Summary of tuition and fees
Withdrawal and refund of tuition and fees
The Internship Program fee and tuition for NUTR 727 are non-refundable regardless of the reason for withdrawing from the program.
Options for Financial Aid
Student interns may apply for private student loans.
Prospective students should contact the University's Financial Aid Office at 775-784-4666 or
Email: finaid@unr.edu for all financial aid information, including the amount of collegiate loan certification.
Student Interns are encouraged to apply for scholarships from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the University of Nevada, Reno College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources.
Assistantships for Graduate Program
The Department of Nutrition awards both teaching and research assistantships on a competitive basis. If you are awarded an assistantship to help defray the cost of your education, please note that you must register for at least six graduate-level credits each semester (excluding summer). The Graduate School requires all graduate students to take a minimum of 6 credits. Failing to maintain this enrollment or earning less than a 3.0 GPA will jeopardize this financial assistance.
The Graduate Dean's approval, with a note of explanation from the student's major advisor, is required to register for more than 12 credits in a semester. For additional details regarding assistantships, please see Grad Assistantship Handbook.
Assessing Prior Learning or Competence
The Internship Program does not have a policy for assessing prior learning and/or competencies.
Transportation and Housing
Interns assume responsibility to provide their own transportation to all rotation sites. Reliable transportation is necessary for the entire internship. If driving a personal vehicle, all interns are expected to have a current driver's license and to carry automobile insurance.
Buses, taxis and, in some cases, shuttles may be available as backup transportation to some internship sites.
The program will provide air travel to orientation in Reno, to Diabetes Camp and to designated learning activities that may require air travel (e.g. The Nevada State Association Annual Meeting).
However, the program is not liable for any intern travel resulting in accidents, injury or mortality. Thus, it is required that interns provide proof of car insurance and medical insurance prior to the start of the internship.
Interns must find suitable housing. The internship director will help to provide the intern with suggestions but will not assume the responsibility of finding housing for the intern.
Insurance requirements, including those for professional liability
All Dietetic Specialization and Graduate Prepared students admitted to the program must submit proof of health insurance. Students who are enrolled in six or more credits (regardless of the course level) in a semester, will be automatically enrolled and billed for the University sponsored health insurance for each term they are eligible (fall & spring/summer).
If a student has other comparable coverage and would like to waive the student health insurance, it is the student’s responsibility to complete the University online waiver form prior to the deadline. If approved, a health insurance waiver is good for the current academic year only. A new waiver must be submitted each academic year.
All international graduate students are required to carry student health insurance, and the cost will be automatically added to your student account. Any international graduate students with insurance questions must contact the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) directly.
Health insurance for domestic graduate students
All interns admitted to the program are required to provide their own liability insurance. Liability insurance can be obtained from agencies such as Probability.com (1-800-375-2764) for a reasonable fee. There are other agencies that also supply this type of insurance.
Health Issues/Certifications to be Completed Prior to the Start of the Internship
The following are at intern's expense:
- The completion a physical exam must be documented within 3 months of starting the internship.
- Completion and documentation of the following immunizations PRIOR to the start of the internship
- COVID-19: Vaccine Documentation or application for exemption (required by hospitals)
- Tuberculosis: Two-step TB skin test with no history of a positive test who have not been tested in the last 12 months, one-step TB skin test with proof of a negative test in the last 12 months, chest radiograph with proof of past positive test within one year of the internship, or Negative Quantiferon
- Rubella: documented receipt of one vaccination after 1st birthday, serology or born before 1957
- Rubeola: documented receipt of two vaccinations on or after first birthday, serology or born before 1957
- Chicken pox: history (documented by titer) or documented receipt of two doses of vaccination
- Hepatitis B: vaccines, titer, or statement or refusal Tetanus and diphtheria: inoculation within 10 Years Flu Vaccine (as applicable to season)
Certifications:
- Basic Life Support Training
- SERVSafe Certificate (if available) or Nevada Food Handler’s Card
Background Checks on Accepted Interns
- A criminal background check (on behalf of training facilities) will be conducted through PreCheck. The program pays for the background check.
