’s degree does not have to be in Nutrition. It can be done as part of a DPD program, or part of an Internship Program, or independently of either.
Garden To Table Nutrition Dietetic Internship
Application Criteria:
Admission Requirements for Garden To Table Nutrition Dietetic Internship:
Tuition:
$9,000 for all interns (NEW!)
A $500 deposit is due within one week of accepting the internship. Then, $4000 is due at the beginning of the internship via PayPal. For full-time students the balance is due four months after starting the internship. For part-time students the balance is due seven months after starting the internship.
Financial Aid:
This program does not qualify for federal financial aid. Some interns take out personal loans in order to fund their internship.
Some students may enroll in a Master’s Degree program while doing the internship part-time, which may allow them to qualify for federal financial aid.
Interns may request a deferral for previously acquired student loans, which will be likely be accepted by some, but not all, lenders. If interested in doing so, the intern would email the assistant director, and the assistant director would provide a letter to lenders.
Depending on the lender, interns may be able to defer repayment of student loans until they have completed their internship. Garden To Table Nutrition will provide a letter documenting the intern’s participation in our internship, but cannot guarantee that it will meet the conditions of the lending institution. Please check with your lender as early in the process as possible regarding this. Requests for a letter from Garden To Table Nutrition to your lender should be directed to the assistant director via e-mail. Since the program does not provide academic credit and interns are not eligible for federal student financial assistance programs, the program cannot provide 1098-T forms.
Scholarship:
There are many other scholarships you can consider applying for, including scholarships from the Academy see: http://eatrightfoundation.org/scholarships-funding/foundation-scholarships-faqs/
Stipend:
One or more $500 stipends may be available during the second half of an intern’s internship. See Handbook for more details.
Insurance Requirements:
Interns are required to have and maintain health insurance and car insurance (if driving to rotations) throughout the entire rotation and must provide proof at anytime requested.
In addition, interns must have Professional Liability Insurance throughout the entire internship and must provide proof at anytime requested.
Drug Testing & Criminal Background Checks & Immunizations:
It is the intern’s responsibility to determine if their practice sites require drug testing, background checks, or immunization records and to pay for them.
Compensation Rules for Interns:
Garden To Table Nutrition does not offer paid internships, but it does not prevent interns from accepting or continuing to do paid work. Garden To Table Nutrition also offers a part-time option specifically designed to make it possible for interns to also earn an income.
How to Apply for Credit for Prior Experience:
Garden To Table Nutrition Internship is designed to accommodate a variety of interns. Interns with a strong academic background, solid work experience in the nutrition field, and/or who had strong clinical experiences (at least 20 hours) during their DPD program may qualify for credit for prior learning.
The internship director will verify the provided information and use it to adjust an intern’s rotation/hours. For example, if the intern claims a year working at WIC where she met eight CRDNs, and two years as a Meal Site Manager for a Congregate meal program where she met eight CRDNs, their rotation schedule, learning activities, and length at each rotation would be adjusted accordingly. As they have already accomplished 15 out of 43 CRDNs at above entry-level competency, their total supervised practice hours would be reduced based upon the number of CRDNs met previously. In this case, the intern met 15 out of the 43 CRDNs, so they are eligible for the following reduction in Supervised Practice Hours 1000 x (15/43) = 349 hours. In order to decide which rotations to shorten, the internship director will look at which CRDNs have been accomplished and which environments the intern has been exposed to. In this example, the Community rotations and Food Service rotations could be shortened by a combined total of 420 hours, if this is agreeable to the preceptors.
If you think you have experience within the last five years that may qualify as part of one or more of your rotations, please contact the internship director to discuss. Qualifying experiences could shorten an internship by up to 50%, if approved by both the internship director and the Board of Advisors.
Caution – please remember that your internship is a fantastic place to learn and grow in experience. You might not want to shorten that time, even if you can. It is a great way to broaden and deepen your experience and gain professional contacts. Once you begin working as an RD, it is unlikely you will have access to the wide variety of experiences and quality of mentorship that a preceptor can give.
Completion Requirements:
Program Schedule/Calendar:
Spring match interns: Interns meet on-line for orientation in June/July. The interns official start date begins when they begin their first supervised practice rotation, usually in August. Interns who wish to start at a different time must get approval from GTTN staff. Full time interns, who start in August and complete 36-40 hours a week should finish by May. Part time interns who start in August should finish by October of the following year, depending on the number of hours completed each week for their different rotations. FT and PT interns with credit for prior learning are likely to finish earlier.
