For successful completion of the DI program and to receive a verification statement, the following requirements must be met:
- Interns must be enrolled full-time in the U of M DI program and complete all requirements prior to graduation. Extensions beyond one year from the ORIGINAL program start date may result in re-applying to the program and paying program fee again. Refer to the Leave of Absence Policy as necessary.
- Successful completion of all rotations. Successful completion of each rotation will be determined by the preceptor for that rotation and by Program Leadership. It will be based on attendance and the learning accomplished in that rotation. For rotations with multiple preceptors, a joint decision by all the preceptors will be made. Successful completion will also depend upon:
- Satisfactory and timely completion of assignments, projects, case studies, or any other assigned task(s).
- Completed rotation evaluation forms. Preceptors will determine if the intern has passed a rotation or not. If an intern is required to extend or repeat a rotation, it will be done at the convenience of the preceptor(s). Furthermore, due to challenging circumstances securing sites and preceptors, the original schedule may be modified, with alternative sites/experiences utilized. Successful completion is based on passing every rotation. Repetition of rotations may result in a delay in graduation from the program.
- All interns will prepare and present concentration-specific case studies during the course of the internship. A case study oral presentation will be evaluated by DI Leadership, any preceptors in attendance, and peers. The written report will be reviewed by preceptors and staff, and evaluated by the Internship Director.
- Successful completion of clinical staff relief, food service theme meal, and community project(s) as determined by preceptor(s) and Internship Director.
- All interns must complete a minimum of 1000 practice hours.
- Involvement at internship classes and additional experiences, and successful completion of any quizzes and exams given.
- Satisfactory participation in special duties, which may include National Nutrition Month, MAND meetings, legislative advocacy, public presentations, site activities, and other projects as determined by Internship Leadership.
- Assignments and projects must be at 80% possible points or higher, and evaluations from site preceptors must be at level “3” or better for satisfactory completion of the dietetic internship, with no more than five “2’s” given. In the event this is not achieved, the intern may be placed on probation, with the expectation to determine with the Internship Director how satisfactory completion can be achieved. Please refer to the Program Retention and Remediation Policy for additional details.
- Compliance with policies as outlined in the Policies and Procedures Manual.
- Professional and ethical behavior throughout the program.
- For U of M graduate students preselected as interns, the Completion of U of M Dietetic Internship Form may be requested based on individual circumstances at the discretion of DI program leadership.
- Full payment of program fees is required by Nov 30 of the semester the internship began. In rare circumstances, an intern may petition for an individual contract to extend beyond this date. In that case, the contract will be signed by DI Leadership and Intern, and will be on file with the DI.
Intern performance is evaluated at regular intervals throughout the program year. Refer to Assessment of Learning During Program Policy for details. Upon successful completion of all learning experiences, graduates receive verification statements, and the Internship Director initiates the registration eligibility process for candidates to schedule their Registration Examination for Dietitians. The DI program has the right to withhold verification statements if any the above requirements are not satisfactorily met.