- Two-card fingerprinting is at the Intern's expense.
- A ten-panel drug screen through Quest Diagnostics is paid for by the program.
Disability Statement
The Department of Nutrition and the University of Nevada, Reno Dietetic Internship Program support equal access for students with disabilities. If you have needs to be addressed, please contact the program director and/or preceptor as soon as possible to assure that appropriate accommodations can be made.
Diversity Statement
“The program will not discriminate in the admission of students on account of national origin, religion, age, physical disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race or color” per NRS 395.530.
The program will ensure that the diverse needs of interns are recognized and met and ensure equitable treatment by program faculty and preceptors of interns from all backgrounds.
Special Support Resources
Interns have access to the online University library system where they can accomplish literature review through search products such as MEDLINE. The Nutrition Care Manual will be available to all interns through WebCampus, a University website. Interns will have access to facility resources as determined by the specific training facility.
Protection of Privacy of Information
The privacy of interns is respected relative to anything of a confidential personal nature, either written or stated, by faculty, staff and site preceptors. Intern files are regarded as confidential and are accessible only by the intern, program director and University personnel associated with the internship program. After graduation, interns will be required to sign a form agreeing to allow the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) access to their official transcripts in the case of a random audit by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).
Minimum Wage Ruling
Throughout the internship, the minimum wage ruling is in effect. Translation: Interns are not employees of the sites and are therefore not entitled reimbursement for their work or training site's financial benefits. Interns are also not entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship or an individual rotation.
Expectations
Interns will review their didactic program materials related to clinical, food service/management and community nutrition before starting the internship. The preceptors focus on providing practical application of your knowledge and do not conduct tutoring or extensive review sessions. The internship will be more productive if you come to the experience with a solid didactic knowledge base.
It is necessary that you have access to a standard diet therapy text, a medical dictionary and a manual of lab and diagnostic tests in a hard-copy or internet-based format. In addition, it is recommended that you have access to books on topics such as basic chemistry, biochemistry, anatomy, physiology and counseling techniques.
Interns will review and adhere to the policy and procedures pertinent to each training facility. The intern will adhere to the facility policy regarding telephone and cell phone usage.
The preceptors expect interns to exhibit a strong work ethic, professional integrity and proficient, high-quality work. The preceptors at your training facility act as your supervisor and have the authority to determine the components of your daily activities.
Communication is imperative at all levels during your rotations. It is expected that you will communicate any concerns or confusion regarding your rotation expectations to the preceptor. If problems arise in any rotation, please address your concerns with your preceptor first. If an unsatisfactory resolution is not achieved, you must communicate with the program director as soon as possible. The program will work with all parties involved to facilitate a resolution.
You are expected to prepare a portfolio of work done during your internship. It is to be submitted to the internship director or a designated preceptor at the end of the internship for review. You will receive a 3-inch binder for this purpose. This portfolio will include your daily activities, all written work or projects completed during the internship and copies of each preceptor evaluation that summarizes your level of performance regarding achievement of the competencies specific by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).
Policy on Replacement of Employees
Supervised practice is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace facility employees. The defined supervised practice experiences foster the attainment of 2022 ACEND Core Competencies. All preceptors will adhere to the rotation schedules and learning activities as provided by the program director.
Professional Code of Conduct
Code of Ethics for the Profession of Dietetics
All program interns are expected to be familiar with and adhere to the standards of conduct put forward by the Academy in the Code of Ethics for the Profession of Dietetics.
Time Off
A leave of absence (LOA) may be granted during the internship if life events such as death, bereavement, illness, accidents and other emergencies occur. Additional time will be required to achieve the hours necessary to complete the internship.
