Intern Perspectives

Program Strengths (according to former interns)

• Clinical rotations, in particular, nutrition support and pediatrics
• Research projects and presentations
• Excellent and highly trained preceptors
• Class day handouts and articles
• Excellent program organization and planning

Comments From Former Interns

• "All of the clinical rotations were fantastic! The preceptors were open to questions and really wanted the interns to learn. On the whole, the internship was well-planned, well-rounded, and full of excellent learning experiences."
• "The variety of experiences is a strength of the internship, as well as the organization. Many opportunities are made available for interns to pursue areas of interest. The Nutrition department really supports and respects interns."
• "The clinical rotations far surpassed my expectations. This was a great learning environment."
• "The biggest strength of this program is the competent and comprehensive coverage of clinical nutrition, with highly specialized programs such as nutrition support and pediatrics."
• "I feel that I have seen a wide variety of patients and cases that have helped me to learn and feel more confident in beginning a job."
• "The strong clinical staff her is what really drives the program. The wide variety of rotations cover just about every aspect of nutrition, from oncology and cardiology to highly specialized areas like gastric bypass, inborn errors of metabolism, and children's rehab."
• "The organization was amazing. We always knew what was going on and never had to worry about making sure everything was going to run smoothly."
• "The UVA dietetic internship is a unique time in one's life. I can't think of another 10-month period in which I have had so many different challenges present themselves with the opportunity to learn and grow, both on a personal and professional level, and also to contribute to the health and well-being of people every day. The Nutrition Department strives to provide the gold standard of dietetic internship programs and expects only the best from its interns. With the UVA Health System rated one of the top in the nation, one may expect the internshi pprogram to be the same. And Charlottesville, VA is icing on the cake.... you will work very hard, but C'ville allows you to play hard too! This special town is full of great restaurants, gym facilities, shopping, and sporting events." ~ Danielle Hamberger, Class of 1998; Chief of Staff at Advisory Board Company, Arlington, VA
• "UVA's 10-month program provides a very thorough clinical focus which really allows people to completely enter the field without much additional on-the-job training.... perhaps the most valuable resource is the caliber of dietitians who serve as preceptors.... they are highly qualified role models." ~ Diane Voyatzis, RD, LD, Class of 1998; Clinical Nutrition Specialist, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC
• "I enjoyed the internship because the atmosphere of a large teaching hospital pushes students to always be up to date with research and current therapy recommendations... I found having a full day of classes each week was a great way to build my clinical and counseling skills. Interns from UVA have a very high pass percentage for the RD exam, which says a lot about the program, its director, and the preceptors." ~ Ashleigh Sellman, RD, CSP, Class of 2000; Outpatient Dietitian, UVA Health System
• "The UVA Dietetic Internship provided me with excellent learning opportunities. A combination of highly qualified dietitians and health professionals, a comprehensive curriculum, and a university medical center were all instrumental in preparing me for my career in dietetics." ~ Christine Imhof, RD, Class of 1999; Clinical Dietitian, Harbor Hospital Center, Baltimore, MD
• "The internship prepared me extremely well to enter a general position because of the in-depth teaching with each rotation. It has an excellent basis of current clinical practice, especially nutrition support, and a great emphasis on research, which is so integral to learning about current practice. The faculty was more than willing to overextend themselves (and still is!) to aid in our preparation to become clinical dietitians. And it has the BEST internship director - EVER!" ~ Stacey Fager, RD, Class of 1999; Clinical Dietitian, Lake Normal Regional Medical Center, Charlotte, NC
• "I couldn't have found a better internship and preceptors." ~ Pallavi Dharamsi, RD, Class of 1998; WIC of Prince William County, VA