A registered dietician plays a very important role in the lives of many people who are dealing with health concerns. As more people become aware of the vital role that excellent nutrition plays in leading a healthy lifestyle, the need for dieticians is going to grow significantly.
If you are interested in learning how to become a registered dietician there are several steps to help you along the way towards this career goal!1Understanding the Registered Dietician
A dietician is a person who has been trained to know all there is to know about food and nutrition. Using their extensive knowledge they can help to formulate a diet plan that will work for each person’s unique nutritional needs, taking into consideration any medical conditions that may be affected by diet.
The majority of dieticians work with patients who have medical conditions that can be improved upon with a better diet; however, some dieticians might work with otherwise healthy patients who simply need assistance with improving their nutrition in order to stave off any diet-related health problems.
2Types of Jobs for a Registered Dietician
A dietician might work in a hospital setting or as a part of an early intervention program that helps to improve the nutrition of pregnant women and their children. You may be able to find employment working in a medical practice providing nutritional guidelines to heart patients, diabetes patients, cancer patients, and even to athletes who have specialized dietary needs. School districts, day care facilities, and even prison systems also have the need for a qualified dietician to help ensure that nutritional guidelines are followed.
If a consulting position is more your style, after you have completed your training and internships, you could open up your own practice. Keep in mind that operating your own facility will come with its own set of challenges.
3Education to Become a Registered Dietician
It takes a significant amount of education and training to become a registered dietician. You should reach out to area universities in order to find one that can offer you the best education. There are also several universities that offer classes online. This will enable you to continue to work a full time job while still receiving training to become a registered dietician.
Students who are still in high school should try to take classes that will help them further along on their path to becoming a dietician. These include biology, nutrition, and even food services management. When selecting a university you should try to select one that offers a degree program in nutrition. When you are selecting your first year courses try to select courses that are related to biology, health, and nutrition as that will make it easier to get rolling on your dietician degree.
Keep in mind that a community college can provide you with much the same education as one of the more expensive schools; however, you will be paying significantly less at a community college.
4Dietician Licensing and Certification
Before you apply for certification you should also verify if your state requires dieticians to apply for licensing before they can start to work with patients. A quick search online should provide you with the answers.
The American Dietetic Association handles certification. Certification will provide you with the title of Registered Dietitian – which will, help you to land a great job.
5Landing A Job And Furthering Your Career
Consider reaching out to area hospitals to find out if they offer internships and training programs. While your education is a very important part the process of how to become a registered dietician, the on-the-job training that you will receive working with patient’s side-by-side with another dietician simply cannot be learned from a book.
Your bachelor’s degree in nutrition and health can help you to land a great job; however, working on furthering your education will help to further your career. Consider working on a master’s degree program that can help you not just stay up to date on the latest in nutritional research but that can also help you to land a better paying job. Many public health systems will also require that their registered dieticians attain a master’s degree so be sure to find out what the requirements are for you to continue your education.
6Is Becoming A Registered Dietician Right For You
Before you embark on your path to become a registered dietician, you should make sure this career is the right one for you.
• Do you have excellent communication skills? A huge part of being a dietician is to be able to communicate effectively with your patients. You will also need to ensure that they have a solid understanding of the knowledge that you are sharing with them. Having a second language, like Spanish, can also prove to be a useful skill.
• Do you have good follow up skills? Communication is key, however, you also need to be able to follow up with your patients in order to ensure that they are sticking with the nutritional plans that you have designed for them. Being able to follow up with your patients and track their progress will also help you to adjust their nutritional plan as they make progress.
• Are you capable of making good decisions? Very often, you will be making nutritional suggestions for patients who have moderate to severe health concerns. You will need to have the confidence in your knowledge and skills in order to make good decisions for your patients.
Remember that while dieticians need to have good decision making skills they also need to be able to work in conjunction with other medical professionals. Your patient’s doctors, nurses, and caregivers will be able to provide you with the information that you need in order to make your decisions. However, you will need to provide them with updates and information so that they are continually involved with all aspects of their patient’s treatment.
