How many applications do you receive?
Many internships are seeing an increase in the number of applications they receive, but don’t let this stand in the way of applying to the internship you feel is a good fit for you. For the 2011 match we received 83 applications for our regular (local) track and 13 applications for the new distance clinical track. We received 96 applications in 2010 and 61 applications in 2009.

What are the class days like?
Classes are held every Monday in the fall and spring semesters. In most cases class is from 9am to 4pm; however there may be some classes that require an earlier start time or a later end time. The majority of classes are held on campus, but a few may be held off site. Classes consist of a variety of different learning activities including: lecture and discussion, group activities, guest speakers, intern presentations, etc. Our fall classes include the Clinical Nutrition Applications class as well as the Educating through the Lifecycle class, where interns will learn about educating different age groups and have the chance to prepare and present short presentations. Our spring classes include the Food, Wellness and Social Environment class as well as the Research and Health Promotion Project class.

Is it possible to work while completing the internship?
Full time interns are expected to work 40 hours/week on internship rotations and classes. Additional time is required during some rotations for homework which does not allow much time for an outside job. Interns who would like to work during the internship year usually complete the internship on a part-time basis to allow time for an outside job.

What does it mean to complete the internship full-time and part-time?
Full-time interns will complete 40 hours/week of internship work and classes and are expected to finish the internship in 11 to 12 months. Part-time interns will complete a minimum of 20 hours/week and are expected to finish the program in 12 to 18 months. Interns can choose to complete the program on a full-time, a part-time or a combination basis. Please note: the clinical rotation requires interns to work 4 days/week.

What will my hours be during the day?
The hours you work during the day depends on the rotation. In your clinical rotation, you will work the hours that your preceptor works, and in most cases that is an 8 hour day. Your foodservice rotation will likely be 8 hour days as well. However, you may need to go in early to help with receiving a delivery or you may need to stay late and do an evening shift. In your other rotations (community, specialty and independent study) the hours will vary greatly depending what kinds of projects your working on. You can also expect a small amount of internship work and homework on the weekends.

How much time will I spend driving to and from rotations?
New Hampshire is a rural state, and many of our practice sites are a distance from Keene so you can expect a good bit of driving. There is only one hospital in Keene, which takes two interns per year for their clinical rotation. Therefore, most interns can expect to drive between 60 and 90 minutes each way to their clinical rotation, which is 55 days long. Similarly, some interns can expect to drive up to an hour each way to their foodservice rotation, which is approximately 4 weeks long. When we schedule interns for their clinical and foodservice rotations we take into account driving time, and for those who have a longer drive to clinical we try to schedule a foodservice site that is closer to Keene. There is much less driving in the community rotation as many sites are close to Keene. Note: Driving to and from rotations does not count as internship hours.

Do you take multiple interns from one school?
We often receive multiple applications from a single school. We do not rank more than two applicants from a single school in a given year.

Do you offer a RD exam review course?
While we do not offer an official RD exam review course, we do other things to help interns prepare for the RD exam. We have a class day set aside to talk about the exam, and we have also come up with our own flashcards that the interns are quizzed on in each of the spring classes. This gets the study process started early. We do encourage interns to take advantage of review courses and other study materials.

What is the dress code?
Interns must dress professionally at all times unless otherwise specified. When interns are at a rotation site outside of Keene State College, they must follow the dress code of that facility.

Is there anything I can do to prepare for the internship?
Once accepted into the program, interns must complete a series of clinical homework assignments during the summer prior to the start of the program. These assignments are very comprehensive worksheets covering a number of disease states, and take a great deal of time to complete.

What are the class days like?
Classes will be held every Monday in the fall and every other Monday in the spring. In the fall we hold clinical classes as well as our Education through the Lifecycle class, where interns will learn about educating different age groups and have the chance to prepare and give short presentations. In the spring we hold a number of different classes and often have guest speakers come and talk about their areas of expertise. Examples of these classes include: whole foods cooking classes, energetics of food and the body, behavior change, complementary medicine, entrepreneurship, grant writing, and many more.

Is there financial aid available?
Financial Aid is available to interns as graduate students in the form of an alternative student loan. The FASFA form is not required. Once interns are accepted they are given the contact information for our KSC financial aid department.

Will I need to do an interview as part of the application process?
Once all applications are received and screened, some applicants will be called to schedule a telephone interview. Interviews are conducted by current interns and are recorded so the selection committee can listen to them when they are reviewing the entire application.

Why do you require a portfolio?
We believe the portfolio is a great marketing tool for an applicant to show us their experiences, strengths, and interests. It helps the selection committee determine whether an applicant is a good fit for the program and allows the intern to show us their creativity.

Is their housing available on campus?
There is no housing available on campus, but there are many housing opportunities available in Keene and the surrounding towns. We can help steer you in the right direction when looking for housing.

Do I get any graduate credits?
Yes. There are 18 graduate credits awarded for the internship year. Interns receive nine graduate credits each in the fall and spring semester. Three credits each semester are for supervised practice, the others are for internship classes.

What kind of jobs have past KSC dietetic interns gotten?
Our graduates have a wide variety of job options and we believe the self direction and management skills gained during our internship are particularly helpful in finding non-traditional RD employment. We have former interns who work at clinical sites and long term care, school and college food service management, worksite wellness, Cooperative Extension, Head Start, research, marketing, private practice, fitness organizations, higher education, and more. Graduates have worked with organizations such as Easter Seals, Cabot Creamery, Movable Feast (nutrition services for people with HIV/AIDS), the DASH website, and Early Sprouts (gardening and nutrition education for preschoolers.)

Can I visit the internship?
Yes. Every year we hold a few open houses in the months before applications are due. If you can’t make it to an open house you may schedule a visit with the internship director.

How can I make my application stand out?
We are most interested in interns who want to do the kind of work we specialize in – community health and nutrition education. The ideal applicant’s work, volunteer experience, and personal statement should provide examples of their interest in this area. Thoughtfully chosen and annotated portfolio items can demonstrate this commitment. Like other internships we consider all aspects of the application, so strong recommendations are important. While we don’t have a GPA cut-off, applicants with lower grades will need to impress us in other ways.

Can I take a vacation during the internship year?
Yes, with prior approval from the internship director. Interns are entitled to two weeks of vacation during the program. Additional vacation time may be requested and granted, but it will postpone the intern’s program completion date.

What is the Distance Clinical Option?
Each year we accept 6 interns into the Distance Clinical Track. The intern will locate their own clinical rotation site in their home community or geographic area of their choice. These interns will come to Keene and complete all other internship requirements from September through May. In May or June they will return to their home communities to complete the clinical rotation at their previously arranged site. These sites and the clinical preceptors must be submitted with the internship application. This Distance Clinical Track will allow us to accept more interns into our program.