The WVU Medicine Dietetic Internship offers a coordinated Master’s/Dietetic Internship Program with an emphasis in medical nutrition therapy. The Dietetic Internship Program at WVU Medicine J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital is a 41-week, full-time comprehensive program. We have current connections with master’s programs through WVU for in-person completion prior to attending our program, and Marshall University for online completion while completing the internship program. Applicants without a master’s degree must plan to attend the in-person master’s program at WVU prior to attending our internship, plan to attend the online master’s degree at Marshall University, or be in the process of obtaining an online master’s degree at another university.
Eight applicants can be matched to the program each year, and they obtain more than 1,200 hours of supervised practice experience with training in clinical, administrative, and community dietetics. Students can engage with their faculty, preceptors, and patients on a regular basis.
Upon successful completion of the master’s degree and internship supervised practice requirements, students will be qualified to receive a certificate of completion, which makes them eligible to sit for the national registration examination. For more than five years, our graduates have achieved an 85 percent pass rate their first time taking the registered dietitian exam.
The WVU Medicine Dietetic Internship Program is granted accreditation status through June 30, 2026, by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606-6995, 800-877-1600, https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend.
The WVU Medicine Dietetic Internship Program began in 1983 and is administered by the Department of Nutrition Services. Prospective applicants are encouraged to visit WVU Medicine and schedule a tour with Jill Johnston, MS, RD, LD, internship director. You will be able to ask questions about the WVU Medicine Dietetic Internship Program and meet preceptors and current students.
Faculty
Our clinical preceptors are registered and licensed dietitians, and many are also graduates of the WVU Medicine Dietetic Internship Program. They have advanced training/certifications and experience in a variety of medical specialties. WVU Medicine dietitians complete nutrition-focused physical exams for patients, write orders for supplements and labs, and participate in malnutrition coding, which enables hospital reimbursement for services.
Jill Johnston, MS, RD, LD
Clinical Nutrition Manager and Dietetic Internship Director
WVU Medicine Nutrition Services
1 Medical Center Drive
Morgantown, WV 26506-8016
jill.johnston@wvumedicine.org
304-598-4105