Supervised practice experience is provided in clinical dietetics, food service administration (hospital and school settings), community nutrition, and business/entrepreneurship. As the host facility, DSH-Patton provides a unique learning experience in the treatment for forensic psychiatric patients. In addition, interns have the opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills by learning from preceptors at various affiliations such as: Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Banning Unified School District, and San Bernardino Public Health Department. Interns develop personal goals to accomplish in each rotation. Although the program primarily runs during the work week, occasional work and projects may need to be completed on weekends and after work hours.

Clinical Nutrition: This component is designed to provide practical experiences in nutritional care including nutrition assessment, nutrition diagnosis, nutrition intervention, nutrition monitoring and evaluation. The intern actively participates in the client education and interdisciplinary team meetings. Clinical experience involves clients in outpatient, long-term, sub-acute, and acute care settings. The clinical rotations provide experience in diabetes, obesity/weight management, renal, nutrition support, cardiology, GI disorders, oncology, burn/wound healing, HIV/AIDS, dysphagia, geriatrics, pediatrics/NICU, substance abuse, surgical and critical care. Learning is facilitated by written assignments, oral case studies, and staff relief to reinforce nutrition principles in the clinical setting.

Food Service Administration: The administrative experiences are to provide an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of all levels of food service systems management and to provide hands-on experience in large scale quantity food cooking utilizing various methods. Learning is facilitated by written assignments and oral projects based on practical needs of the department. The food service experience includes menu planning, production and service methods, procurement, inventory, cost control techniques, and management strategies. The intern will apply critical thinking skills to learn planning, coordination, and time management. An opportunity to work independently and use these skills is obtained during staff relief.

Community Nutrition: Experiences in this rotation are planned to provide understanding in the role of the dietitian in community dietetics. Learning is facilitated by written assignments and hands-on experience in the following areas: outpatient nutrition clinic programs including primary care and Public Health WIC clinics to assess and counsel prenatal clients as well as infants and children from low-income areas; RD services to Senior Nutrition Programs (congregate and Meals on Wheels); Department of Aging to provide Senior Nutrition and Physical Activity classes; Child Services which includes the Child Health and Disability Prevention Program (CHDP); Food Security as a resource of food assistance programs available through food pantries, community or faith-based food banks, and visit locations for food safety; Fitness/Wellness with elementary schools or community-based organizations to promote eating more fruit and vegetables and increasing physical activity. Apart from the hands-on experience, learning is facilitated by written assignments.

Program experiences include:

• Orientation to hospital and rotation sites: 3 weeks
• Medical Nutrition Therapy
  
  • Acute rotations: 8 weeks
  • Long-term rotation 12 weeks
• Hospital Foodservice: 7 weeks
• School Foodservice: 4 weeks
• Community Nutrition: 4 weeks
• Business Rotation: 2 weeks
• Staff relief (built into rotations)

One-week winter breaks are planned in November and December. In addition, all state holidays will be observed.

DIDACTIC SCHEDULE

ACADEMIC SCHEDULE

The MSNS/DI track will start in the fall term (see CSUSB academic calendar for exact dates) and will follow the CSUSB academic calendar for holidays and breaks to complete year 1 of the program. During the second year, students will begin dietetic internship in early August with the same program schedule as noted above. The MSNS degree will end in year two in early May and the dietetic internship will end shortly thereafter.

Sample Course Curriculum:

Program Curriculum*
Courses	Units
Year 1 - Fall	(9 units)
HSCI 6601 Macronutrient Biochemistry	3
HSCI 6603 Research Methods & Biostatistics in Nutrition Science	3
Elective	3
Year 1 - Spring	(9 units)
HSCI 6602 Micronutrient Biochemistry	3
HSCI 6653 Nutrition Assessment	3
Elective	3
Year 2 - Fall	(7 units)
HSCI 6973 Thesis or HSCI 6963 Project	3
HSCI 6690 Seminar	1
Elective	3
Year 2 - Spring	(7 units)
HSCI 6973 Thesis or HSCI 6963 Project	3
HSCI 6690 Seminar	1
Elective	3
Total Units	32 units

*Curriculum subject to change based on faculty and course availably

Candidates invited to interview for the DSH-Patton Dietetic Internship Program will also apply as a Graduate Student Assistant-Dietetic Intern. Upon acceptance to the DSH-Patton Dietetic Internship, all candidates must undergo a California State Criminal Background Check and pre-employment health clearance that includes a TB skin test and a drug screen with physical exam. Appointments are made prior to the start of the program and the background check and pre-employment health screening must be cleared before starting the program. The intern will complete this process through the DSH-Patton Human Resources Department at no charge. DSH-Patton will not be responsible for charges incurred if these services are not completed at DSH-Patton.

The program will only admit individuals who have completed Didactic Program in Dietetics requirements within the past 5 years*, have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college/university and have a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) or Foreign Dietitian Education (FDE) program verification statement.

Successful internship candidates will be dedicated to the field of dietetics, are self-motivated team players with excellent interpersonal skills. The DSH-Patton Dietetic Internship Program does not assess prior learning, including coursework and/or experiences, and does not apply prior learning credit toward meeting dietetic internship requirements. Please note, that completion of the recommended requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the DSH-Patton Dietetic Internship Program.

Selection criteria is based on the following:

• Minimum GPA of 3.0 (both cumulative and DPD)
• Paid and volunteer experience in the field of dietetics outside classroom field assignments. Other experiences outside dietetics will also be considered.
• Three letters of recommendation from: an academic professor/advisor, a work supervisor, and a personal friend (cannot be a family member or relative).
• A personal statement as part of the DICAS application, which demonstrates candidate to have a passion for nutrition with strong career goals and shows qualities to be a likely match for DSH-Patton.
• Leadership and participation in professional, social, and school organizations.
• In-person interviews, for top-rated applicants.

