Dietetic Internship Program
The Johns Hopkins Dietetic Internship is a 41-week full-time program with a medical nutrition therapy emphasis. Experiences meet competencies and provide training for entry-level dietetic practice, and have been designed for the educational and supervised experience required to sit for the Commission on Dietetics Registration Exam for Dietitians. The full-time program accepts a maximum of ten interns annually.
Johns Hopkins Bayview is a full service, 426-bed community teaching hospital and continuing care facility located on a 1,000-acre campus in Baltimore, Maryland. Specialty centers of the medical campus include a wound care center, neonatal intensive care unit, burn unit, a continuing care facility, a Joint Commission Center of Excellence for bariatric surgery and oncology, alcohol and drug treatment center, and cardiac rehabilitation program.
JHBMC is part of the Johns Hopkins Health System. Rotations will also take place at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, and will periodically be scheduled at other Johns Hopkins Affiliates in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., region.
The Dietetic Internship Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), the accrediting agency for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995, 1-800-877-1600, ext. 5400. Learn more about the requirements and process to become a registered dietitian. Requirements for dietetics practice licensure vary by state. The dietetic internship curriculum meets state requirements for licensure/certification. State licensure is entirely separate and distinct from registration or certification by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).
Program Tracks
The Johns Hopkins Dietetic Internship offers two tracks:
Track One: The Johns Hopkins Dietetic Internship (JHDI)
- The JHDI applicants must have completed a Didactic Program in Dietetics (including verification statement) and a graduate degree (including official final transcript with conferral date) by the start date of the internship program.
- The JHDI also offers an Early Action option for students enrolled in the Bachelors of Science/Master of Professional Studies in Nutritional Sciences (BS/MPS) accelerated master’s program (IUG) at The Pennsylvania State University (PSU). B.S./MPS Accelerated (IUG) Program RDN Pathway Options | Penn State College of Health and Human Development (psu.edu)
The JHDI is a full-time, 41-week program, with a clinical emphasis, that will start in August and conclude in May of the following year.
Track Two: The Johns Hopkins Dietetic Internship with concurrent MS in Clinical Nutrition: For Aspiring Dietitians at Rutgers University School of Health Professions (Rutgers SHP)
For Aspiring Dietitians at Rutgers University School of Health Professions (Rutgers SHP). Applicants for this option must complete a Didactic Program in Dietetics (including verification statement) and bachelor’s degree (including official final conferral date) by the start of the JHDI/MS Rutgers program. For more information, please visit the Department of Clinical and Preventive Nutrition Sciences website. Applicants accepted into this track will complete the Rutgers curriculum with the exception of the Clerkships/Supervised Experiential Learning (SEL). The supervised practice experience will be completed via the Johns Hopkins Dietetic Internship.
Students will begin their graduate coursework through Rutgers starting in the fall semester, and begin the Johns Hopkins Dietetic Internship in March. The Rutgers MS program is online with one day of virtual live, synchronous classes per week and up to three three-day in-person workshops on the Rutgers SHP Newark campus in March, June and December. This track is an excellent option for students interested in clinical nutrition to complete a master’s degree as required by CDR in a clinical degree program at a highly regarded university with a proven track record of educating strong nutrition professionals, along with supervised practice training at a world-renowned academic medical center in 16 months.
Dietetic Education Programs
Learn more about the Dietetic Internship and MSPH-Dietitian Graduate Program at Johns Hopkins.
Online Q&A Events
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Johns Hopkins Dietetic Internship Q&A #1
November 8, 2024, 12 to 1 p.m. Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Please register in advance for this session. -
Johns Hopkins Dietetic Internship Q&A #2
December 4, 2024, 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Please register in advance for this session. -
Johns Hopkins Dietetic Internship Q&A #3
January 10, 2025, 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Please register in advance for this session.
More Information
Program Mission, Goals and Outcomes
The Johns Hopkins Dietetic Internship’s mission is:
- To provide dietetic registration opportunities for qualified graduates of didactic programs in dietetics in preparation to become skilled entry-level registered dietitian nutritionists.
- To provide the highest quality training in the field of nutrition and dietetics through a strong, interdisciplinary training team.
- To promote the development of dietetic professionals who are able to embrace proven theory, evaluate current research, and communicate effectively to other health professionals, peers and the lay population.
The program staff and preceptors are committed to preparing graduates to become outstanding dietetics professionals. The following goals and outcome measures for the program have been established:
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Graduates will provide nutrition therapy in clinical settings following rigorous, multidisciplinary training in clinical nutrition.
Outcome measures:
- At least 80% of program interns complete program/degree requirements within 15 months/ (150% of the program length).*
- Of graduates who seek employment, 80% are employed in nutrition and dietetics or related fields within 12 months of graduation.*
- At least 90% of program graduates take the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists within 12 months of program completion.*
- The program’s one-year pass rate (graduates who pass the registration exam within one year of first attempt) on the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists is at least 80%.*
- At least 80% of graduates’ employer responses will indicate “agree” or "strongly agree" on the graduate survey when asked if the graduate was prepared for an entry-level dietetics position.*
- At least 80% of program graduates will achieve a first-time passing score on the RD exam.
- At least 50% of program graduates will practice in clinical dietetics within 12 months of program completion.
