The PHFE WIC Dietetic Internship

The mission of the PHFE WIC Dietetic Internship Program is to nourish, educate, support, and empower PHFE WIC degreed nutritionists to become entry-level registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs).

Overview of Dietetic Internship

The twelve-month PHFE WIC Dietetic Internship Program has been granted continued accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND).

ACEND
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190
Chicago IL, 60606-6995
(312) 899-0040 x 5400
http://www.eatrightPRO.org/ACEND

In order to be eligible to apply for the program, you need to work for PHFE WIC full time for at least one year as a degreed nutritionist. If you are interested in working for PHFE WIC and plan on living in the Los Angeles area for at least five years, please visit Heluna Health’s Careers page and search for “degreed nutritionist” to see current openings.

PHFE WIC Dietetic Internship Program applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree from an ACEND-accredited didactic program in dietetics (DPD) and submit their DPD verification statement. Applicants must be currently enrolled in master’s program or possess a master’s degree. The applicant must have worked for the PHFE WIC Program as a Degreed Nutritionist for a minimum of 6 months.

Prior to applying to the PHFE WIC Dietetic Internship, applicants must establish regular communication with the dietetic internship director to discuss: 1) plans as a dietetics professional, 2) goals towards a master’s degree, and 3) expectations as a PHFE WIC dietetic intern.

The PHFE WIC Dietetic Internship Program does not participate in computer matching.

After being accepted into the PHFE WIC Dietetic Internship, interns are required to submit a completed physical examination form, including proof of immunization status, assuring their personal health status prior to beginning any rotation. In addition, interns will be required to complete study materials and coursework in preparation for the dietetic internship.

Application Available: August
Application Due: October
Program Start Date: March
Program Length: 12 months
Number of Interns: Eight

Applicants will be evaluated on the basis of:
• Academic achievement
• Current and previous work experience
• Letters of recommendation

Work experience is evaluated for personal and professional development. Ability to communicate with diverse populations is an important part of the application process. Eligible applicants will be interviewed for acceptance into the program.

For more information about educational pathways to become an RDN please visit: Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Educational and Professional Requirements

Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) requires a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). In order 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 12:00 midnight Central Time, December 31, 2023. For more information about this requirement visit CDR’s website: 2024 GRADUATE DEGREE REQUIREMENT – REGISTRATION ELIGIBILITY. 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 with a master’s degree and successfully complete the ACEND accredited PHFE WIC Dietetic Internship are eligible to apply to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN. For more information about educational pathways to become a RDN click here.

Curriculum and Graduation

The PHFE WIC Dietetic Internship Program provides a part-time one year internship. The PHFE WIC Dietetic Internship provides 1000 hours of supervised practice and 120 hours of didactic instruction. Interns spend 340 hours in food service management, 360 hours in medical nutrition therapy, 100 hours in community nutrition practice, 100 hours completing a public health project, and 100 hours in an elective rotation. Interns do not replace employees in the workplace.

The PHFE WIC Dietetic Internship Program participates in Prior Assessed Learning (PAL). PAL credit may be applied for activities that meet the Core Competency requirements outlined by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Credit hours are granted based on the knowledge and skills the applicant has acquired during the experience, not how much time was spent on the activity. Applicants must submit a portfolio providing documentation of how each Core Competency was met to be eligible for PAL credit. For more information the PAL process, please contact Beth Cordova at bethc@phfewic.org.

Directors

PHFE WIC Dietetic Internship Director

Beth Cordova, MPA, RDN, received both her Bachelor of Science in Dietetics and her Master of Public Administration from California State University, Long Beach. She has been working with the PHFE WIC Program since 2002. For questions or to receive more information about the PHFE WIC Dietetic Internship, email Beth at BethG@phfewic.org.

PHFE WIC Executive Director

Kiran Saluja, MPH, RDN, has been the Executive Director of the PHFE WIC Program since 2013 and currently oversees the largest nonprofit WIC program in the nation, serving over 200,000 participants each month. She is a recognized leader in Maternal and Child Health and has been the President of the National WIC Association.

Heluna Health, the parent organization of the PHFE WIC program, is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. We want to have the best available people in every job. Therefore, Heluna Health does not discriminate, and does not permit its employees to discriminate against other employees, interns, volunteers, or applicants for any such positions, or independent contractors because of race, color, religion, sex (including conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, transgenderism, pregnancy, marital status, national origin, citizenship, military and veteran status, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability (an impairment that limits a major life activity), medical condition, genetic information, or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable laws.

Helpful Links

For more information about the educational and professional requirements to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, check out these websites:

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics/ACEND www.eatright.org/acend
Commission on Dietetic Registration www.cdrnet.org