Western Carolina University - Dietetic Internship (DI)

WCU is a University of North Carolina Campus

Pre-Select Process

The WCU Dietetic Internship (DI) participates in the pre-select option to computer matching. In the pre-select process, the program can select five, possibly six, students per year who have met the admission requirements for the DI. The program has the option to fill the remaining five, possibly six, positions through the computer match.

For those who plan to participate in the pre-select process, December 10 is the postmark deadline for applications. The applicant will be notified on or before February 1, 2008 confirming her/his acceptance or rejection into the program through the pre-select process.

If pre-selected, the applicant will be required to complete a form including social security number and original signature. The program director must submit this form by February 14, 2008 to D&D Digital Systems, Inc. to ensure that the applicant will not participate in the April 2008 computer match.

If the applicant is not selected through the pre-select process, they may apply to this or any other DI through the computer-matching process.

Applicants participating in computer matching should request instructions and a mark/sense card to prioritize their DI preferences. Applicants should request this material from any CADE-accredited/approved Didactic Program in Dietetics program director or from D&D Digital Systems, Inc.

This request should be made to allow turnaround time for submitting by a February 14, 2008 postmark deadline. There is no charge for this material. However, there is a $50.00 charge for computer matching that is due with the applicant's prioritized ranking.

D&D Digital Systems may be contacted at:

304 main Street
Suite 301
Ames, IA 50010
Phone: 515-292-0490
Fax: 515-663-9427
E-mail: dnd@netins.net
Web: http://www.dnddigital.com/

To be selected via the pre-select process, applicants must be:

Graduates of the WCU DPD program
Current WCU students enrolled in the DPD program who plan to complete the program by December of the following year
Students already enrolled in the M.H.S. program who have completed or will complete DPD requirements by the following December. Currently enrolled M.H.S. students are not required to be graduates of the WCU DPD program to participate in the pre-select process. Any applicant with a verification statement (completion or intent to complete) from any ADA-accredited DPD program may apply for admission via computer matching. Computer matched applicants are not required to be WCU students.

Selection Criteria

Selection criteria for competitive admission to the Dietetic Internship include:

Cumulative grade point average/grade point average in DPD coursework
GRE scores
Volunteer or paid experience in nutrition and dietetics (preferably with registered dietitians in a variety of work settings)
Recommendations (preferably from faculty or nutrition professionals)
Score on "mock" registration exam (given in January for WCU applicants applying through the pre-select admission process and in early March for applicants applying via computer-matching process)
Selection committee rank based on a live interview with the dietetic internship director, nutrition faculty, and some preceptors (conducted in January for pre-select applicants and in early March for computer-matching applicants). All applicants who apply via pre-select or computer matching must complete the "mock" RD exam and the live interview with the internship director, nutrition faculty, and some preceptors in order to be considered for admission. Both the exam and interview will take place on campus in Cullowhee, NC.

Faculty

All courses are taught by WCU faculty who hold graduate faculty status and are registered dietitians. During on-site clinical experiences, registered dietitians work directly with students in planning, conducting, and evaluating learning activities.

Facilities

Affiliation agreements are held between WCU and 18 regional health care facilities in Western Carolina and several in South Carolina, including hospitals and health departments in Asheville, Black Mountain, Franklin, Hendersonville, Morganton, Murphy, Sylva, and Waynesville. Thus, students are exposed to a variety of learning experiences to prepare them for careers in dietetics.

Cooperating facilities include:

Angel Community Hospital, Franklin, NC
Asheville Kidney Center, Asheville, NC
Broughton Hospital, Morganton, NC
Harris Regional Medical Center, Sylva, NC
Haywood County Hospital, Clyde, NC
Jackson, Buncombe, Haywood, and Transylvania County Health Departments
Margaret Pardee Memorial Hospital, Hendersonville, NC
Park Ridge Hospital, Fletcher, NC
Mission+St. Joseph's Hospital, Asheville, NC
Transylvania County Hospital, Brevard, NC
Veteran's Administration Hospital, Asheville, NC

University

Western Carolina University’s main campus is located in the high hill country 50 miles west of Asheville, North Carolina. The approximately 600-acre campus lies in the beautiful valley of the Tuckaseigee River between the Great Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Approximately 8,665 students are enrolled at WCU, which is one of sixteen constituent institutions of the University of North Carolina. Read more about WCU.

Admissions

Applicants must complete a Dietetic Internship application, submit GRE examination scores and official undergraduate transcripts, and be admitted into the M.H.S. Program in Health Sciences at WCU. See program information listed previously for more information on selection criteria. Applicants must also have completed an ADA-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics and submit a verification statement

Costs

Students in the Dietetic Internship pay the regular fees associated with graduate study at Western Carolina University. Students will also incur some additional costs such as liability insurance (approximately $15 per year, available through the university), travel to clinical facilities, laboratory coats ($25-$50), and textbooks (approximately $200).

Accreditation Status

The Dietetic Internship at Western Carolina University is fully accredited by the commission on Accreditation/Approval of Dietetics Education of the American Dietetic Association, 216 W Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60606-6995, 312-899-4876.

Contact Information

For further information about the Dietetic Internship, contact Dietetic Internship Coordinator Sherry Robison at 828-227-2659 or smrobison@email.wcu.edu.