The MetroHealth Dietetic Internship Program is a 48-week post baccalaureate generalist program that has been accredited by The Accreditation Council for Dietetic Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), the accrediting agency of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, since 1981.

The program accepts (3) three Interns each year.

Our Dietetic Internship prides itself on offering an evidence-based curriculum to prepare interns for a variety of careers in dietetics.

Clinical rotations (22 weeks) are designed for the Intern to learn basic principles of nutrition assessment in a general medical population then advance to provide care for the critically ill in our Medical and Surgical Intensive Care Units. Interns will also spend 3 weeks in outpatient and inpatient Pediatrics. Additional experiences include 2 weeks at a Skilled Nursing Facility.

Community rotations (10-11 weeks) allow Interns to provide nutritional care for the ambulatory population in a variety of settings, including Medicine,  Diabetes, Family Practice, Pediatrics, and Obstetrics. Interns will spend 2 weeks at WIC and 2 weeks in clinical research.

Dietetic Interns may choose four weeks of their community rotations, which allows them to shape their experiences around their own interests and future goals  Optional rotations include NICU, the Burn Unit, and Eating Disorder s.

Food Service Management rotations (10-11 weeks) allow interns to learn the food service operation in detail, participate in supervisory roles, and complete administrative projects. Marketing techniques are focused on the planning and promotion of a cafeteria theme day designed by the Interns.

The Dietetic Interns at MetroHealth will have a hands-on approach in all rotations in which they participate. Since we are a teaching facility, the environment is ideal for Interns to learn and participate as equal members of the health care team. The Department of Food and Nutrition Services welcomes the opportunity to work with the Interns and take a vested interest in assuring they develop into competent practitioners.

We continue to evaluate our program and improve its curriculum based on input from previous graduating classes and current trends in the field of Dietetics.