Dietetic Internship Program

About the Internship

The Dietetic Internship at Massachusetts General Hospital creates leaders within the nutrition and dietetics fields by offering a wide range of learning experiences.

The Mass General Dietetic Internship is a 10-month (44-week), full-time, comprehensive program that provides interns with a strong dietetics core preparation. Each year, 10-12 applicants are enrolled in the Mass General program. To meet the core competencies of a dietetic internship, this program offers rotations in ambulatory care, acute clinical care, food service systems management, community and business entrepreneurship. A large and qualified staff of registered dietitians (RD) and food service managers provides one-on-one interaction, guidance and feedback to dietetic interns. Interns are given the opportunity to work with a diverse and complex population of patients and employees.

Additional Program Information

• Mission of the program
• FAQs
• Internship rotations
• Graduation requirements
• Intern profiles and testimonials
• Graduate education opportunities
• Financial aid

The Mass General Dietetic Internship is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). ACEND is the accrediting agency for education programs preparing students for careers as registered dietitian nutritionists or nutrition and dietetics technicians.

ACEND® can be contacted by:

Email: ACEND@eatright.org; Phone: 800-877-1600, ext. 5400
Mail: 120 South Riverside Plaza; Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995

What sets the Mass General Dietetic Internship Program apart?

This internship encourages independent thinking and an entrepreneurial spirit. Projects within each rotation are designed so that interns can engage in current advancements within the hospital and explore research and trends within the nutrition field. The six-week Concentration Rotation gives interns the unique opportunity to select an area of interest within the clinical or management fields and gain in-depth experience. The three-week Business Plan Rotation challenges interns to work as a team and devise a creative, effective and financially sound nutrition-related business plan. The skills gained in these rotations and the many others foster the initiative necessary for interns to succeed after they graduate from the program.

Interns learn in a variety of environments

Interns are able to play a role in Mass General’s “BeFit” program, an employee wellness program that promotes good nutrition and physical activity. Interns also contribute to menu development for Mass General’s eight retail operations and learn about the challenges of creating healthful menu options for a diverse set of customers. In the clinical and outpatient settings, interns explore the impact of disease upon complex patient’s nutritional status and wellness and complete projects of individual interest. Learn more about each rotation.  

We take pride in the success of our interns

This program provides in-depth, supervised practice experiences required for individual eligibility to take a national examination and become a RD as well as for licensure in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Our pass rate of those taking the Registered Dietitian exam for the first time is 95 percent. Being a part of Mass General gives interns access to a nationwide network of successful Mass General internship graduates.

How to Apply

Application Requirements

Applicants to the internship must:

• Complete a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) with a verification statement or declaration of intent from your DPD program
• Have a master's degree (completed before the start of the program OR through our affiliated graduate programs)
• Enroll in DICAS online centralized internship application (instructions below)
• When completing the application form, applicants must include the name and contact information (specifically an e-mail address) for each reference. This will trigger an e-mail message requesting completion of a reference form. The form will be completed online. Students submitting more than one application will need to use the same individuals as references for each application.
• All references should be from persons qualified to give pertinent information. References should address your academic ability and your potential as a dietitian. We prefer a combination of academic and work references from people who know you well.
• Applicants who apply to internships using DICAS will be asked to complete a personal statement
• For the Mass General application, the ‘personal statement’ should be a letter of application that describes your abilities/achievements in our six criteria areas. The six criteria areas can be viewed under selection criteria and your letter of application MUST demonstrate how you meet these criteria for full consideration of acceptance to the program. The letter should also include your professional and educational goals, how you think Mass General will enable you to reach those goals and why you chose Mass General. It may exceed 1000 words.
• Verification Statement or Declaration of Intent from your Didactic program in dietetics and graduate transcripts showing expected date of graduation or date degree was awarded.
• The Mass General application fee of $60 payable to Mass General Nutrition & Food Services must be mailed by application deadlines. Checks should be mailed to:
  
  Patricia Engel, MS, RD, LDN
  Dietetic Internship Director
  Department of Nutrition & Food Services
  Massachusetts General Hospital
  55 Fruit Street
  Boston, MA 02114
• Application materials become the property of the Mass General and will not be returned
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended should be sent to: 
  DICAS- Transcript Dept
  PO Box 9118
  Watertown, MA 02472

Application Process

The program is using the online centralized internship application, DICAS, which may be accessed at https://portal.dicas.org or by emailing DICASinfo@DICAS.org. The fee to use DICAS is $50 for the first designation and $25 for each additional application. The DICAS application includes the following requirements:

DICAS Application Requirements

• Three letters of reference
• When completing the application form, applicants must include the name and contact information (specifically an email address) for each reference. This will trigger an email message requesting completion of a reference form. The form will be completed online. Students submitting more than one application will need to use the same individuals as references for each application.
• If applying to any of the joint programs or the preselect graduate-dietetic internship options, please see individual organizations' websites (listed at the bottom of the Graduate Education page) for application requirements.
• All accepted applicants are subject to drug testing, background checks, and verification of identity.

