Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a difference between the June and October start dates?

We accept 10 dietetic interns each year, 5 begin in June and 5 begin in October.  The October class has the opportunity to attend diabetes camp in July and must use vacation days between Christmas and New Year's (vacation during this time is optional for the June class). 

What projects/opportunities are the dietetic interns involved with?

Attend diabetes camp

Cystic Fibrosis Clinic

Develop and present cooking demos

Develop and present nutrition classes at a local school

Eating Disorder Unit

Educational handout development

Food service experience

HIV/AIDS clinic projects and counseling

Long-term care observation

Observe actual patient surgeries and procedures

Outpatient and inpatient pediatric experience

Outcome studies

Outpatient counseling at the Sister's Community Clinic

Participate in bariatric education classes

Public speaking

Recipe development and analysis

Teach Cardiac Rehabilitation classes

Teach Weight Loss classes

Television and print media relations

 

How many preceptors will I work with?

We are extremely fortunate to have 25+ OSF specific preceptors available to our dietetic interns.  We have RDs working in the following settings:

Clinical inpatient-adults and pediatrics

Clinical outpatient-adults and pediatrics

Medical Rehab

Cardiac Rehab

Adult and Pediatric Community

Adult and Pediatric Diabetes Resource Center

Wound Clinic

Long-term Care

Cystic Fibrosis Clinic

Metabolic Clinic

Bariatric Clinic

Eating Disorder Clinic

 

Why is the internship 12 months?

We offer a 20 week emphasis area where the dietetic interns develop their own curriculum to meet their specific goals.  This allows time for the interns to investigate different areas of food and nutrition.  Our interns graduate prepared to begin their careers as registered dietitians. 

Are interns allowed to attend conferences and outside meetings?

Yes.  Here are some of the conferences and meetings our dietetic interns have attended in recent years:

Illinois Dietetic Association (IDA) Annual Assembly

ADA Teleseminars

Annual Pediatric Conference at Children's Memorial in Chicago, IL

Central Illinois Dietetic Association meetings

 

Will I have to pay tuition?

No, there is no tuition to attend our program.  We pay a stipend of $200.00/month and provide free meals and snacks 7 days a week. 

Do graduates have difficulty finding jobs after graduation?

No.  All interns are able to find jobs after graduation.  Often interns have jobs prior to graduation.  Keep in mind that if you are set on a specific location it may be more difficult to find a job versus a graduate who is not set on living in one specific area.  Here is a list of some areas where our recent interns work:

HyVee Grocery Store

Bradley University

WIC

Diabetes Clinic

Eating Disorder Clinic

Public Health

Peace Corp

Community Cancer Center

Hospital, including OSF Saint Francis Medical Center

School Districts

Nestle Sales Division

Corporate Wellness

 

Do most of your interns come from Illinois?

No.  We have interns from all over the US and even other countries.  Sometimes we have interns from the same school.  Here is a list of locations where our recent interns have come from:

Arizona	Missouri
California	Nebraska
Illinois	New York
Iowa	Ohio
Hong Kong	Texas
Michigan	Washington
Minnesota	Wisconsin
Mississippi	Virginia