Fall match interns: Interns meet on-line for orientation in January. The interns official start date begins when they begin their supervised practice, usually in January. Interns who wish to start at a different time must get approval from GTTN staff. Full time interns, who start in January and complete 36-40 hours a week should finish by October. Part time interns who start in January should finish by April of the following year, depending on the number of hours completed each week for their different rotations. FT and PT interns with credit for prior learning are likely to finish earlier.
Interns can do their supervised practice rotations in the order of their choosing, but it is highly recommended they do their elective rotation near the end of the internship or in the spring/summer.
Holidays or breaks are not incorporated into the program calendar/schedule.
Rotation Hours
Clinical 300
Community 250
Food Service Management 230
Elective 200-220
Internship Director Supervised ALT learning Activities 20 hours
Total: 1000 hours
This distance internship program includes flexibility for interns to design their own schedule. We will have online class on the last Friday of the month from 9:30 - 11:30 AM (Pacific Time Zone). Keep this in mind when creating a schedule with preceptors, as these hours do not count as supervised practice The full-time track is expected to complete a minimum of 1000 supervised practice within 9 months of the On-Site, and the part-time track within 14 months. In addition to time spent at their rotation site, the intern is expected to spend 4 -10 hours a week on internship assignments outside of their supervised practice. You may want to plan to do 1/2 days on Fridays or not schedule supervised practice on Fridays so you have enough time for these activities.
It is suggested that interns in the full-time track schedule 32-36 hours a week onsite with their preceptors. Additionally, it is advised that interns schedule a few days’ break between each rotation to allow time to make-up any scheduled hours missed and to prepare for the next rotation. If an intern is spending 40 hours a week at their rotation site, they will complete 300 hours in 7.5 weeks. If an intern is spending 36 hours at their site, they will complete 300 hours in 8.3 weeks. They should schedule rotations no more than 9 weeks apart, but may schedule them as close together if they would like to finish early or take a longer break at some part of their rotation. Furthermore, the intern should speak with their preceptors about scheduled national/local holidays and vacations in advance of beginning their rotation to allow time to plan for these missed days of supervised practice, when needed. Interns should not schedule a vacation in the middle of any of their rotations, without preceptors approval. It is up to the intern’s discretion if they schedule a vacation between rotations and for how long, keeping in mind the completion schedule deadline.
Part time interns should complete this program within 61 week. Some interns may choose to schedule 20 hour weeks, and finish a 300 rotation in 15 weeks, take a week off and start their next rotation. Other interns may find working 30 hours a week for 10 weeks and then taking 3 weeks off works better for them or their preceptors. You should plan to have two or more weekdays available to do your internship, it is unlikely that you could do all of your hours on the weekends.
In the event of an unavoidable absence or other delay, the intern should communicate directly to their preceptor in the manner the preceptor prefers (phone/email/text) as soon as possible. The intern must also email their internship director.
Leave of Absences may be granted due to:
Affiliation Agreements:
Affiliation agreements between the practice sites and Garden To Table Nutrition will be used to outline responsibilities and liabilities. Garden To Table Nutrition will make an effort to obtain a signed affiliation agreements. These agreements will be completed after the interns have been granted an internship but before the Intern can start the supervised practice/internship. Occasionally, some facilities prefer to use their own version of an agreement, in which case both parties will work together to reach an agreement. (Note: Some facilities will not make affiliation agreements with new internships. If this is the case, you will need to find a different preceptor for that rotation.)
In special circumstances, an affiliation agreement may not be needed, such as if Garden To Table Nutrition and the practice site both agree that an agreement is not needed. For instance, during the On-Site, interns will be completing short rotations in agricultural, food service, and community nutrition events at various locations, which are arranged by the internship director. Similarly, if the intern is spending a short time a location in order to broaden their understanding, in a “shadowing” or “observing” role, both parties may agree to dispense with an affiliation agreement. In sum, if both parties agree that an affiliation agreement is not needed, then a formal affiliation agreement may be dispensed with.
Agreements must be made before an intern begins their rotation, unless all parties agreed that it is not needed (as described above). However, when a needed affiliation agreements cannot be successfully negotiated, the intern will have to find a new practice site.
