Apply to the Dietetic Internship

Applicants for the dietetic internship at Mount Auburn Hospital must hold a degree in dietetics, food management or a related field and a master's degree; the degree must include ACEND-accredited coursework requirements. ACEND is the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics.

We select interns based on a variety of criteria and submission materials, including those listed below.

• Your scholastic standing. We consider your overall GPA, Science Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) GPA, and Professional DPD GPA. We recommend GPAs above 3.2.
• Your work, extracurricular activities and continuing education. Previous experience in the nutrition field such as volunteering or employment is preferred. Other activities that make an impression are involvement in sports and extracurriculars, work experiences, continuing education and scholastic recognition (honors, awards, certificates, etc.)
• Your personal statement. The statement should communicate your professional goals and how the Mount Auburn Hospital Dietician Internship will help you achieve them.
• Your personal letter. This letter must be well written and personalized.
• Your letters of recommendation. At least one letter must be from a faculty member and another from an employer. The third letter can be from an employer or faculty. Be sure to request letters from people who know you best and can speak to your academic and/or work ability potential, personality and character.

You will submit some application materials to Mount Auburn Hospital and some through DICAS, the centralized application service for dietetics and a service of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Getting Started 

• The first steps in the application process are to:
• Set up an account with DICAS. Please note: The DICAS application fee is $50 for the first application and $25 for each additional application.
• Register with D & D Digital Online, the centralized internship matching service for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Please note: D & D Digital Online’s matching fee is $65.

What to Submit Through DICAS  

You will submit the following to DICAS electronically:

• General application information
• Your personal statement
• Your personal letter
• Three letters of recommendation

While on the DICAS site, please request that DICAS send your current faculty advisor a form to verify that you have completed or intend to complete the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Didactic Program in Dietetics.

You’ll also need to request that DICAS send transcript requests to the colleges and universities you attended. The mailing address for DICAS is:

DICAS - Transcript Department
PO Box 9118
Watertown, MA 02472

What to Submit to Mount Auburn Hospital Directly 

Applicants must submit their supplemental application directly to Mount Auburn. Please note: You will need to print the application, complete it and send it to the hospital with your $60 application fee.

If you anticipate needing schedule adjustments or accommodations during your internship, provide information about your request when you send the supplemental application.

• By February 15, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. CST you must submit:
  • All DICAS application materials (electronically)
  • The supplemental application (by mail to the hospital)
  • Your dietetic internship preferences to D & D (electronically)
• March 20, 2023: The dietetic internship program will schedule interviews for select applicants by this date.
• April 2, 2023 by 6 p.m. CST: D & D Digital will post personal internship match results online.
• April 3, 2023 by 6 p.m. EST: Applicants who match to our program must contact Emily Lotterhand, dietetic internship director, by email or phone (617-499-5821) to accept or reject the match.

Before starting the program, interns must pass a physical examination at Mount Auburn Hospital and a background check. Dietetics interns are employees of Mount Auburn Hospital. Therefore, they must be vaccinated against influenza (flu) and COVID-19.

Are you interested in completing a Master in Nutrition (clinical concentration) at Boston University followed by the dietetic internship at Mount Auburn Hospital? If so, the BU MS + Mount Auburn Hospital DI Partnership Program could be a good fit for you. This 23-month program enrolls up to two students per year. Students complete a Master of Science in Nutrition at Boston University in 2023-24 and the dietetic internship at Mount Auburn Hospital in 2024-2025.

The ";pre-select application process" deadline for students wishing to begin the program in September 2024 is December 1, 2023.

Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). To be approved for registration examination eligibility with a bachelor’s degree, an individual must meet all eligibility requirements and be submitted into CDR's Registration Eligibility Processing System (REPS) before 12 a.m. (midnight) Central Time, December 31, 2023. For more information about this requirement, visit the CDR website.

In addition, CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in program(s) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Graduates who successfully complete the dietetic internship at Mount Auburn Hospital are eligible to apply to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN. State licensure and state certification are entirely separate and distinct from the credentialing process by the Commission of Dietetic Registration.

If you have questions about the program or application process, email program director Emily Lotterhand or call 617-499-5821.