Your Dietetic Internship application Personal Statement is the first impression a Dietetic Internship will have about why you want to attend their program, your personality, career goals, qualifications, and worth. It also gives you the chance to tell the program why you want a registered dietitian and why you want a career in dietetics. This may be your only chance to demonstrate your ability and your interest in the program to hopefully move forward and get an interview. Your personal statement needs to be relevant, honest, enthusiastic, and memorable. Here are tips and bloopers to avoid, according to the experts.

Dietetic Internship Personal Statement Requirements

The online Dietetic Internship Centralized Application Services (DICAS) website is where you will be submitting your Dietetic Internship Applications (assuming you will be applying to more than one Internship) for almost all Internships. You will check with each individual Dietetic Internship's website for instructions regarding the application.

It may seem obvious, but it is important to follow their instructions on how to submit your application, including your Personal Statement. They give some information on specifically how to tackle your Personal Statement. Here's what they say:

Requirements

• You can either choose to create one generic statement that is suitable for all programs you are applying to or you can create multiple tailored statements which specifically address each individual program.
• Do not exceed the maximum length of 1,000 words.
• Use your own words. Plagiarizing any part of your personal statement is a violation of DICAS policies and may subject you to sanctions.
• Use simple formatting.

Proofreading

Be sure to read over your essay several times to catch any spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc., errors before submitting. Once you submit your application, you cannot edit your essay. If you find an error after submission that you believe could have major effects on your application, we recommend sending a corrected copy directly to the programs you applied to.

What to Include in Your Personal Statement

There are standard questions to address in your Personal Statement. You may also include additional information specific to the Dietetic Internship and what they may require. They should specify on their application instructions what additional questions to address.

• Why do you want to enter the dietetics profession?
• Discuss experiences that have helped to prepare you for your career,
• What are your short-term and long-term goals?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses or areas needing improvement?
• What other information do you consider important for the selection decision?
• Why do you want to attend XYZ Dietetic Internship?
• Describe your interest in [food service] or [child nutrition] or [clinical nutrition] or [community nutrition], depending on the focus or concentration of the Internship

9 Winning Tips on Writing Your Personal Statement

1. Show Your Worth. Wanda Siu-Chan, MS, RD, Dietetic Internship Director/Lecturer at San Francisco State University department of Consumer & Family Studies/Dietetics, advises to elaborate on 1-3 work or volunteer experiences which enhance your qualifications and commitment to the profession. Don’t just re-write what is already in your DICAS application or resume. Instead, explain in more detail and/or describe a specific experience to help the committee learn more about you.

2. Sell Yourself. Jenny Westerkamp, RDN, Owner of All Access Dietetics, recommends to be comfortable with “selling” yourself and telling the committee how great you are. You are not bragging. If you don’t express your self-worth with specific examples and evidence, the directors will not know how special you are.

3. Be Specific. Vague reasons on why you want to attend the program such as “fantastic teaching hospital” or “variety of rotations” is too generic, informs Westerkamp. Instead, choose specific rotations that line up with your own experiences and goals. Try to think of 3 good reasons why that particular internship program is the right fit for you, suggests Westerkamp.

4. Follow Directions. If the internship program asks a specific question for the personal statement, make sure you answer the question providing specific details and examples. Also include ways you hope to be a leader in the field, proposes Westerkamp.

5. Edit. Edit. Having a spelling, grammar, or organizational blooper demonstrates a lack of attention to detail and writing ability, both of which are important qualities to securing an internship, per Siu-Chan. Remember, this is your first impression to stand out and make an impact, so make sure to diligently proofread your personal statement.

6. Two sets of eyes are better than one. Siu-Chan concludes to have an instructor, professor, or fellow student read your personal statement and provide feedback. You don’t have to take all the feedback, but it may be helpful. Many colleges offer assistance at the career center or writing/tutoring center, informs Siu-Chan.

7. Should you include a title on your Personal Statement? Nicole Vance of Application Insider gives great advice on this topic. Even though the Internship Director will not see the title you include in the box on the DICAS application form it does allow you to include a title specific for the Internship for which you re applying. This helps you make sure the correct application and Personal Statement go to the correct Internship.

8. Explain your passion for becoming a dietitian. Debra Wein, MS, RDN, LDN, NSCA-CPT, CWPD of Wellness Workdays Dietetic Internship recommends sharing more about yourself and specifically why you have chosen the career of dietetics and why you want to become a dietitian. It's important for the Internship to understand who you are, beyond your GPA.

9. Match your Personal Statement to the Internship. Just like when you are job hunting, you want to tailor the cover letter. The same goes for your Personal Statement - you want to individualize it for the Internship. You also want to make sure your philosophies and interest in program's concentration are aligned with your interests. Make that known in your Personal Statement!

Mistakes to Avoid on Your Dietetic Internship Personal Statement

After you have followed all the tips for success above, make sure you avoid some of these common mistakes as well. Some bloopers are obvious to avoid, but because the process is so complex and detailed it is easy to make these bloopers.

1. Misspelling the name of the Dietetic Internship Program on your Personal Statement. Yikes! This is an easy mistake to make but a deadly mistake. Go with the rule of data entry from research, always copy and paste when given the options. Copy the exact program name from their website.

2. Not tailoring your Personal Statement to the program. This may seem obvious but applicants frequently leave out the additional questions or supplemental questions that the program has requested. Take the time to address those questions for each individual application and program. It really will be worth your time. This is your time to show them why you really are the best candidate for the program. This isn't the time to be generic.

3. Writing just one Personal Statement for all the Dietetic Internship Programs. This blooper is in line with the one above. You will need to create a Personal Statement for each of the programs to which you are applying. But that doesn't mean you have to start from scratch each time. You just need to include the name of the program in the individualized Personal Statements. And also include why you want to attend that program, even if that's not a supplemental question they ask.

Resources from the Experts

There are several dietitians who have business helping you be successful in submitting your Dietetic Internship Application, including help with the Personal Statement.

Personal Statement Samples

• Application Insider has a Personal Statement Sample Pack for purchase.
• All Access Dietetics has a DICAS Boot Camp that includes a seminar on Personal Statements (use my affiliate code NUTRITIONJOBS for a 20% discount on all purchases).

Personal Statement Self-Guided Course

• Application Insider also has a self-guided Course for purchase.
• All Access Dietetics has a DICAS Boot Camp that includes the Self-Guided Get Matched Course (use my affiliate code NUTRITIONJOBS for a 20% discount on all purchases).
• All Access Dietetics has a Get Matched Coaching program (use my affiliate code NUTRITIONJOBS for a 20% discount on all purchases).

Personal Statement Details Download

• Application Insider offers a free Details download. Every bit of guidance helps.
• All Access Dietetics has a free DICAS Starter Kit

You've Got This!

Your personal statement will pave the way to whether you get an interview or not. A well-planned, well-researched, and well-written personal statement can land you your dietetic internship of choice.

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About the Author

Sarah Koszyk is founder of Family. Food. Fiesta. A family-based wellness program and blog focusing on recipes, family health tips, and videos with kids cooking in the kitchen. She is a Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Coach specializing in sports nutrition and adult and pediatric weight management. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, or LinkedIn.