Is Becoming A Registered Dietitian Worth It

Registered dietitian (RD) is a popular career choice for many people interested in health and wellness. An RD can serve many roles in a customs. You could work in a infirmary or other medical facility and provide nutritional care to patients. Or, yous could focus on population-level nutrition and work with nonprofits, government entities or educational institutions.

Footstep 1: Earn an Accredited Bachelor's or Main's Degree

The start step to become a registered dietitian is to earn a degree in the area of nutrition and obtain a verification argument from an Accreditation Quango for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) accredited program. This is required in guild to sit down for the CDR exam. Currently, if an individual is interested in pursuing their RD, they may agree either a bachelor'southward or principal's degree from an ACEND-accredited school; however, it is important to annotation that this volition change in 2024. On January 1, 2024, a graduate degree will exist the minimum requirement to sit for the CDR examination instead of a baccalaureate caste.

If you graduate earlier 2024, you may pursue a bachelor's caste in clinical nutrition, dietetics, public health nutrition, or foods and diet. Your courses will focus on evidence-based diet, nutritional therapy, community nutrition, applied food principles and food service systems.

If you would like to pursue a primary's degree, you might consider an ACEND-accredited master'southward in nutrition or a coordinated degree programme, such as a primary's in public health/registered dietitian (MPH/RD). In your programme application, exist sure to include any specific background data or work history in nutrition that is required or that may qualify you for the next steps to become an RD.

Step ii: Consummate a Dietetic Internship

You must obtain easily-on clinical feel through an internship after completing your diet program to become a registered dietician. This is truthful for individuals who have earned a master's caste and non only those with available's degrees.

You can go through a traditional Dietetic Internship (DI), a Coordinated Program (CP), or an Individualized Supervised Practice Pathway (ISPP). Any the program, you must complete ane,200 hours under the supervision of a licensed professional.

Dietitian Internship

According to ACEND, to apply for a Dietetic Internship, yous volition use the online dietetic internship centralized application services (DICAS). Almost all internships accept advantage of this system, and you can use it to be matched with appropriate DI and CP placements nationwide. If you are interested in an ISPP, yous must pursue it through other avenues.

Internships range in duration from eight to 24 months. You may work on a office- or full-time ground. There also are online and altitude internship options if you cannot complete a traditional ane in person.

You can cull an internship based on your interests and career goals. There are many programs that focus on clinical nutrition, medical nutrition therapy, community nutrition, pediatric nutrition, geriatric nutrition, nutrient systems direction, public health nutrition teaching and other areas.

Coordinated Programs

Many prospective RDs earn a degree and then pursue an internship separately. There is as well the pick of applying to a Coordinated Program, according to ACEND, which provides the essential Didactic Plan in Dietetics (DPD) coursework as well as supervised practice. You can use an accredited Coordinated Programme to obtain the necessary education and training required for the examination.

A Dietetic Internship combined with graduate coursework is non an official Coordinated Program, though Coordinated Programs can be designed at the graduate caste level.

Individualized Supervised Practice Pathways (ISPP)

Another choice is pursuing an ISPP, which is meant to provide supervised practice through ACEND-accredited dietetic programs. In that location are two different types of ISPPs, one for Didactic Program in Dietetics graduates and 1 for doctoral caste holders.

ISPP for Didactic Program in Dietetics Graduates (DPD)

This option is for graduates who did not match with a dietetic internship but have a DPD verification statement. The DPD provides the required dietetics coursework leading to a bachelor'southward or graduate degree. Graduates of the programs who are verified by the program director may utilise for Dietetic Internships or ISPPs to receive the supervised practice that is needed to be eligible to sit for the RD exam.

ISPP for Doctoral Degree Graduates

You also can employ for an ISPP without a DPD verification statement if you lot have a doctoral degree. Nevertheless, those students must attend an ISPP that is approved to offering a track for individuals with a doctoral degree.

You tin can look for ISPPs by reviewing accredited education programs through ACEND, but please note that eligibility for specific ISPPs will vary by plan.