- At least 80% of graduate survey responses will indicate “agree” or "strongly agree" on the graduate survey when asked if they felt they were prepared for an entry-level dietetics position.
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Graduates will communicate effectively with other health professionals, peers and/or the lay population as registered dietitian nutritionists.
Outcome measures:
- At least 75% of graduates’ employer responses will indicate "agree" or strongly agree" on the graduate survey when asked if they felt the graduate communicates effectively with other health professionals, peers and/or the lay population.
*Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) required objectives
Program Completion Rate and Pass Rate on the RD Exam
The dietetic internship program has maintained a 99-percent completion rate since its inception in 2001. Over the past 5 years, 100 percent of graduates have taken and passed the RD exam; 100 percent of graduates achieved first-time passing score on the RD exam.
Outcome Data
Outcome data is available upon request.
Requirements
In order to begin the dietetic internship, all interns are required to undergo a criminal background check, drug screening, have TB clearance or provide a current lung x-ray, provide proof of immunizations, receive a flu vaccine and have a physical exam at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center Occupational Health Department. A flu vaccine will be required in the fall of the internship. These are provided free. The student will follow the Johns Hopkins Medicine policies and procedures relating to COVID-19, including, but not limited to, vaccines and use of personal protection equipment. Clearance will be determined by the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center Human Resources and Occupational Health Departments.
In addition, health insurance, car insurance (if using a car during the internship) and an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) student membership are required.
Expenses
Tuition for the internship is $10,000, payable in two installments during the year. A $5,000 deposit of the program fee shall be paid by June 1, preceding the start of the internship. The remaining $5,000 shall be due no later than July 15. All fees are non-refundable and subject to change.
The program does not participate in Title IV Federal Financial Aid.
Additional expenses are estimated as follows:
| Expense | Estimated Cost |
| Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics student membership | $58 |
| Nutrition Focused Physical Exam Pocket Guide | $25 with AND membership discount |
| Safety shoes | $50 |
Interns are required to have internet access for email communication, homework and projects, access to shared documents, meetings, and other daily supervised-practice activities. It is recommended that trainees have their own personal computer. However, adequate office space and computers are provided on campus and are available at all times for any distance component of the program.
Frequently Asked Questions
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We evaluate our applicants in a variety of areas including, but not limited to, GPA (overall and DPD), work experience, volunteer experience, leadership roles, recommendations and personal statement. No one area is significantly more important than another. We view each candidate individually, while using a method to maintain fairness. We look for commitment to education, eagerness to learn, leadership, respect, flexibility and ability to interact with a diverse group to name a few areas that are of particular focus.
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We accept a maximum of eight interns. Typically we have six to eight interns each year, which, balanced with our MSPH-Dietitian Graduate Program, allows us to maintain our one-on-one preceptor to intern ratio for most rotations.
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We do not share our class's average GPA. The minimum GPA with which one may apply is a 3.0.
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Start times vary depending on preceptors and their responsibilities. Many rotations will follow standard business hours, but some will require early mornings or later end times.
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Days will vary greatly and our interns and staff are very flexible. Rotation days likely will include any combination of the experiences below:
- Assisting site RD or manager in duties
- Clinical experience
- Community education
- Completing assessments, follow-ups and educations
- Food service
- Food service PI, equipment evaluation or management rounds
- Meal rounds
- Meeting manager for opening shift
- Meeting preceptors and orienting to site
- Patient rounds
- Performing management duties to prepare for and supervise lunch
- Preparing for day by updating patient list
- Providing in-services to employees
- Shadowing/working with employees in kitchen/retail/patient units
- Shadowing/working with RDs in areas of focus
- Teaching a class or going on home visits
- Wrapping up and planning for next day
- Writing notes and reviewing with preceptor
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We do not provide housing. We recommend you chose an area that is comfortable for you. Some interns live in the city of Baltimore and some live in the suburbs. Often interns will live with each other. There are a wide variety of housing options available in the area. When selecting housing, keep in mind your proximity to Johns Hopkins Bayview, The Johns Hopkins Hospital and the occasional rotation(s) in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., region.
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While most of the rotations are at Johns Hopkins Bayview and The Johns Hopkins Hospital, you will need a car or access to transportation for a few rotations and classes in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., regions.
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In addition to the Dietetic Internship Program application, please submit a personal statement including all of the elements listed below. The personal statement should be limited to three pages. The statement will be evaluated on the basis of clarity of expression and thought, as well as inclusion of all requested elements. Upload your personal statement in DICAS.
- How did you become interested in nutrition and dietetics?
- Why are you interested in applying to the Johns Hopkins Dietetic Internship?
- What are your short and long term goals as a Registered Dietitian, and how will this internship prepare you to meet them?
- Identify strengths you will bring to the internship, and areas for professional development.
- Include any significant accomplishments and/or events that have affected your growth and preparation for our internship program that are not identified in any other part of your application.
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We strongly discourage a job during this internship. This is a challenging program with very full days in rotations. The hours will vary depending on the rotation and/or preceptor. Many rotations will have pre-work and homework requiring additional time in the evenings and on weekends.
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At this time, we do not offer facility tours.
If you have questions about our internship program, please contact Andi Miles, dietetic internship director.
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Meals are not provided. However, there are food and beverage options available throughout the Johns Hopkins Health System. We also have refrigerators, microwaves, and hot/cold water dispensers for your use.