There is no vacation allowance during the internship program. Personal leave is NOT ALLOWED during the internship unless related to the reason stated above. For a reasons not included in the list outlined, you must discuss this with the program director and preceptor immediately.
Interns will be required to make up hours missed due to absences such as illness.
The holiday schedules of the training facility will be observed by the intern. Schedule changes for religious reasons can be made if arranged in advance with the internship director and preceptor.
PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR PRECEPTOR/and the PROGRAM IF YOU PLAN TO LEAVE your assigned Las Vegas or Reno area. This communication is imperative for your personal safety.
Confidentiality of Medical Records
A medical record or chart is a legal document that can be used as evidence in a court of law. Chart documentation must adhere to the guidelines set forth by the facility.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) standards will be followed at all times. Patient information is confidential! All information that you are exposed to about a patient/family in a facility is CONFIDENTIAL. Failure to observe HIPAA regulations can result in dismissal from the program. DO NOT DISCUSS patients in public areas or with friends or family members!
Personal Appearance and Dress Code
All interns are expected to adhere to good grooming practices and professional dressing attire practices throughout the internship. It is expected that all interns abide by the personal appearance and dress code guidelines set forth by the various training facilities. It is the intern’s responsibility to clarify dress codes prior to starting at a new facility. The following are the guidelines set for by the University Dietetic Internship Program.
Hair should be neatly trimmed, clean and of a conservative nature. Beards and mustaches will be neatly trimmed and of moderate length. Fingernails must be clean and trimmed. Nail polish, if worn, should not be cracked or chipped. In some rotations, it may be necessary to restrain your hair and avoid jewelry, nail polish and artificial nails. This is common in food service rotations. Check the policy and procedures of the training facility.
Business casual is appropriate attire. Assure that all clothing is clean, neat and fits appropriately. Review the dress code for the training facility.
Facility internship name badge must be worn and be visible at all times during the workday.
Do not apply cologne or perfume. Patients may not tolerate the smell of perfume and/or may have an allergy to a perfume.
Visibility of body part piercings other the ear lobes is prohibited.
If a facility requires a lab coat, it should be clean, unwrinkled and worn over professional business attire.
Interns must set an example adhere to all site policies and procedures regarding personal appearance and dress code. Because interns rotate to various facilities during the rotation, confirm the dress code and protocols prior to arriving at each site.
Scheduling
The internship director will coordinate with each training facility to create a 25-week training schedule outline for each intern. The preceptor(s) will define the specific rotation schedule within each facility in consultation with the internship director.
A copy of the schedule will be provided to the intern and primary preceptor in the training facility. The intern is responsible for contacting their assigned preceptor prior to starting their rotation at a new training facility. Interns should expect to be at the training site for a minimum of 40 hours per week. Internship assignments will be completed outside of the 40 hours at the facility. Weekend and evening hours may be required to complete assignments pertinent to competencies.
Program Completion
Interns are expected to complete the program within the prescribed 25 weeks or within 150 percent of this timeframe (38 weeks). If the intern experiences complications that impact program completion or adherence to the scheduled program, the intern must contact the internship director. The internship director will work with the intern and preceptors to revise the schedule as necessary to facilitate completion of the program.
Supervised Practice Documentation
The “UNR Dietetic Internship Weekly Log” is utilized to track interns’ supervised training hours. Interns summarize daily activities and hours spent daily in supervised training. Interns upload this log to WebCampus weekly and it is reviewed by the program. Training hours are documented in the WebCampus gradebook.
Injury or Illness while in a Facility for Supervised Practice
In the case of an injury, illness or other emergency, interns will have access to on-site health care in most cases. Cost of such treatment may vary from facility to facility, but the intern will assume financial responsibility of costs incurred for treatment. Due to the nature of our affiliation agreements, interns do not qualify for worker’s compensation due to injuries received on facility premises. If you have an emergency need for transportation or other problem while at the site, please contact your supervisor at the training site.
