MS-DI & DI Only Application

The Montana Dietetic Internship (MDI) integrates experiences in clinical and community nutrition, foodservice management, and a sustainable food systems focus to provide a unique and progressive supervised dietetic practice experience to future registered dietitians. The MDI program meets the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics Competencies for preparing knowledgeable professionals in the practice of dietetics.

Masters of Science/Dietetic Internship (MS-DI) - Dietetic Systems Leadership MS

  • Dietetic Systems Leadership coursework begins on May 13th, 2024
  • First year 100% online coursework
  • Second year supervised practice hours - dietetic internship
  • 36 graduate-level credits for MS-DI
  • 12 graduate-level credits for DI
  • Remain in home community for first year
  • Assigned to one of seven geographic areas in Montana or Wyoming (Billings, Butte, Great Falls, Helena, Kalispell, or Missoula, Montana; or Sheridan, Wyoming) after foundation weeks in the Bozeman area in the Summer of year 2
  • Supervised practice begins in early August 2nd year and ends in May

Fall 2023 & Spring 2024 Application Deadlines

Selection Process

Application deadline through the DICAS Portal

Application fee paid to MDI

Register online with D&D Digital

Notification of Program Decision

Confirm Acceptance with MDI Directors by phone or email

Non-refundable $1000 Deposit  paid or postmarked to MDI by

Preselect

Sunday, November 19th, 2023, 11:59 pm MST Not required

Monday, December 4th, 2023

Wednesday, December 6th, 2023, 5:00 PM MST

Monday, December 11th, 2023, 5 PM MST

National - Priority Deadline*

Priority Deadline

Friday, December 15th, 2023, 11:59 pm MST - 

Not Required

Tuesday, Janary 16th, 2024

Thursday, January 18th, 2024

Tuesday, January 23rd, 2024, 5 PM MST

National - Rolling Deadline

If we do not fill all slots by priority deadline, we will accept rolling deadline applications ahead of match January, 15th, 2024, 11:59 PM CST

Not Required

1 week after interview.

Last date: Thursday, February 1st, 2024 at earliest

2 days after MDI offer

 Written withdrawal from D&D match, if necessary

 

1 week after acceptance of MDI offer

Last date: Thursday, February 8th, 2024, 5 PM MST

 

Spring 2024 D&D Match

 Applications Deadline February 15th, 11:59 PM CST

February 15th, 2024, 11:59 PM CST 

Sunday, April 7, 2024 match day is announced

Monday, April 8th at 6 PM MST

Monday, April 15th, 6 PM MST

*Applications in DICAS must be "Submitted" (not "In Progress") to MDI by December 15, 2023 to be considered for priority deadline. Applicants with submitted applications to MDI in DICAS are considered for interviews starting Jan 3-5, 2024 as the next step in the selection process. See 4:56 min in this applicant video to submit your application to one program at a time https://vimeo.com/752082325/0893b172b9 

To be considered for the MS-DI (2024-26) & DI only (2024-25 & 2025-26) in D&D Spring Match with February 15, 2024 deadline:

  • Submit your application through the DICAS Portal
  • Payment of $57 application fee paid online or mailed to MDI, address below.
  • For 2024 Spring Match, register with D&D Digital for this selection process.
  • Do not apply to the MSU Graduate school unless directed by the MDI team.

 

To be considered for the MS-DI (2024-26) or DI only (2024-25 & 2025-26) in the preselect category for Montana State University graduates:

  • Completion, or near completion of, a degree from MSU with the appropriate Verification Statement from the Department of Food Systems, Nutrition & Kinesiology Didactic Program in Dietetics.
  • Submit your application through the DICAS Portal indicating MDI as a choice
  • The MDI team will interview pre-select applicants November 27 - December 1, 2023 
  • Payment of $57 application fee paid online or mailed to MDI, address below.
  • Preselect candidates do not need to register with D&D Digital for this selection process or apply to the MSU Graduate school.

