WELCOME to the accredited Dietetic Internship at the award-winning Medical University of South Carolina, the South's oldest medical school in historic Charleston, SC.

Our Mission and Goals

We develop entry-level Registered Dietitians by providing a variety of research-driven clinical, food service, and public health nutrition experiences to interns from diverse backgrounds while serving the community.

Our goal is to prepare graduates with the knowledge and skills to be competent entry-level dietitians.  Our graduates are able to effectively communicate with professional and lay audiences by serving as an expert in the provision of appropriate, evidence-based medical nutrition therapy to a variety of populations and healthcare settings.  They also gain effective management, leadership and research skills related to dietary practice and health outcomes.

Our Program:

We offer a non-credit, non-degree, certification program accredited by the American Dietetic Association's Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE).  Upon successful completion, graduates are eligible to take the RD board exam. 

We currently accept 8 interns (possibly up to 10 interns in the coming year). Our program consists of a 10-month, 1200+ hour, full-time supervised practice program commencing every August.  Learn more about our application process and deadline.

This internship focuses on Clinical Medical Nutrition Therapy, but also features experiences in traditional venues (i.e. foodservice, management and community) and non-traditional venues (i.e. culinary, research, wellness).  Comprised of over 25 rotations in 15 different healthcare settings under the supervision of 30 qualified preceptors, we pride our internship for its large variety of experiences and training opportunities.

Monitoring Our Success:

This internship measures its effectiveness based on the graduate performance.  For instance, 99% of graduates have taken and passed the RD board exam (95% passing upon first attempt).  As many of our graduates pursue higher education, 90% of those who sought a professional career immediately after graduation found jobs within 3 months.  Virtually 100% of employers of our graduates feel this program provided excellent training based on surveys completed 1 year after graduation. 

Who is Eligible?

Eligible students will have graduated (or are about to graduate) with at least a bachelor's degree from a CADE-approved Nutrition/Dietetics degree program called a "Didactic Program in Dietetics".  Applicants come from all over the country.  All applicants must participate in the formal matching process managed through D&D Digital.

Want to Learn More?

Browse this website, print out a Program Brochure, and attend our annual Open House (Friday, 12/18/09). Candidates are also invited make an individual appointment or scheduled phone call with the Director: