Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in the dietetic internship program at the Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System at Bay Pines, Florida. The 42-week internship program at the VA Hospital is a generalist program with emphasis areas in Nutrition Therapy, Community, Food Service and Business. I am sure you will see after browsing through our website, our dietetic internship program offers unique learning experiences which will prepare you for a variety of positions in the field of dietetics.

I would like to take the time to point out to you some unique qualities which may not be immediately apparent when browsing through our website.

Preceptors: We have a very dedicated staff of dietitians; half of the dietetics staff has a minimum of 10 years of experience. Our small class size of 6 interns means you will get specialized and individualized attention from the internship director. With the exception of some of our management and community rotations, only one intern is assigned to a preceptor at a time, allowing for maximum attention to your learning experience.

Curriculum: The program is hospital based with rotations in cardiology, surgery & intensive care, geriatrics, oncology medicine, neurology, rehab out patient counseling, diabetes and renal. These rotations are supplemented with experiences in the community such as pediatrics and school food service.

Increased job opportunities: We will assist you in finding employment in the government or in the private sector. With over 100 VA Medical Centers across the country, you will have increased opportunities to work for the VA. The VA is a leader in health care patient safety and has a fully computerized patient record system (CPRS). While the pay for entry-level dietetic positions in the VA varies across the country, within 3 years, most dietitians in the VA earn a greater salary than those who have been working in the private sector for 20 years!

Stipend: Interns in our program receive a stipend, which is paid throughout the course of the internship.

Graduate Credit: Interns have the option to receive graduate credit for their weekly applied practice classes and completed special project. Graduate credit has been granted from the University of South Florida, College of Public Health.

I hope you will take all of these points into consideration when making your decision of how to rank your program choices. Should you have any questions, or should you wish to schedule an appointment to come and visit the medical center, please do not hesitate to contact me at:

(727) 398-6661, extension 4449 or e-mail me at
Lauri.Wright2@ med.va.gov

Sincerely,

Lauri Wright, PhD, RD
Dietetic Internship Director