Application Deadlines

Boston area independent dietetic internships are universities are collaborated to coordinate application and acceptance nofication due dates. Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Delicious Living Nutrition, the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center, Simmons University, Boston University, Tufts University, and the University of Massachusetts, together, agreed to align dates for Fall and Spring application cycles. They are as follows:

Fall - start date September 2025*

• October 8, 2024, applications will be due no later than October 8, 2024.
• November 1, 2024, applicants will be notified of the program's decision by the end of the business day on November 1, 2024.
• November 15, 2024, applicants must notify the program either accepting or declining the offer by 5:00 pm EST on November, 15, 2024.

Spring - start date September 2025*

• January 15, 2025, applications will be due no later than January 15, 2025.
• March 1, 2025, applicants will be notified of the program's decision by the end of the business day on March 1, 2025.
• March 15, 2025, applicants must notify the program either accepting or declining the offer by 5:00 pm EST on March 15, 2025.

* The start date for both spring and fall application cycles will be the same, September 2025.

Selection Criteria

The Mass General Dietetic Internship Program seeks individuals who are driven, critical thinkers ready to meet the challenges of this internship. Successful interns enter this program prepared to translate their academic learnings to the fast-paced environment at Mass General.

The criteria/qualities listed below are necessary to succeed in our program. The selection committee rates each applicant according to these criteria as evidenced through the applicant’s personal letter, references, work, volunteer experience and grades. The content of the personal letter and the references play a major role in how an applicant is rated. We are most concerned with how an applicant demonstrates strength in the selection areas, not a specific GPA. Any applicant who can demonstrate strong preparation in these areas, and describe how well he/she meets these criteria will be given complete consideration.

• Conceptual Ability: Quality of written and oral expression; ability to master new information and skills; ability to understand complex new theory and to translate theory into practice.
• Overall Preparation: Relevance and quality of the applicant’s previous educational experiences in school, in work and in extracurricular activities; professionally related courses and electives taken; refresher and/or advanced study done.
• Self-Direction: Ability to set goals, organize own activities and work independently.
• Leadership Ability: Formal recognition of leadership through election to office and honors, and informal recognition by peers and others at school, work and in extracurricular and community activities.
• Ability to Perform Under Pressure: Flexibility; ability to set priorities; ability to set goals and organize work; physical stamina; and ability to remain reasonably calm under stress. Overall load carried by student during college (academic, work, extracurricular, family or community responsibilities.)
• Interpersonal Skills: Realistic self-confidence; ability to sense the mood and concerns of others; appropriate use and interpretation of both verbal and non-verbal communications; ability to adapt to a variety of people and situations; and concern for the well-being of others.

Mass General non-discrimination policy: Mass General will select Dietetic Interns on the basis of skills and abilities, and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, national origin, veteran status or disability or that of a relative, friend or associate.

Schedule a Visit

The Mass General Dietetic Internship does not require an interview as part of its application procedure.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to visit. Tours can be virtual or in-person. Included with the tour will be time for questions and answers about the Dietetic Internship Program. The entire tour and question-and-answer session will take approximately 60 minutes.

For Alumni

The Mass General Dietetic Internship holds an esteemed reputation within the dietetics field. The program has graduated dietetic internship classes every year since 1909. Alumni have gone on to become Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Presidents, authors, and pioneers in the nutrition field. Dietetic interns become a part of this legacy.

• Facebook: Stay in touch with past and current dietetic interns on the Mass General Dietetic Internship Facebook page. Look for postings on current nutrition topics, events at Mass General, recipes and much more.

• Linkedin: Join the Mass General Dietetic Internship Alumni group on LinkedIn. Use it to stay connected with fellow alumni and staff. Share news, learn about jobs and discuss topics with other group members. 

• In the Intern profiles and testimonials section, alumni share their experiences at Mass General and talk about the success they have found since graduating from the internship. Take a few moments to share your story by filling out the graduate story form.

• Share your story (including a current photograph of yourself) and send it to the program director by email at pengel1@mgh.harvard.edu

The Mass General Dietetic Internship Program welcomes all alumni back for a visit. Consider coming to speak with current interns about your experiences during and after the internship.