NOTE - there are occasions that an agreement between a practice site and Garden To Table Nutrition cannot be reached, in this case, the intern must find a new venue for their rotation.
Contacting ACEND:
Students or preceptors can also contact ACEND if resolution cannot be found with Garden To Table Nutrition Internship. Please note that ACEND confines itself only to issues that are relevant for program accreditation. ACEND can be contacted at ACEND@eatright.org
Steps to Becoming a Registered Dietitian or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist:
- Step 1: Complete a minimum of a bachelor’s degree at a U.S. regionally accredited university or college or foreign equivalent, and coursework through an Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) or Coordinated Program in Dietetics (CP).
- Step 2: Complete *1000 hours of supervised practice through an ACEND accredited Dietetic Internship, Coordinated Program in Dietetics or an Individualized Supervised Practice Pathway (ISPP) offered through an ACEND accredited program.
- Step 3: Pass a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).
- Some states require RDNs to be licensed/certified to practice in the state. Depending on state of residence and/or practice, application for state licensure/certification may be required. Washington, where Garden to Table Nutrition resides, requires certification.
Garden to Table Nutrition (GTTN) is an ACEND accredited Dietetic Internship that provides the supervised practice hours (Step 2) in the Steps to Becoming a Registered Dietitian or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.
NOTE: as of Jan 1, 2024, all persons who want to become RDNs must have a Masters Degree before sitting for the exam. The master’s degree does not have to be in Nutrition. It can be done as part of a DPD program, or part of an Internship Program, or independently of either.
Garden To Table Nutrition Dietetic Internship
Application Criteria:
Admission Requirements for Garden To Table Nutrition Dietetic Internship:
- Minimum of a Baccalaureate Degree
- DPD Verification Statement of completion of the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) from an ACEND accredited DPD institution sent directly from the DPD director. Prior to starting the program, the official DPD Verification Statement signed in an ink color other than black must be received. An original paper copy of the verification statement or color electronic copy is acceptable.
- Official transcript stating the degree and date conferred sent directly from the registrar’s office and received by the first date of the program. A transcript submitted through DICAS may be used, if it is an official transcript and includes the date the degree was awarded. Transcripts can be sent electronically to office@gardentotablenutrition.com (preferred). If you are a recent graduate, and cannot quickly get a transcript, we can accept a letter on university letterhead from the registrar or dean confirming the individual has met all financial obligations and academic degree requirements and stating the date the degree was or will be conferred is acceptable, as long as the degree conferral date precedes the date of the start of the internship. An official transcript is still required to finish the internship with GTTN.
- Overall and DPD GPA of 2.75 or above.
- A Medical Nutrition Therapy course completed no more than four years prior to application (or the equivalent).
- Willingness to obtain certifications, clearances as required for your practice sites (may include ServSafe/Food Handler’s Permit, CPR, drug screening, background check, immunizations).
- Identification of at least one willing preceptor.
- Identified preceptors for clinical, FSM, and community rotations.
- Experience working with local food production (community gardens, personal gardens, agriculture)
- Volunteer or paid experience in food service, community nutrition, or clinical nutrition.
Tuition:
$9,000 for all interns (NEW!)
A $500 deposit is due within one week of accepting the internship. Then, $4000 is due at the beginning of the internship via PayPal. For full-time students the balance is due four months after starting the internship. For part-time students the balance is due seven months after starting the internship.
Financial Aid:
This program does not qualify for federal financial aid. Some interns take out personal loans in order to fund their internship.
Some students may enroll in a Master’s Degree program while doing the internship part-time, which may allow them to qualify for federal financial aid.
Interns may request a deferral for previously acquired student loans, which will be likely be accepted by some, but not all, lenders. If interested in doing so, the intern would email the assistant director, and the assistant director would provide a letter to lenders.
Depending on the lender, interns may be able to defer repayment of student loans until they have completed their internship. Garden To Table Nutrition will provide a letter documenting the intern’s participation in our internship, but cannot guarantee that it will meet the conditions of the lending institution. Please check with your lender as early in the process as possible regarding this. Requests for a letter from Garden To Table Nutrition to your lender should be directed to the assistant director via e-mail. Since the program does not provide academic credit and interns are not eligible for federal student financial assistance programs, the program cannot provide 1098-T forms.
