Is a Distance Dietetic Internship Right for You?
A distance dietetic internship is one of the many different pathways to becoming a registered dietitian. A distance DI program provides flexibility and a custom internship experience that you might not find in other options. But is a distance dietetic internship right for you?
A distance DI program brings some unique challenges and experiences that may not be the best fit for everyone.
Ask yourself the following questions to discover if a distance dietetic internship is the right choice for you.
Are you self-directed, motivated and proactive?
With a distance program, you are responsible for securing your own rotations. This is often one of the biggest challenges of a distance program. It is not uncommon to hear a lot of “no’s” before you find a good fit. But with persistence and a good sales pitch, all of our past interns have secured rotation sites and we’re confident you’ll be successful too. Furthermore, once you’re matched to our program, we will share our preceptor list which includes hundreds of possible preceptor sites.
We also have several helpful blogs that will point you in the right direction for securing preceptors:
Six Networking Strategies to Secure Preceptors for a Dietetic Internship
How to Reach Out to Potential Preceptors for a Dietetic Internship
Successful interns in our program are self-directed, motivated and aren’t afraid to reach out to preceptors to secure the rotations of their dreams.
Do you want the freedom to choose your own rotation experiences in your dietetic internship?
Perhaps the biggest bonus of a distance dietetic internship is the flexibility to design your own internship experience. With KBDI, you can choose which preceptors you would like to work with. If you have an interest in private practice or aspire to work as a media dietitian, you have the freedom to complete a rotation at these sites. Not interested in the traditional community rotation at WIC? No problem.
The possibilities for community rotations are endless (food access centers, community gardens, specialty medical clinics, retail grocery stores, sports nutrition centers, etc). We also offer a unique 7-week business rotation and a 3-week enrichment rotation. Our internship design allows you to create your own unique internship experiences.
Are you technologically savvy and do you enjoy online learning?
At KBDI, we conduct our orientation and class days virtually. Interns are expected to have high-speed WIFI and must be comfortable engaging in our dynamic and interactive class experiences. If you’re hoping to log into class while cleaning the house, we’re definitely not the right program for you. At KBDI, we believe that online learning is the future.
Do you take initiative when you need additional support?
One of the myths about distance dietetic internship is that you’ll be on your own throughout the internship experience. At KBDI, we offer frequent support through email and virtual meetings. Our team is there to support you throughout the entire internship experience, whether that is providing help with securing a rotation, navigating a difficult preceptor, or narrowing down your career path. At KBDI, we truly care about our interns and will help you succeed no matter the barriers that you might encounter.
Do you enjoy connecting with individuals from diverse backgrounds?
A lot of prospective interns are concerned that they’ll miss out on the cohort feel and peer support in a distance internship. At KBDI we truly believe in the importance of fostering a strong team environment. During our orientation and class days, we facilitate activities to help our interns create life-long connections. Our past interns remain close even though many have never even met in person.
Do you have a passion for business and entrepreneurship?
KBDI is the right distance-based internship for you, if you want to gain all of the business training that you’ll need to launch the business of your dreams right after you pass the RD exam. Our curriculum is rigorous, but we provide our interns with practical experiences in business and the skills they need to be future RDentrepreneurs.
Is a Distance Dietetic Internship Right for You?
KBDI isn’t just another distance dietetic internship. We offer a one of a kind DI experience with our unparalleled support, innovative curriculum and business emphasis.
If this sounds great to you, we’d love to hear from you!