Paperwork and Assignments
Interns are responsible for completion of all paperwork and assignments in the assigned specified timeframe.
Professional Membership and Activities
Interns are strongly encouraged to be student members of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The cost is $58. The program director encourages interns to participate in events sponsored by Northern Nevada Dietetic Association (NNDA) and Southern Nevada Dietetic Association (SNDA) when possible. Interns will attend professional meetings, conferences, grand rounds and Continuing Education (CE) events when possible as part of their professional development competencies.
Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty is against University and Dietetic Internship Program policy.
Academic dishonesty is defined as: cheating, plagiarism or otherwise obtaining grades under false pretenses. It includes submitting the language, ideas, thoughts or work of another as one’s own; or assisting in the act of plagiarism by allowing one’s work to be used in this fashion.
Disciplinary procedures for incidents of academic dishonesty may involve both academic action and administrative action for behavior against the campus regulations for student conduct. The procedures involve the determination by the faculty member or preceptor pursuing concerns over alleged cheating or plagiarism as to whether administrative action is warranted, in addition to making a determination as to any academic consequence.
Academic action may include:
- Terminating the intern from the program;
- Failing the intern for the rotation in which the plagiarism takes place;
- Requiring the intern to retake the rotation or resubmit the assignment.
For more information on University academic standards and guidelines
Evaluation of Interns
- Interns are evaluated regularly and frequently during their internship experience. The evaluation process is linked with the ACEND-specified competencies considered essential for an entry-level dietitian.
- Informal evaluations takes place between the interns and preceptor(s) on a regular basis. This provides an environment conducive to constructive criticism and immediate feedback. This interaction is designed to facilitate the learning process and attainment of core competencies.
- Preceptors will complete and review the rotation formal evaluations with each intern at the end of the food service, clinical and community rotations. Preceptors will complete all evaluations online through SurveyMonkey. The link is provided by the Internship Program and will be emailed directly to all lead preceptors. The Site Preceptors will complete assessments in a timeframe that assures interns receive constructive feedback on performance indicators.
- After the preceptor has completed a formal evaluation, the evaluation is reviewed and discussed with the intern. The intern will keep a COPY of all evaluations in his or her professional portfolio. Copies of all evaluations will be sent to the internship director at the end of the internship and remain part of the permanent file.
- All interns will be asked to provide an evaluation of rotations, preceptors, facilities and programs on SurveyMonkey at the end of each rotation. These evaluations will be reviewed by the Internship Program and serve as indicators to help modify the program if needed. The information will be utilized to assess and make program modifications as deemed necessary.
- All interns are required to pass all competencies with a rating of a three or better on rotation assessments in order to successfully complete the internship program.
- If performance is unsatisfactory at any point in the internship, the preceptor will contact the internship director and the policy under “Failure of Rotations of Termination From the Program” will be followed. Unsatisfactory performance in any rotation may require redirective action and, if uncorrected, may lead to termination from the program. If an intern exhibits a substandard performance for a rotation, the preceptor, intern and internship director will meet to discuss corrective action and steps necessary to repeat the rotation. Every effort will be made to help assure success in the program.
Failure of Rotations of Termination from the Program
Reassignment for failed rotations will be determined by the preceptor and internship director. To pass a rotation, you must have received an evaluation of satisfactory or higher (3) on at least 80 percent of that rotation’s competencies. If competencies are not met, the preceptor and internship director will review the intern’s challenges and provide appropriate assistance and intervention necessary to help the intern succeed in the rotation and internship. The program does not have a formal tutoring program. However, if the student does need tutoring support, the internship director will put the intern in contact with University Academic Success Services:
- Tutoring Center, 775-784-6801
- Writing Center, 775-784-6030
If an intern participates in unethical or unprofessional behavior (Refer to Code of Ethics), the rotation will not be passed even if the intern has successfully completed all of the required competencies.