Scholarship:
There are many other scholarships you can consider applying for, including scholarships from the Academy see: http://eatrightfoundation.org/scholarships-funding/foundation-scholarships-faqs/
Stipend:
One or more $500 stipends may be available during the second half of an intern’s internship. See Handbook for more details.
Insurance Requirements:
Interns are required to have and maintain health insurance and car insurance (if driving to rotations) throughout the entire rotation and must provide proof at anytime requested.
In addition, interns must have Professional Liability Insurance throughout the entire internship and must provide proof at anytime requested.
Drug Testing & Criminal Background Checks & Immunizations:
It is the intern’s responsibility to determine if their practice sites require drug testing, background checks, or immunization records and to pay for them.
Compensation Rules for Interns:
Garden To Table Nutrition does not offer paid internships, but it does not prevent interns from accepting or continuing to do paid work. Garden To Table Nutrition also offers a part-time option specifically designed to make it possible for interns to also earn an income.
How to Apply for Credit for Prior Experience:
Garden To Table Nutrition Internship is designed to accommodate a variety of interns. Interns with a strong academic background, solid work experience in the nutrition field, and/or who had strong clinical experiences (at least 20 hours) during their DPD program may qualify for credit for prior learning.
The internship director will verify the provided information and use it to adjust an intern’s rotation/hours. For example, if the intern claims a year working at WIC where she met eight CRDNs, and two years as a Meal Site Manager for a Congregate meal program where she met eight CRDNs, their rotation schedule, learning activities, and length at each rotation would be adjusted accordingly. As they have already accomplished 15 out of 43 CRDNs at above entry-level competency, their total supervised practice hours would be reduced based upon the number of CRDNs met previously. In this case, the intern met 15 out of the 43 CRDNs, so they are eligible for the following reduction in Supervised Practice Hours 1000 x (15/43) = 349 hours. In order to decide which rotations to shorten, the internship director will look at which CRDNs have been accomplished and which environments the intern has been exposed to. In this example, the Community rotations and Food Service rotations could be shortened by a combined total of 420 hours, if this is agreeable to the preceptors.
If you think you have experience within the last five years that may qualify as part of one or more of your rotations, please contact the internship director to discuss. Qualifying experiences could shorten an internship by up to 50%, if approved by both the internship director and the Board of Advisors.
Caution – please remember that your internship is a fantastic place to learn and grow in experience. You might not want to shorten that time, even if you can. It is a great way to broaden and deepen your experience and gain professional contacts. Once you begin working as an RD, it is unlikely you will have access to the wide variety of experiences and quality of mentorship that a preceptor can give.
Completion Requirements:
- All assignments completed at level of meets or exceeds expectations.
- Completion of a minimum of 1000 hours (supervised practice and Alternative Learning Activities), in combination with prior learning experiences, if applicable.
- All evaluations completed and turned in.
- All work done on Visual Veggies “meets expectations” or “exceeds expectations” and indicates that the intern is ready to sit for the RDN exam. “Meets expectations” means at least 75% on a full-random Visual Veggies test with no notes, etc.
- Completes at least 80 hours of farm/garden experience.
- All fees are paid.
- Maintains professional and ethical standards outlined in CDR’s Code of Ethics, understands, agrees, and signs the RDE Misuse form (provided by CDR).
- Interns accepted into the full time track should complete program within nine months (39 weeks), but MUST complete the program within 13.5 months (50 weeks). Interns accepted into the part-time students should complete program within 14 months (61 weeks) but MUST completed within 21 months (91.5 weeks).
Program Schedule/Calendar:
Spring match interns: Interns meet on-line for orientation in June/July. The interns official start date begins when they begin their first supervised practice rotation, usually in August. Interns who wish to start at a different time must get approval from GTTN staff. Full time interns, who start in August and complete 36-40 hours a week should finish by May. Part time interns who start in August should finish by October of the following year, depending on the number of hours completed each week for their different rotations. FT and PT interns with credit for prior learning are likely to finish earlier.
Fall match interns: Interns meet on-line for orientation in January. The interns official start date begins when they begin their supervised practice, usually in January. Interns who wish to start at a different time must get approval from GTTN staff. Full time interns, who start in January and complete 36-40 hours a week should finish by October. Part time interns who start in January should finish by April of the following year, depending on the number of hours completed each week for their different rotations. FT and PT interns with credit for prior learning are likely to finish earlier.
