Graduation Requirements

Completion of the Dietetic Internship requires the following:

• Successful completion of all planned supervised practice rotations and assignments as evaluated by preceptors and the DI Director. Successful completion of each rotation is based on the internship program’s Competency Assessment Plan. Interns should receive a score of 3 (on a 5 point scale) or higher on all evaluations.
• The DI provides a minimum of 1,112 hours of supervised practice.
• Successful completion of a graduate degree.
• The intern will receive written notification of progress toward completion of requirements throughout the year in the form of written evaluations and monthly meetings with the program director to discuss progress.
• After satisfactory completion of the supervised practice and completion of a graduate degree, the graduate will receive a verification statement and will be eligible to sit for the CDR credentialing exam for dietitian nutritionists.

Steps to Become an RDN

The 6 Steps

1. Complete a bachelor's degree and receive a verification statement from an ACEND-accredited program (Didactic Program in Dietetics, Coordinated Program, Future Graduate Program, Foreign or International Dietitian Education Program) Note: Effective January 1, 2024, a graduate degree will be required to be eligible to take the Commission on Dietetic Registration. (Dietetic registration exam.)
2. Complete a graduate degree
3. Complete an ACEND-accredited supervised practice dietetic internship program or Individual Supervised Practice Pathway is an option. The NOMC dietetic internship achieves this step.
4. Pass the Commission on Dietetic Registration's dietetic registration exam.
5. Gain licensure in your state of practice, if applicable.
6. Maintain continuing education.

Learn more about how to become a registered dietitian nutritionist.

"Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master's degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). In order to be approved for registration examination eligibility with a bachelor's degree, an individual must meet all eligibility requirements and be submitted into CDR's Registration Eligibility Processing System (REPS) before 12:00 midnight Central Time, December 31, 2023. For more information about this requirement visit CDR's website. In addition, CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in program(s) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND-accredited Dietetic Internship program at North Oaks Medical Center are eligible to apply to take the CDR credentialing exam to become an RDN.

In most states, graduates also must obtain licensure or certification to practice. For more information about state licensure requirements click here.

For more information about educational pathways to become a RDN click here."