Application Process

MORRISON HEALTHCARE DIETETIC INTERNSHIP IS LISTED UNDER SANDY SPRINGS, GA- DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Eligible applicants must have completed a Didactic Program approved or accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education of Nutrition & Dietetics (ACEND)

How to Apply: Complete application through the on-line centralized internship application system, which is access at http://dicas.liaisoncas.com, by 11:59 pm Central Time on February 15th. DICAS fee to submit the first application is $50 and then $25 for each additional application.  Ensure that work and volunteer section of the application are complete as this is used to score work experience.

 Personal statement: Applicants are required to answer in 1,000 words or less the following questions:

• Why do you want to enter the dietetics profession?
• What are some experiences that have helped to prepare you for your career?
• What are your short-term and long-term goals?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses or areas needing improvement?

Transcripts: Official Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended must be sent to the DICAS office (DICAS Transcript Department, PO Box 9118, Watertown, MA 02472). FINAL OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS WILL BE REQUIRED OF ALL INTERNS MATCHED TO THE PROGRAM.

Verification Statement or Declaration of Intent: This statement will be submitted to DICAS by your DPD program director. ORIGINAL VERIFICATION STATEMENT WILL BE REQUIRED OF ALL MATCHED INTERNS PRIOR TO BEGINNING THE PROGRAM.

Recommendations: While completing the application process, the applicant is triggered to provide the name and email address of three references.  Each person referenced will receive an email message requesting on-line completion of a reference form. If you are submitting to multiple sites, the same references must be used for each site application. A minimum of one professor or university faculty member the applicant has had coursework with is required as a reference.   

Computer Matching: Register through D&D Digital’s website (www.dnddigital.com) by 11:59 pm CST on February 15. There is a $65 fee for this service and applicants can pay with a credit card. If you have questions regarding the computer matching process, contact D&D Digital at 515-292-0490.  Apply to Morrison Healthcare Dietetic Internship location on D&D that you want to match to (same as the location you identified on your online Morrison Healthcare supplemental application). Match through D&D will occur on April 5 at 11 am CT.

Supplemental Material: In addition to the application, you will need to complete the online Morrison Healthcare DI application, and pay the non-refundable $65 fee via debit/credit card by 11:59 pm CT on February 15.

Selection criteria: Applicants scores are based on: Personal statement, GPA, GPA in DPD courses, science grades, work experience (both paid and volunteer), letters of reference, and honors, scholarships and student activities. Based on the overall score, a pre-determined number of applicants will move to the next stage in which the Morrison Healthcare Dietetic Internship Selection Committee will review and evaluate. The internship director or faculty will conduct a face-to-face computer interview with each semi-finalist.  The committee will meet for final decision by end of March. The ranked list is then sent to D&D Digital and the applicant will receive notification in April.

Pre-select Process: Current Compass associates and affiliate associates, who have been employed with/for Compass for a minimum of  6 months, meets the admission criteria, and has a GPA of 3.0, a DPD course average of 3.2, and a B or higher in Anatomy & Physiology, Microbiology, Organic Chemistry and Biochemisty may apply in the pre-select process.  We also partner with the University of Alabama (UA), Kansas State University (KSU), University of Florida (UF), University of Georgia (UGA) and Texas Tech University (TTU) students in the preselect process and include the same academic requirement.  Complete your application on DICAS and select Morrison Healthcare Dietetic Internship.  (Do not register for D&D at this time.) When completing the online Morrison Healthcare DI application, include the organization you are affliated with.  All required information to apply in the pre-select process for the Spring match is due Jan 13. If you need clarification or additional information, send questions to ksmith@iammorrison.com.

Applicants who participate in the pre-select process will be notified of their acceptance/non-acceptance by the end of January prior to the regular DICAS match process.  If the applicant is selected for our internship and accepts the slot, the applicant may not participate in the centralized computer match.  If the applicant isn’t accepted or decides she/he does not want to be in the internship, she/he may participate in the centralized match.

Morrison Healthcare Dietetic Internship offers an Online Master of Science program in collaboration with the University of Alabama 

The internship partners and coordinates with The University of Alabama to provide students with the opportunity to enroll in a fully online, 30 credit-hour Master of Science program in Human Nutrition. The internship and graduate degree are designed to be completed within 18 months. During the first summer semester, students enroll in 6 credits, which will serve as foundational knowledge for the program. During the following fall and spring semesters, students will complete supervised practice hours 4 days/wk, along with 6 graduate hours each semester. At the completion of supervised practice, the student will continue to study at UA completing the remaining  12 of the 30 required hours in the following summer and fall semesters (6 hours each semester). 

The student must apply to both programs at the same time to collaboration admission. For the UA admission, the student should include in the student’s application letter that they would like to also participate in the Morrison Healthcare Dietetic Internship.  On the Morrison application, select the option “DI w/ online MS degree (UA)’. The programs will work together on review and notification of the student’s acceptance.

For more information, see Online Master’s Degree Available tab.

After Acceptance to Program

Soon after you accept the D & D Digital Match for this program you will receive an email from the Program Director providing information on paper work required to start the internship and dates of orientation in Atlanta. Paperwork includes:

• Criminal background check.  This is required to be completed immediately after the match process and the intern has accepted the slot in the internship. If the background check reveals a felony, the intern will be dismissed from the internship and no effort will be made for further placement.
• $2000 non-fundable deposit (that will go toward tuition) within 2 weeks of acceptance to internship.  Tuition must be paid in full prior to starting internship.  Final payment date will be provided upon acceptance to internship. 
• Original Verification Statement of Didactic Program completion.
• Original transcript from the college/university in which the intern receive his/her highest degree (with the confer date).
• Documentation of a complete physical exam within the last 12 months
• Completed and signed Certification of Immunization form to include titers for MMR and varicella, Hep B vaccination and COVID vaccination.
• Documentation of tetanus shot, recent TB test and flu shot
• Verification of malpractice insurance.
• Drug testing
• All students need a computer, computer headset or web cam

Once you are conditionally accepted into the DI, all the additional material must be submitted to the Director of the Internship per the internship's guidelines. Failure to meet these deadlines may invalidate your admission.

Prior approval for supervised practice: Past experience and additional education beyond the required didactic education requirements may be considered for exemption of specific planned rotations and learning experiences. Interns requesting credit for specific competencies that were achieved through prior work paid experience or education (above master’s level in nutrition) will provide the Program Director documentation specific to each competency. Experience gained through paid work experience usually requires working at a supervisor level or higher for at least 6 months. The Program Director will approve and assign the number of hours that are credited.