A Recent Education Form is only required if dietetic coursework was completed 5 or more years prior to the application deadline. If you completed your coursework 5 or more years prior to the application deadline, you must include the completed Recent Education Form and submit it through DICAS. If the date on the DPD Verification Statement is more than 5 years prior to the start date of the internship, the applicant must take or have taken at least 9 semester or 12 quarter credits in upper-division dietetics-related coursework within the past 5 years at a university with an approved DPD or coordinated program. At least one course in medical nutrition therapy is required.

ONCE SELECTED:

Upon acceptance into the DSH-Patton Dietetic Internship, each intern must meet the following criteria:

• Provide an original DPD Verification Statement signed by the Didactic Program Director on the first day of the internship program.
• A foreign degree equivalency statement is required for each international student who is accepted to the DSH-Patton Dietetic Internship Program and must be submitted as part of the DICAS application.
• Be concurrently enrolled in CSUSB for the Master of Science of Nutrition Science program.
• Interns must undergo a California State Criminal Background Check and pre-employment health clearance (physical exam) before starting the program. These services are provided by DSH-Patton and must be completed by the date specified in the Intern Welcome Letter upon acceptance into the program. An intern will not be allowed in the program if they do not pass the background check and/or physical exam per DSH requirements for employees.
• According to their policies for intern training, affiliate organizations may require interns to undergo additional background checks, drug screens, physical exams, and tuberculin skin tests. Efforts will be made to accommodate those prerequisites during the scheduled rotation; however, completion of prerequisites may be required before starting the rotation. The intern is responsible for all costs associated with background checks, drug screens, physical exams, and tuberculin skin tests required by affiliate organizations.
• Some affiliates require a full complement of childhood immunizations or proof of immunity through blood titers. Interns must have vaccinations or blood titers for Mumps, Rubeola, Rubella, Varicella, Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Tdap), Hepatitis B, Influenza (or declination), as well as a 2-step tuberculin skin test. These services, immunizations, and titers are provided by DSH-Patton free of charge but will not be reimbursed to the intern if services are provided elsewhere, or if required at offsite facilities.

The DSH-Patton Dietetic Internship Program participates in the Spring Computer Matching Process through DICAS (Dietetic Internship Centralized Application System). DICAS can be contacted by email at DICASInfo@DICAS.org or https://dicas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login. Mailed applications will not be accepted.

Submit a competed application to DICAS by 11:59 p.m. Central Time on January 15^th . DICAS charges $50 for the first application submitted and $25 for each additional application submitted. Each application should include:

• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended need to be sent postmarked by the January 15^th deadline to:
  
  
  • DICAS Transcript Processing Center
  • P.O. Box 9118
  • Watertown, MA 02471

• Foreign Students must have a valid visa which allows the intern to be employed by the State of California for the entire internship year. The course curriculum must meet the requirements of ACEND. Foreign transcripts can be verified through:
  
  
  • Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute, Inc.
  • 9461 Charleville Blvd, Box #188
  • Beverly Hills, CA 90212
  • United States of America
  • Phone (800) 243-1597
  • E-mail: acei@acei-global.org
  • www.acei1.com

• Three letters of recommendation from:
1. An academic professor/advisor
2. A work supervisor in a paid or volunteer position
3. Personal reference from a friend (cannot be a family member or relative)

• Include in your DICAS personal statement:
1. Why do you want to enter the dietetics profession?
2. Discuss experiences (whether challenging or not) that have helped prepare you for a future career in dietetics. If challenges were faced, how did you overcome them?
3. What are your short-term and long-term goals?
4. What are your strengths and weaknesses, or areas needing improvement?
5. Why are you interested in applying to Patton State Hospital Internship program?

• A current resume or curriculum vitae

• A DPD Verification Statement or Declaration of Intent to Complete Degree and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics minimum academic requirements
• A completed DICAS application
• Submit application to CSUSB’s MSNS program, pay required $70 fee for fall admission
• In-person interviews

• Applicants must mail (postmarked by January 15^th) a non-refundable $65 application fee made payable to “Department of State Hospitals-Patton”. Only a cashier’s check or money order will be accepted as a form of payment. Indicate the student’s name in the memo section. We cannot accept personal checks. Please do not mail in paperclips.
  
  
  • Mail application fees to:
  • Dietetic Internship Program Director
  • c/o Nutrition Services
  • Department of State Hospitals - Patton
  • 3102 E. Highland Ave
  • Patton, CA 92369

Interns must comply with the AND Code of Ethics, Standards of Practice for the Profession of Dietetics, DSH-Patton Administrative Directives, DSH-Patton Nutrition Services Policy & Procedures, and the policies and procedures of our affiliate organizations as outlined during the Dietetic Internship Orientation.

Interns must possess a master’s degree certificate by passing with a minimum of B or greater in the 32 semester units required for the MSNS degree at CSUSB and satisfactorily complete all required supervised practice components and assignments from the dietetic internship to receive a verification statement from the Dietetic Internship Program Director. Required supervised practice components include supervised practice rotations; didactic lectures, workshops, and seminars; and hospital and program orientations. Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited DSH-Patton Dietetic Internship Program are eligible to apply to take the CDR credentialing exam to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.

Sameh Mahfouz, MBA, RDN
Dietetic Internship Program Director
Department of State Hospitals - Patton
3102 East Highland Ave. Patton, CA 92369
Phone: (909) 672-1401
Email: PSHDieteticInternship@dsh.ca.gov