Dietitian

Job Description:

Dietitians use nutritional science in order to help people maintain their health and to promote healthy eating habits. There are five types of dietitians: clinical, management, research, community, and consultant. Clinical dietitians usually work in hospitals, clinics, or nursing homes, providing patients with well-balance nutritional meals to suit their individual needs. They may also offer diet therapy and nutritional education programs. Management dietitians coordinate and supervise the planning, purchase, and preparation of food for institutions such as hospitals, schools, and cafeterias and restaurants. They select, train, and supervise staff members, including Dietetic Technicians. In some smaller facilities, they may operate as both a clinical and management dietitian. Research dietitians study nutrition, foods, and foodservice, and may offer dietary recommendations. They also research alternative foods and nutrition in order to better understand larger questions about nutrition as a whole. Community dietitians work in government or health agencies, offering education about nutrition to the community. They help people improve their nutritional habits and may work in senior citizen meal programs, schools, health departments, and day care centers. Consultant dietitians work under contract with health-care facilities or in private practice. They may counsel patients, advise commercial food enterprises, test new food products and equipment, and develop new recipes and menus for independent food service operations. They also maintain the nutrition and diet of athletes, actors, and anyone else who contracts their services.

Dietitians mainly work in medical centers, clinics, colleges and universities, schools, public health centers, business and industry, or in private practice. The outlook for this career is good, as it will grow at an average rate comparable to other occupations. The need for clinical-based dietitians will likely decrease, however, and those with private practices will increase. Most dietitians work a regular work week, but many, such as those employed in hospitals or by foodservice industries, may work weekends and/or unusual hours. Dietitians can earn anywhere from $1,800 to 4,000 per month, depending on experience and type of employment.

Some employers will hire non-registered Dietitians if they have a bachelor's degree in food service management, nutrition, or dietetics from an institution accredited by the American Dietetic Association (ADA), but most employers prefer to hire registered Dietitians. There are two ways to become registered. Enrollment in a Coordinated Program, a bachelor's or master's degree program that combines classroom and practical experience, and is accredited by the ADA, is one way. The other way is to complete a Didactic Program in Dietetics, an ADA-accredited academic-only program which will earn them a bachelor’s degree, and then either a post-graduate Pre-professional Practice Program or a Dietetic Internship. After completing one of these programs, graduates are eligible to take the Registration Examination for Dietitians.

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