Interns can do their supervised practice rotations in the order of their choosing, but it is highly recommended they do their elective rotation near the end of the internship or in the spring/summer.
Holidays or breaks are not incorporated into the program calendar/schedule.
Rotation Hours
Clinical 300
Community 250
Food Service Management 230
Elective 200-220
Internship Director Supervised ALT learning Activities 20 hours
Total: 1000 hours
This distance internship program includes flexibility for interns to design their own schedule. We will have online class on the last Friday of the month from 9:30 - 11:30 AM (Pacific Time Zone). Keep this in mind when creating a schedule with preceptors, as these hours do not count as supervised practice The full-time track is expected to complete a minimum of 1000 supervised practice within 9 months of the On-Site, and the part-time track within 14 months. In addition to time spent at their rotation site, the intern is expected to spend 4 -10 hours a week on internship assignments outside of their supervised practice. You may want to plan to do 1/2 days on Fridays or not schedule supervised practice on Fridays so you have enough time for these activities.
It is suggested that interns in the full-time track schedule 32-36 hours a week onsite with their preceptors. Additionally, it is advised that interns schedule a few days’ break between each rotation to allow time to make-up any scheduled hours missed and to prepare for the next rotation. If an intern is spending 40 hours a week at their rotation site, they will complete 300 hours in 7.5 weeks. If an intern is spending 36 hours at their site, they will complete 300 hours in 8.3 weeks. They should schedule rotations no more than 9 weeks apart, but may schedule them as close together if they would like to finish early or take a longer break at some part of their rotation. Furthermore, the intern should speak with their preceptors about scheduled national/local holidays and vacations in advance of beginning their rotation to allow time to plan for these missed days of supervised practice, when needed. Interns should not schedule a vacation in the middle of any of their rotations, without preceptors approval. It is up to the intern’s discretion if they schedule a vacation between rotations and for how long, keeping in mind the completion schedule deadline.
Part time interns should complete this program within 61 week. Some interns may choose to schedule 20 hour weeks, and finish a 300 rotation in 15 weeks, take a week off and start their next rotation. Other interns may find working 30 hours a week for 10 weeks and then taking 3 weeks off works better for them or their preceptors. You should plan to have two or more weekdays available to do your internship, it is unlikely that you could do all of your hours on the weekends.
In the event of an unavoidable absence or other delay, the intern should communicate directly to their preceptor in the manner the preceptor prefers (phone/email/text) as soon as possible. The intern must also email their internship director.
Leave of Absences may be granted due to:
- Maternity/Paternity Leave
- Personal or Family Illness
- Other situations approved by the internship director or the Board of Advisers.
Affiliation Agreements:
Affiliation agreements between the practice sites and Garden To Table Nutrition will be used to outline responsibilities and liabilities. Garden To Table Nutrition will make an effort to obtain a signed affiliation agreements. These agreements will be completed after the interns have been granted an internship but before the Intern can start the supervised practice/internship. Occasionally, some facilities prefer to use their own version of an agreement, in which case both parties will work together to reach an agreement. (Note: Some facilities will not make affiliation agreements with new internships. If this is the case, you will need to find a different preceptor for that rotation.)
In special circumstances, an affiliation agreement may not be needed, such as if Garden To Table Nutrition and the practice site both agree that an agreement is not needed. For instance, during the On-Site, interns will be completing short rotations in agricultural, food service, and community nutrition events at various locations, which are arranged by the internship director. Similarly, if the intern is spending a short time a location in order to broaden their understanding, in a “shadowing” or “observing” role, both parties may agree to dispense with an affiliation agreement. In sum, if both parties agree that an affiliation agreement is not needed, then a formal affiliation agreement may be dispensed with.
Agreements must be made before an intern begins their rotation, unless all parties agreed that it is not needed (as described above). However, when a needed affiliation agreements cannot be successfully negotiated, the intern will have to find a new practice site.
NOTE - there are occasions that an agreement between a practice site and Garden To Table Nutrition cannot be reached, in this case, the intern must find a new venue for their rotation.
Contacting ACEND:
Students or preceptors can also contact ACEND if resolution cannot be found with Garden To Table Nutrition Internship. Please note that ACEND confines itself only to issues that are relevant for program accreditation. ACEND can be contacted at ACEND@eatright.org
