Work Hours

The dietetic internship is a full-time program and dietetic interns are expected to be in rotations or didactics on a full-time basis, at least 40 hours per week.  Supervised practice hours will vary with the requirements of the individual rotation to which the dietetic intern is assigned.  Due to the professional nature of the dietetic internship, dietetic interns should anticipate spending additional time outside of the normal workday to complete assignments and projects.

Generally, the dietetic intern’s supervised practice hours will be similar to that of the preceptor the intern is assigned to at the time.  During clinical and ambulatory rotations, dietetic interns can expect to work normal business hours.  Rotations in management may require the dietetic intern to work early morning and late evening shifts on various days.

After demonstration of competence in the clinical nutrition core rotation, interns are scheduled to work weekends.  One intern and two adult dietitians are scheduled to work a Saturday shift.  The intern receives an earned day off which will be scheduled during the preceding week (or as determined by the Internship Coordinator based on scheduled learning experiences).  Interns can expect to work approximately 7 weekends per year.

Dietetic interns can expect to work approximately 1 to 2 university designated holidays.  There are 11 holidays in the intern schedule during the year (Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving (2), Christmas Day (2), New Year's Day (2), Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday, President's Day, Memorial Day and Juneteenth).