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• Do I have to arrange all my sites before I apply?

• Do I have to choose a full time or part time option when I apply?

• Do I apply to an individual site?

• Do you have scholarships or student loans available?

• Where are orientation and class week held?

• Do you have a minimum GPA requirement?

• How does your selection process work?

• Do I have to complete all of my rotations at Sodexo accounts?

• How often will I have contact with the Internship Director?

• If I miss the February 15 application deadline, when is the next time I can apply?

• If I am interested in being placed at one of the Hawaii sites, but also one or more of the mainland sites, what should I do?

• Since this is a self-directed program, how will I know what competencies I need to meet in each rotation?

Do I have to arrange all my sites before I apply?
 

No you do not.  As long as we have an available site in your geographic location, we will make arrangements for your clinical and food service management rotations.  For all other rotations, you will be responsible for making the arrangements, but this does not need to be done before you are accepted to the program.  After we receive our matches, we will meet with you individually at orientation to discussion your interests and ideas.  You can begin making your contacts and arrangements after the match or throughout the year.  Unless you need to start in a rotation other than clinical or food service management, it is usually helpful to wait until after orientation, where you will get a much better understanding about all the rotations.

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Do I apply to an individual site?

No.  You would apply to the program, indicating on the cover sheet which geographic areas you are interested in.  We would take care of arranging your clinical and your food service sites after you are matched to us. Because we have many applicants in some geographies, the more flexible you can be regarding geographic location for your clinical rotation, the better your chances are.

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Do you have scholarships or student loans available?

We do not have loans or financial aid.  We do, however, offer a limited number of scholarships to Sodexo interns matched to our programs.  Scholarship applications are sent to all matched interns after they have accepted the match.  Also, because we have a part time option, many of our interns continue to  work throughout their internship in order to meet living expenses and/or tuition. 

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Orientation takes place over an 8-day period  See specifics of the upcoming orientation and class week on our General Information and Costs Page.

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At this time we do not.  The GPA and GPA in DPD courses are part of our initial scoring, but we also look at work experience, your letter, recommendations, your portfolio, and overall self direction.  A low GPA can be greatly enhanced by putting a lot of effort into the other parts of your application.  Our major concern with your grades is whether you will be able to understand the concepts of medical nutrition therapy and to pass the RD exam.  Do keep in mind, however, that it is a very competitive process and all parts of your application are important.

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The internship director screens and scores all applications.  Applications are scored on:  GPA, GPA in DPD courses, work experience--both paid and volunteer (considering length of time working and type of job), recommendations, essay questions, portfolio materials, and overall evidence of self direction.  Based on the overall score, a predetermined number (usually at least twice the number to be matched) of applications will be selected for further review by the rest of the selection committee.  The internship faculty will conduct taped phone interviews with these individuals.  The entire committee will meet together towards the end of March and make its final selections and rankings. The ranked list is then sent to D&D Digital and then we wait, just like all of you, until the middle of April.

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You do need to complete your clinical and food service management rotations at Sodexo accounts.  Your other rotations may or may not be completed at Sodexo accounts depending on your interests and availability of opportunities.

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The internship director and faculty generally work out of their home offices and can be reached there or through voice mail at any time you need to speak with them. In general, communication takes place either through e-mail or the chat room.  E-mail messages are generally answered in less than 24 hours.  Other contacts are arranged between the intern and the internship director and/or the intern's advisor.

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We accept applications and participate in matching only one time during the year--in February.  So if you miss the deadline, you will have to wait until the next year.  It is strongly suggested that you check the website information in the fall before applying to see any changes.

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When sending your card to D&D Digital, you should list both the Hawaii code (228) and the code for the remainder of the sites (237).  Make sure you list them in order of preference.   When applying, indicate on the cover sheet what locations you are interested in being considered for.  We will include you with the applicants for the Hawaii sites and also with the applicants for the regular sites.   The application fee is $50 if you are applying to EITHER the mainland slots OR the Hawaii slots.  If you are applying for BOTH, the application fee is $75.  If you apply for both mainland and Hawaii slots,  your application will be reviewed independently for both matches.  Therefore, you may be selected for both sites, and whichever code you listed first would be the site you would be matched to.

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Since this is a self-directed program, how will I know what competencies I need to meet in each rotation?

While this is a self-directed program, there certainly are competencies and assignments that must be completed in order to graduate.  We spend a lot of time during orientation discussing all the competencies and assignments so you should be fairly clear about what you need to accomplish when orientation is over.  Also, our evaluation forms are actually competency checklists and outline all the competencies you need to meet.  If you still have questions about what you are supposed to do, the internship staff is either an e-mail or phone call away and will clarify any questions you have. We will also keep a close eye on your progress as you go through the program so that you don't get to the end and still have competencies to meet. You can feel confident that you will be well supported throughout your internship.

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