Dietitian, Nutritionist...interchangeable terms right? Not so fast! There is a significant difference in the credentials of Registered Dietitians and nutritionists. When I changed my major from pre-pharmacy to Nutrition, I thought i was going to be a quasi trainer that worked at a gym and talked about how to eat right. After a year of nutrition classes, my adviser asked me if I was going to pursue the Nutrition "track" or the Dietetics "track". I had no idea what she was talking about. She explained that the Nutrition track was good for those going on to medical school, dental school, pharmacy school etc. The dietetics track was for those who wanted to be a Registered Dietitian. I knew I wanted to be a dietitian, but still wasn't sure what all i could do as a dietitian. I began to take medical nutrition therapy classes, nutritional metabolism, nutrition and the life-cycle, food service management, and my favorite, FOOD SCIENCE LAB (i.e. make all kinds of tasty food and eat it)! I realized that dietitians work in hospitals, restaurants, WIC clinics, dialysis centers, gyms, schools, grocery stores, food companies and even private practices. Clearly there was much more to being a dietitian than working in a gym talking about protein and calories. The cool part about the curriculum is that you are required to complete competencies in three different areas, Clinical Nutrition (hospitals), Food Service (restaurants, school food service, hospital food service) and Community (WIC Clinics, Food banks). This forces you to be exposed to a variety of work environments and jobs which in the end helps to decide what area you want to pursue in your career.
I currently work in a hospital and am often asked what a dietitian does in the hospital setting. Nutrition Support is one area the RD plays an integral role. This involves enteral and parenteral nutrition (think feeding tubes and intravenous nutrition). Dietitians also do a lot of nutrition education for special diets for a variety of medical conditions including diabetes, renal failure, post transplant, hypertension (high blood pressure) and cardiovascular disease.
So what does it take to be an RD?
First you have to complete a Bachelors degree in Dietetics or related field. My undergraduate degree also incorporates a minor in Chemistry. Many people don't realize the amount of science that is required for this degree. After this, you must apply to/get accepted to an accredited internship program. This is a pretty competitive process and there are considerably more applicants than there are internship spots. There is a minimum amount of hours you must complete in each of the three areas to fulfill the requirements for the internship. My internship was a combined Masters degree/Internship program that involved full time work at internship sites, and taking classes on line or in the evenings. After you complete the internship, you have to take the national exam to get the RD credential. After you obtain the credential, you must complete continuing education credits and turn them in to the Commission on Dietetic Registration to maintain your credential. Some states require licensing in addition to the RD credential as well.
It sounds like a lot, and I wont say it was a walk in the park, but the hard work pays off! Being a registered dietitian is not only a rewarding career, but also extremely versatile and ever changing. With continued research indicating the importance of proper nutrition, dietitians will play an important role in educating the public to create healthier communities!
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