Dietetic Internship
Welcome to the Cal Poly Dietetic Internship website! We appreciate your interest in one of the leading dietetic internships in the country. Our internship is housed in Cal Poly's Food Science and Nutrition Department and has rotation sites in two counties on California's Central Coast: San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara.
We are proud to have a 100% one-year pass rate on the Registration Examination for Dietitians.
Located on the Beautiful Central Coast of California!
San Luis Obispo
Cal Poly is located in the city of San Luis Obispo, a community of about 47,000, which is in an area of extraordinary natural beauty and the county is home to one of California's most popular attractions, Hearst Castle. San Luis Obispo has a delightful downtown with great dining, shops, nightlife, arts center, Mission Plaza, historical walking tours, world-class performing arts center, and many excellent wineries. Beautiful beaches are located only ten minutes away.
Santa Barbara
The internship also offers rotation sites in Santa Barbara, which is world-famous for its breathtaking setting. The dramatic mix of mountains, valleys, beaches, islands, and ocean defines its natural beauty. Santa Barbara has world-class performances of music, opera, dance and theater year-round. It is also one of the top five art colonies in the west. It has many restaurants, first-rate golf, tennis, polo, horseback riding, cycling, hiking, and many water sports.
Our Interns
Our program is accepting ten dietetic interns for the 2022-23 internship cycle. Seven interns will be placed in San Luis Obispo County and three will be placed in Santa Barbara County. We do our best to place our interns in the county of their preference, while considering their desired experiences.
Want to Learn More about the Cal Poly Dietetic Internship?
Attend one of our virtual Cal Poly Dietetic Open House sessions or the NDEP Supervised Practice Fair! During the virtual open houses, the DI Director and a small group of current interns will provide detailed information about the program and the application process and answer guests' questions. The interns will also share their first-hand experiences to provide an intern's perspective.
Fall 2022 Open House - Date/Time TBD
Winter 2023 Open House - Date/Time TBD
We're SOCIAL - Check us out on Instagram, Twitter - our or Blog!
We post insider tips and reminders about our application process as well as share lots of pictures highlighting our interns' experiences at their supervised practice sites and beyond.
Becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
In order to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), individuals must:
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Complete a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree
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Complete required coursework and earn a Verification Statement from a Didactic Program in Dietetics accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
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Complete an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program
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Pass the national registration examination for dietitians administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR)
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When applicable, apply for state licensure
Upon satisfactory completion of the ACEND-accredited, Cal Poly Dietetic Internship, interns are eligible to sit for the Registration Examination for Dietitians administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) and become active members of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Interns that satisfactorily complete the dietetic internship and pass the Registration Exam for Dietitians meet the licensure requirements of all states with licensure because the RD/RDN credential is a national credential.
Refer to the state map provided by the Commission on Dietetic Registration to determine which states have licensure requirements.
For more information on the steps to becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, please review the "Fact Sheet" provided on the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website.
Program Mission and Goals
Program Curriculum and Calendar
Admission
Program Cost
