How to Become a Dietician

Dietitians guide healthy food choices.

Dietitians are food experts who can help people change the way they eat in order to help them lose weight, become healthier and fight an illness. Dietitians do not necessarily work in the weight loss industry, but instead can be found in hospitals, day care centers and even prisons.

Instructions

1. Start as early as possible. If you’re still in high school, take additional classes in biology, psychology and computer science. Dietitians study lots of science subjects, including mathematics and microbiology during their training, so it’s important that you’re prepared for it.

2. Understand the difference between being a nutritionist and being a dietitian. Nutritionists can earn a title after a shorter training period (sometimes as short as six months), while dietitians need a university degree in the field and must also be accredited by the American Dietetic Association (ADA). If you’re not sure whether this career is the right one for you, you can always start working as a nutritionist and go back to school later.

3. Obtain a bachelor’s degree in nutritional sciences. This usually means a four-year program with an internship or practical experience near the end or right after graduation. Make sure the college you choose is accredited by the American Dietetics Association (ADA) or you won’t be able to apply for certification after you graduate.

4. Get certified. Once you graduate, you will be required to pass a national or state certification before you can legally practice. The Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) is the main certification agency in the United States and the one that holds official exams for those wishing to become registered dietitians.

5. Be ready to spend the first few months working alongside more experienced professionals. As a dietitian, you are allowed to work in different clinical settings, including hospitals, nursing homes and food manufacturing plants. Many universities have a practicum requirement, which means you will be placed in a working situation for a period of three to six months while you’re still studying.

Tips & Warnings

• Licensing requirements vary from state to state, so find out about the variations if you study in one state but plan on practicing in another.

Resources

• American Dietetic Association