Welcome to our Registered Dietitians Interns
By Anna Quinn, Public Affairs Officer
Registered Dietitians (RD) play a crucial role in providing nutrition care to Veterans and their families. Lexington VA Health Care system RD interns get training in a variety of settings, and with national programs.
To become a registered dietitian (RD), one must first complete a Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics, followed by a Master’s degree. Following their academic training, aspiring dietitians must then complete an accredited supervised practice internship program. Upon successful completion of these steps, they become eligible to sit for the RD exam, which is the final step for credentialing as a Registered Dietitian.
Our very own Lexington VA Dietetic Internship program offers an excellent path to achieving this goal. The program includes 34 weeks of rotations with a primary focus on clinical nutrition and incorporates a variety of specialty areas like medicine, surgery, oncology, outpatient clinics, food service, community experiences, and more.
We started this year's internship by welcoming the interns with an Eastern Kentucky foods lunch. This lunch was designed to give them a cultural taste of the foods that they will hear Veterans discuss, making them more familiar with the dietary preferences and traditions of the local Veteran population.
If you have questions or are interested in learning more about our Registered Dietitian Program, contact Rita Burden, Clinical Assistant Chief, Nutrition and Food Services.