Dietetic Internship Program

Welcome to the University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHealth) Dietetic Internship Program. The concentration for our program is public health nutrition. Dietetic Interns earn a Master’s Degree in Public Health and learn to use this lens to treat individuals in acute-care, outpatient and other settings. Students learn a seed-to-plate philosophy and holistic approach to care through a mix of didactic work, supervised practice, and a specialty practice rotation in an area relevant to each intern.

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Dietetic Internship Highlights

• Students receive 1000 supervised practice hours in four major areas of dietetics: Community Nutrition, Hospital and School Foodservice Management and Medical Nutrition Therapy, and specialty practice in public health nutrition while earning their Master of Public Health.
• For the past five years, the UTHealth Houston Dietetic Internship has had a 95% pass rate on the credentialing examination for Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.
• UTHealth Houston Dietetic Internship has affiliations with over 50 internship sites. Our students attain their experiences at institutions within the greater Houston area including the prestigious Texas Medical center. Most interns successfully complete both their dietetic internship and earn their Master's Degree in Public Health within 22 months.
• UTHealth Houston offers 3 unique resources in its seed-to-plate nutrition program: a Holistic Garden, a Teaching Kitchen, and a Simulation Lab with a 3-G Simulator for MNT.
• UTHealth Houston has received the "Noteworthy Practice Award" from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
• Program outcomes data are available upon request.

Upon successful completion of the dietetic internship, the graduate is eligible to take the dietitians registration examination through the Commission on Dietetic Registration Exam and is qualified to apply for dietetic licensure through the Texas Department of State Health Services. Visit the Academy website for licensure information for all other states.

Prospective student, please note “You will be required to have a master’s degree in order to take the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist after January 1, 2024.

If you have additional questions about the program or would like to visit the campus, please email us at [email protected].

Accreditation Status

The The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston's School of Public Health Dietetic Internship has been awarded Accreditation by The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Accreditation has been confirmed through ACEND through June 30, 2030.

Accreditation and the Credentialing Process

Students completing the academic requirements from a Didactic Program (DPD) are eligible to apply to the UTHealth Dietetic Internship.

Upon successful completion of the Dietetic Internship and Masters Program, students are eligible to take the Dietitians Registration Examination through the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. The exam requirements are set by CDR. The new RDN is qualified to apply for the dietetic licensure through the Texas Department of State Health Services.

The UTHealth Dietetic Internship Program and supervised practice is currently granted accreditation status by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) and meets the exam requirements.

If the Dietetic Intern has any questions related to the internship, they should first address them with the Dietetic Internship Program Director, and Co-Director or Assistant Director of the Dietetic Internship. If they are unable to resolve their issues or concerns, the Dietetic Intern is encouraged to contact the UTHSC, Director of the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living. For unresolved issues, the Dietetic Intern may contact the Dean of the School of Public Health.

ACEND only addresses issues related to non-compliance with ACEND accreditation standards. ACEND has established a process for reviewing complaints against accredited programs in order to fulfill its public responsibility for assuring the quality and integrity of the educational programs that it accredits. Any individual, for example, student, faculty, dietetics practitioner and/or member of the public may submit a complaint against any accredited program to ACEND. However, the ACEND board does not intervene on behalf of individuals or act as a court of appeal for individuals in matters of admissions, appointment, promotion or dismissal of faculty or students. It acts only upon a signed allegation that the program may not be in compliance with the Accreditation Standards or policies. The complaint must be signed by the complainant. Anonymous complaints are not considered. ACEND has a Complaint Investigation Form which can be found online. For complaints related to the program’s noncompliance with ACEND accreditation standards, students may submit a written complaint to: The Accreditation Council on Education for Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) at The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190 Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995, phone:(312) 899-0040 ext. 5400 toll free: 1 + (800) 877-1600 ext. 5400, E-mail: [email protected]