 

Application Steps for MS-DI & DI only:

  1. To be considered, send an application fee of $57 directly to MDI postmarked by the application deadline. (This is a separate fee from the D&D Digital and DICAS fees.) Please pay online  or mail to:

Montana Dietetic Internship

Montana State University

PO Box 173370

Bozeman, MT 59717-3370

Make checks payable to Montana Dietetic Internship. Note that the Application Fee is NONREFUNDABLE** This is a separate fee from the D&D Digital and DICAS fees.

  1. Submit application materials through the Dietetic Internship Computer Application Service (DICAS) Portal by the appropriate deadline.

Resources including instructional videos for using DICAS are available from ACEND.

Notice – MDI students are required to complete a background check. Applicants shall include in the ‘Background Section’ of their DICAS application any information that could appear in a background check. Background checks are comprehensive and can include findings such as all arrests and criminal charges even if dismissed or deferred, as well as expunged records. Failure to disclose a discrepancy could have worse consequences than not disclosing on DICAS if discovered later upon review of a background check report and may be cause for termination from the program.

  1. Include the following submissions in your DICAS application: an official Verification Statement from an ACEND accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) or a completed Declaration of Intent to Complete Degree statement, official transcript(s), and a resume.
  2. In the DICAS application personal statement section please title your statement specifically for MDI and address the following questions in a narrative style using approximately 1,000 words:

A. Why have you selected a career in the field of dietetics and what attracts you to a graduate degree in Dietetic Systems Leadership? 

For DI Only: Why have you selected a career in dietetics and what attracts you to the Montana Dietetic Internship?

B. How would a sustainable food systems background benefit you as a dietetic professional? What is the importance of considering sustainable food systems to the profession?

C. Which characteristics, attributes and experiences best prepare you for success in this MS-DI or DI only program?

D. How will MDI's unique program offerings support you in becoming the future RDN that you envision yourself to be?

E. Describe how you would be successful living and working in rural communities in Montana during supervised practice. Include your experience and/or philosophy in providing inclusive and compassionate care.

F. If needed, please address any weaknesses in your application.

G. Please identify top two preferred regions to be assigned to for the supervised practice year (Billings,Butte, Helena, Kalispell, Great Falls, Missoula or Sheridan, WY)

    • Preferences will be taken into account, but there is no guarantee for a particular placement. Interns will be given their rotation placement prior to the beginning of the internship for the purposes of planning logistics.
    • Please clarify if you are applying for Dietetic Internship Only.
  1. Three letters of recommendation are required and will be submitted through DICAS in an electronic format. References should be written by:
    • One or two collegiate professors (RDN or non-RDN)
    • Employer, (RDN or Non-RDN) and/or an RDN with whom you have worked or volunteered
    • Please notify your references that once their contact information has been provided to DICAS an email is generated requesting them to complete a reference for you. Refer your references to an instructional video for further clarification, Submitting Reference Letters to Centralized DI Application System
  1. For rolling deadline applicants who will participate in D&D match– in addition to submitting your application to Montana Dietetic Internship through DICAS and sending the application fee to MSU, each applicant who intends to participate in Spring match must also register through D&D Digital and choose the MS/DI in their prioritized list. 

Who Should Participate in D&D Digital Spring Match? The MDI asks for a $1000 non-refundable deposit from all pre-selected and priority deadline applicants. Meaning, that if you accept a slot in the MS-DI for 2024-26 or the DI only during the December 15th priority deadline round, you will pay the non-refundable deposit by January 23rd, 2024. Priority application is a great option for applicants who would rank the MDI as their first choice. The nationwide match may be a good fit for applicants who would like to include the MDI in their ranking, but want a chance to see if they might match with another program. For the Spring 2024 match, the MDI will participate if there are slots available after priority deadline. MDI will ask for a verbal commitment 24 hrs after match and a $1000 non-refundable deposit within 7 days of match announcements.

  1. Please note that you do not need to apply to the MSU Graduate School until after you have been officially accepted into the MS/DI program. Upon acceptance into the MS/DI program, we will send you the link to apply to the grad school. 
  2. Not required for Applicants- GRE scores can be sent to Montana State University, Campus Code 4488.