Thank you for your interest in the Aramark Distance Learning Dietetic Internship program. The program participates in the spring match every year. In this video, each step of the spring match process will be reviewed.

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There are seven main steps in the spring match process. The list starts with registrations that need to occur to access important websites and ends with directions for applicants once the match has occurred. The first step in the spring match application process is to register with the Dietetic Internship Centralized Application System, known as DICAS.

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DICAS will be available starting in December for the spring match. Applicants will need to access the DICAS portal and create their account. Any issues related to the DICAS portal can be addressed by their Customer Support team via email or phone. Applicants will experience a fee for the first application submitted and an additional fee for each subsequent application. The fee amount for each application is outlined on the DICAS portal.

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Once DICAS registration has occurred, the next step is to register with D&D Digital. D&D Digital is used to prioritize, or rank, the internship programs the applicant is applying to. The D&D Digital website is also the site that students log into on Match Day to see if they have matched to an internship program.

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Applicants interested in participating in the spring match must register online and pay the D&D Digital registration fee. Applicants will receive a username to allow them online access to the D&D Digital site after payment is complete. Applicants are expected to adhere to the responsibilities of the applicant, as outlined by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and ACEND. The D&D Digital website provides applicants with specific details on application due dates, computer matching process, and associated fees.

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Once DICAS and the D&D Digital registrations have occurred, the next step is to complete the DICAS application. The DICAS application provides applicants with specific instructions for each section of the application. We would like to provide applicants with a few details, specific to our program, about some of the sections.

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Applicants are responsible for submitting an official copy of each transcript from every university they have attended. The transcript should be sent directly from the university to DICAS. All transcripts must be received by DICAS in an unopened university envelope. DICAS will not accept photocopies, non-official transcripts, opened transcripts, and “Issued to Student” transcripts. Applicants should have their transcripts sent to DICAS as early as possible to increase the likelihood of the transcripts being scanned into the application by February 15th. The applicant is responsible for monitoring their application for transcript receipt. The DICAS address to send the transcripts to can be found here, as well as on the DICAS portal.

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The program places an emphasis on those applications demonstrating relevant work and/or volunteer experience within the dietetics profession. There is no recommended minimum amount of work or volunteer hours an applicant must have for this program.

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The program requires the standard personal statement to be completed as part of the DICAS application process. The personal statement should be a maximum of 8000 characters or approximately 1000 words. Applicants are expected to answer the standard five questions provided in DICAS. Applicants are also responsible for submitting a less than five minute video interview as part of their application. Applicants will need to follow the directions provided later in this video to develop the video and then provide the video website address in their personal statement. Throughout the application and within the personal statement, applicants are encouraged to highlight experiences or projects that showcase the qualities and characteristics seen in successful interns. Let’s take a quick look at those qualities and characteristics.

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Our program directors have seen these qualities and characteristics demonstrated in interns who are successful in our program. Applicants should identify which ones they currently demonstrate and highlight them through examples in the personal statement, as well as throughout the application.

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Three letters of recommendation are required as part of the application. No additional recommendation letters beyond the three are desired. Applicants should choose references who are familiar with their nutrition-based knowledge, oral and written communication skills, interpersonal skills, and professional behaviors. Out of the three recommendation letters, one letter needs to be from a professor; the second letter from a work manager or volunteer supervisor; and the third letter from either a professor, work manager, or a volunteer supervisor.

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In the Program Designation section of the application, applicants will be able to find our program listed under the state of Pennsylvania since that is where the Aramark Headquarters is located. Once applicants have searched under Pennsylvania, they will find our internship listed as the “Aramark Healthcare Dietetic Internship” program.

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The Site Selection document is the only supplemental item required by the program. All pages of the Site Selection document will need to be scanned as one document and uploaded to the DICAS application. The Site Selection document can be downloaded from the Aramark Dietetic Internship website. To complete the Site Selection document, applicants will first need to print the downloaded Site Selection document from the website. Applicants will then need to mark geographic locations that they are willing and able to be considered for with an “X.” Applicants will then need to scan the completed Site Selection document upload the completed Site Selection document to the DICAS system as a supplemental item.

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A portion of the Site Selection document is shown here. All pre-selected sites are listed in the Site Selection document and organized by state. The hospital website for each available location has been provided for applicants to view and learn about each site. The D&D Digital number has been provided for each location. These are the numbers that will be used in the D&D Digital system for ranking the internship choices. Applicants will need to mark with an “X” any location they would like to be placed at if matched with the program. If the applicant is only able to be located in one geographic area, then only one “X” will be seen on the sheet. Applicants are encouraged to mark geographic areas of interest and areas feasible for them to be placed. When considering locations, applicants need to ensure they would be able to be placed at any location listed within a geographic area. For example, applicants can see that D&D #119 for Aramark Chicago encompasses several locations – Central DuPage, NorthShore University Health System, and Advocate Condell Medical Center.

