Selection Criteria

The intern selection process is based upon the factors outlined below. We are interested in selecting interns who have strong academic backgrounds, effective communication skills, and success in cooperative work with others. Our past interns have come from schools across the U.S.. We have taken more than one student from the same school for the same class. Our goal is to select the best students from the applicant pool, without setting arbitrary limits on our choices. The ideal intern class is a diverse group composed of strong students who will be successful in our internship and as professionals. The Admissions Committee uses the following criteria when reviewing applications. Every student does not meet all of these criteria and a student’s chance of acceptance depends on the number and qualifications of the applicants in that year's pool.

• Academic Preparation
• Work Experience
• Extracurricular Activities
• College and Work References
• Affirmative Action

Academic Preparation

1. Grades: We have no minimum grade point requirement. However, we give particular attention to your GPA for science and nutrition courses and prefer a GPA of at least 3.0 in these courses. Experience has shown that good grades in these areas are important because the major strength of our program is clinical nutrition. Your GPA in the major courses and your overall GPA are also considered.
2. Level of Courses: Did you take academically rigorous courses when you were eligible to do so?
3. Course Beyond ADA Minimum Requirements: Did you take additional courses over the minimum required in nutrition, sciences, mathematics, communications or other subjects?
4. Electives: When you had the time, were electives taken in other areas to provide a well-rounded education? We are aware that most dietetics programs have limited time for electives.
5. Recency of Courses: Is your course work recent? Course work should have been completed within three years of the entrance date to the internship. If your course work is older, you must have taken an upper division course in physiology and one in clinical nutrition within the last three years.
6. Graduate Record Examination Scores: We use these as an additional means to judge the quality of academic preparation.

Work Experience

Do you have any work experience? Is it in a food-related field? Is it in hospital food and/or nutrition services? We look for work demonstrating the ability to work with others, leadership and dependability. Work experience related to dietetics is a plus, but is not required.

Extra-Curricular Activities

Have you been involved in any activities that indicate an ability to relate to others, provide leadership, work cooperatively, etc.?

College and Work References

We are looking for leadership, scholarship, ability to work in undirected situations, ability to meet deadlines, application of academic knowledge, ability to work with others, and communication skills.

Affirmative Action

The UCSF Medical Center Dietetic Internship is committed to providing training to qualified students from a wide range of cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, handicap, or age in any of our policies, procedures, or practices; nor do we discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.

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