Failure of two rotations (after reassignment) during the 25-week program constitutes grounds for dismissal from the program.
Insufficient 1,000 documented hours of supervised practice.
Discipline or Termination from the Program
Disciplinary action may involve suspension for a period of time determined by the director in consultation with the preceptor and the human resources department of the facility involved with the given offense. Suspension length will be commensurate with the offense.
Termination from the program may occur due to the following:
- Non-payment of tuition.
- Substandard performance resulting in the failing of two rotations.
- Repeated absenteeism or tardiness.
- It is the intern’s responsibility to notify the director of any time away from facilities. Failure to notify the director in a timely fashion may result in termination.
- Unprofessional or unethical conduct or violating the policies of the internship as set forth in this document or the intern’s signed contract.
- Failure to pass drug screen or background check.
- Breach of policy and procedure by intern that would result in termination of employee working in the training facility in which offense takes place.
- Failure to comply with HIPAA regulations.
- Plagiarism.
Intern Complaints/Grievance Procedure
All interns have a right to file a grievance or grievances following internship program procedures. The intern is encouraged to address any conflicts proactively and professionally with the preceptor or facility prior to involving the internship director and filing a formal grievance.
If satisfactory resolution of an issue does not occur, the intern (or preceptor) should contact the director as soon as possible. All interns who have issues or concerns that cannot be resolved about the program should write a formal letter of complaint to the director. The intern, director and preceptor, institution or facility will work to resolve the issue. It is important to recognize that we all work as a team and establishing a positive, cordial and professional relationship is very important in helping to avoid major issues that lead to major grievances.
If, after discussing the grievance with the preceptors and the director in a productive manner, the issue remains unresolved, the intern may discuss the issue with the Chair of the University's Department of Nutrition.
If the complaint cannot be resolved, the intern may submit a written formal complaint to ACEND, but this action is requested to occur only after all resolution options have been exhausted.
ACEND will only review complaints related to program noncompliance with ACEND accreditation standards.
All complaints and grievances will be kept on file by the director along with resolution outcome for a period of five years.
Any complaints on file may be reviewed by ACEND during on-site evaluations.
ACEND ® can be contacted by:
ACEND
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190
Chicago, IL, 60606-6995
800-877-1600, ext. 5400
www.eatright.org/acend
Grievance for removal from the program must be submitted in writing to the Program Director within 90 days of dismissal from the program.
Verification Statements
Dietetic Specialization
Graduates of the Dietetic Specialization Program will earn a Masters of Science (M.S.) in Nutrition. A Dietetic Internship Program (DI) Verification Statement will be provided after successful completion of the M.S. in Nutrition and after successfully completing a minimum of 1000 hours of documented supervised practice experiences necessary to acquire the ACEND 2022 Core Competencies for the Registered Dietitian.
Graduate Prepared Applicants
Graduate prepared interns will receive a DI Verification Statement after successfully completing a minimum of 100 hours of documented supervised practice experiences necessary to acquire the ACEND 2022 Core Competencies for the Registered Dietitian.
Verification Statement Procedures
The program will issue a minimum of three verification statements to all program graduates and keep two original signed copies of the verification statements in the graduate’s file at the University of Nevada, Reno indefinitely.
Approximately two weeks prior to the completion of the program, all interns will receive a Student Exit Packet by mail from the director. The intern must complete all required paperwork. The director will submit the required documentation for Credentialing Registration Management System (CRMS) Online Registration Eligibility Application Class and supportive documentation for Computer-Based Testing to the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).
Once this information is verified and accepted by the CDR, interns will receive confirmation of their eligibility to take the registered dietitian (RD) examination from CDR within seven business days via email. The candidate should receive the Registration Examination Application and Handbook for Candidates from Pearson VUE of Bloomington, Minnesota within ten business days of this confirmation from CDR. Questions regarding the eligibility or examination process, should contact Rebecca Beavers, MPP 800-877-1600, EXT 4781.