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Applicants are asked to provide a video interview as part of their application. The video interviews should be recorded using the EyeJot website available at eyejot.com. The video length should be 5 minutes or less. Once the video has been recorded, the completed video should be sent to the applicant’s personal email address. Once the applicant receives the email, they should open the email and copy the video website address. The website address to access the video should then be inserted into the personal statement.

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Even though this is not a traditional interview, applicants should consider this a professional interview. Professional dress, such as a business suit, is strongly encouraged for the video interview. Reading answers from a script should be avoided. Instead, practice the answers to each question as many times as needed until you can speak freely and unscripted. In preparing to record the video, applicants should taken into consideration the background of their video. Applicants should make sure that background noises are limited and that they will not be interrupted while recording. Applicants should always take a look at what is behind them in their videos. A background free of clutter will give off a more professional appearance. When starting your video, make sure to introduce yourself and mention your school affiliation. Now, let’s take a look at the five questions that should be answered in the video interview.

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The first question to answer is “Describe a time in which you took initiative, above and beyond what was expected of you, rather than waiting to be told what to do.” In the response, make sure to describe the situation, the actions that you took, and the result of the situation.

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Next, we would like applicants to describe a specific example of when they had to build rapport with a peer, customer, or manager. Please refrain from examples already mentioned in the application. In the response, do not speak generally on what you would do to create rapport with an individual. Instead, make sure to describe a specific situation, the steps taken to create the relationship, and the outcome of your efforts.

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Question #3 is “what are the characteristics of the Aramark internship that led you to apply?” Next, we would like to hear about a professional strength that you possess that makes you a great fit for the Aramark program. In your answer, give an example of a time when you demonstrated this strength.

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Finally, we would like for you to tell us the factors that you considered when choosing the Aramark locations for your internship. These are the locations you marked on the Site Selection document you provided in DICAS.

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Once applicants have completed their DICAS application, applicants will need to rank their internship choices on the D&D Digital website.

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Applicants are required to rank their internship choices by the deadline set by D&D. Applicants to the Aramark Dietetic Internship program will need to rank every geographic location they would like to be considered for, in order of preference. All geographic locations for the program will be found under Philadelphia, Pennsylvania which is considered the headquarters for the internship program. Specific D&D Digital numbers for each geographic location can be found on the Site Selection document. All deadlines for submitting and prioritizing a list of Dietetic Internships for match can be found on the D&D website.

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In addition to any fees paid directly to DICAS and D&D Digital during the application process, the Aramark Dietetic Internship program has an application fee that must be submitted prior to February 15.

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The $50 application fee should be paid by check and made payable to “Aramark Corporation.” The applicant’s name should be on the check. There are no additional documents to send with the check. The application fee should be sent to Aramark Global Business Systems at the address provided here.

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Once the spring match application deadline has closed, all applications to the program will undergo an initial screen by our regional directors and assistants.

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All applications submitted to the program are initially screened using three criteria. The application is first screened for completion to ensure all sections are completed. Second, the overall, DPD, and science GPAs are reviewed to ensure they meet the minimum requirements. Finally, the application is reviewed for any grammatical errors. The application is not taken through the full review process if a large number of grammatical errors are seen. If the application makes it through the initial screening process, then a full review is completed by our regional directors.

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The full review is comprised of six components. The personal letter is reviewed for the answers to the five required questions as well as to ensure the link to the video interview has been provided. Work and volunteer experience is reviewed for the amount and types of experience obtained up to this point. Participation in extracurricular activities, such as university-sponsored clubs, fraternities, sororities, or sports is also reviewed. Highlighting leadership positions in these activities can strengthen your application. References are reviewed to ensure one is obtained from each of the requested individuals as well as for the content of the letter. Finally, the video interview is reviewed to ensure all questions were answered and to evaluate the quality of the answers.

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After the application review, the program will rank our applicant choices in the D&D Digital system. On Match Day, the program directors as well as all applicants find out what program they matched to. Let’s review the steps an applicant needs to take if they are matched to the Aramark program.

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On Match Day, applicants can go to the D&D Digital website to view the matching results. Applicants will either see “one match” or “no match.”

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If an applicant is matched to the Aramark program, the applicant will need to email Cindy Banta by the designated date and time found on the D&D Digital website. In the email, the applicant’s name, acceptance confirmation, and preferred contact information should be provided. The program director will reply to the email to confirm receipt. The internship is under no obligation to hold a position if the email is not received by the designated date.

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Following first round, unmatched students and programs with openings remaining will advance to the second round process. Students who applied to the Aramark program, but did not match, will be given first priority for any Aramark positions not filled during the first round match.

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The Regional Internship Directors will reach out directly to any unmatched students to begin the second round selection. It is not necessary for students to contact the regional internship directors to inquire about openings. New applications to the program will be taken through DICAS if the program does not fill from first round applications.

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The application process is complete once the applicant can check off all the boxes on this checklist.

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Thank you for your interest in the Aramark Distance Learning Dietetic Internship program. Please connect with our social media sites and our regional directors to get your questions answered and learn more about our program. Thank you.

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