Step 3: Pass the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) Exam

Passing the Committee on Dietetic Registration (CDR) exam is the most crucial stride to earn the RD credential and become a registered dietitian. One time you have completed your degree and internship requirements, you can become validated by the CDR and should then have the registered dietitian exam. Rules are very strict regarding RD exam eligibility requirements. Remember to have a shut look at the student options scenarios with dissimilar backgrounds, and make sure you are qualified to sit for the exam.

There are more than 250 testing locations. The test is two and a half hours long and consists of up to 145 questions. Under the current Registered Dietitian Exam specifications (PDF, 258 KB), which are valid through December 31, 2021, the test consists of:

25% principles of dietetics
40% nutrition intendance for individuals and groups
21% management of food and nutrition programs and services
14% foodservice systems

Pace 4: Obtain a State License

The state where you lot wish to practice may crave you to obtain a state license or certification before you can be employed. The CDR provides information on which states crave boosted licensure for registered dietitians. In some circumstances, yous may be eligible for a license based on your degree, internship and exam issue. Near states have their ain country licenses, so it's better to check and set up in accelerate for the specific requirements of where you desire to live and work.

Footstep v: Maintain State License and Registration

To maintain your credentials as an RD, you must consummate 75 continuing education credits every 5 years, and 1 credit must exist in ethics.

You are required to submit a learning plan and activeness log within 120 days of completing your first activity. CDR offers a 120-twenty-four hours calculator to determine the deadline to submit your learning plan. You lot must pay an annual registration maintenance fee and maintain your MyCDR Folio. This is your personal landing page, and your data should be up to date.

Time to Complete Educational Requirements

It takes four to eight years or more to become a registered dietitian, depending on your career path and your state. It may include four years of undergraduate work, two years for a master'due south degree programme, one-plus year of an internship, months of completing the CDR test, and actress time on the Coordinated Plan and obtaining a license in your state if applicative.

How to become a registered dietitian if you already have a caste

Information technology depends on if information technology'south a available's or principal'southward degree yous are property. If you take a bachelor'due south degree in required fields, you can complete a DPD program, receive a verification statement and motility on to the next steps. If you lot are considering a master's plan, a Master of Public Health in nutrition is a strong path if you wish to enter or remain in the public health field and focus on population-level nutrition and wellness.

Is Becoming a Dietitian Worth It?

Becoming a registered dietitian is not a career path yous should take lightly. Compared with nutritionists, it is a highly regulated industry that requires specific education, training, experience and licensure. Yet, information technology tin exist well worth it, considering the wages and your passion for helping others.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the 2020 national median pay for dietitians and nutritionists was $63,090 per twelvemonth. The highest 10% of earners made more than $90,000 per yr. The highest median salary was $69,660 in outpatient care centers, followed by $64,010 in authorities, $63,380 in hospitals and $lx,330 in nursing and residential care facilities.

The job growth of the dietitian and nutritionist profession is also promising: In 2020, in that location were 73,000 jobs, and the BLS expects this number to increase eleven% by 2030.

Co-ordinate to the BLS, well-nigh RDs work total fourth dimension, simply working hours are flexible. You may cull to come across with patients outside of normal business hours.

The BLS lists a number of different career paths for registered dietitians. Some options include:

Clinical dietitians provide medical nutrition therapy and create customized nutritional programs based on the health needs of patients.
Community dietitians develop programs and counsel the public on topics related to food, health and nutrition.
Management dietitians piece of work in food service settings such as cafeterias, hospitals, prisons and schools where they manage food programs.

No thing which career path y'all choose, this is a cracking field to specialize in. The ability for RDs to work in private, nonprofit and regime sectors allows for various learning opportunities and provides a well-respected salary. Registered dietitians too have the do good of bettering the lives of individuals and families through diet and dietetics.

Information updated as of September 2021

MPH in Nutrition and Dietetics Programs

UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health

Earn your degree in as few as 32 months
42 credits • GRE not required • Live Classes