It was a perfect match for all 13 students graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in May 2020 who applied for a dietetic internship, a 1,200-hour supervised internship that is a necessary prerequisite for becoming a Registered Dietitian.
This year’s 100% placement rate for these competitive nationwide dietetic internships is well above the national rate which hovers near 60%. Eleven of the students are dietetics undergraduates, while two are graduate students in the M.S. in Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems program.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics facilitates matching for dietetic internships (DIs) through a computerized process. An applicant is “matched” with the highest ranked program that offers the applicant a position. In this way, computer matching helps applicants to obtain a position in the DI of their choice and helps DI programs obtain the applicants of their choice. It eliminates premature decisions by programs about applicants and acceptance at multiple programs by applicants. Computer matching occurs using the applicant’s prioritized list and the programs’ prioritized lists until all possible matches are complete.
To apply to a dietetic internship, individuals must complete at least a bachelor’s degree and Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)-accredited coursework requirements. Currently, all DIs must provide at least 1,200 hours of supervised practice. This is usually completed in 8-24 months depending on the availability of a part-time schedule or requirement of graduate credit. Individuals completing the program who are verified by the program director are eligible to write the CDR registration examination for dietitians.
Alexis Anderson ’20
MS/DI program (combined master’s program)
Montana State University
Bozeman, Mont.
Ariel Baxter ’19, M.S. ’20
Tulane University School of Public Heath
New Orleans, La.
Hannah Bjerke ’20
Lamar University
Beaumont, Texas
Focus: Nutrition Counseling and Education
Hannah Boonzaayer ’20
Mount Mary University
Milwaukee, Wis.
Katie Burns ’20
UW-Green Bay
Green Bay, Wis.
Focus: Leadership
Kelsey Fiedler ’19, M.S. ’20
Montana Dietetic Internship
Bozeman, Mont.
Focus: Sustainable Food Systems
Samantha Foote ’20
Viterbo University
La Crosse, Wis.
Dana Gertschen ’20
Dietetic Internship:
California Polytechnic State University
San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Focus: Wellness Promotion
Anna Nushart ’20
UW-Green Bay
Green Bay, Wis.
Focus: Leadership
Michelle Petkovsek ’20
Saint Louis University
Dietetic Internship/Master’s Program
St. Louis, Mo.
Concentration: Nutrition and Physical Performance
Eva Priewe ’20
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
Cleveland, Ohio
Focus: Clinical emphasis with a strong research focus
Emily Simons ’20
Mount Mary University
Milwaukee, Wis.
Kelly Sommer ’20
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, Minn.
Focus: Medical Nutrition Therapy
