How to Become a Registered Dietitian

You may hear the words registered dietitian and nutritionist used interchangeably, however there are many differences between the two, including their education, accreditation, and responsibilities. While both these professionals help people maintain good health through proper diet and physical activity, the credibility of their training is not equal.

A registered dietitian (RD) is someone who has satisfied the academic requirements established by the American Dietetic Association's (ADA) Commission on Dietetics Registration (CDR). "RD" is a nationally recognized professional credential, which is regulated by the ADA.

At a minimum, an RD holds a bachelor's degree in nutrition, nutrition sciences, and/or dietetics. In addition to food science and meal planning courses, the curriculum includes courses concerning nutrition through one's life cycle, clinical dietetics, medical-nutrition therapy, nutrition education, anatomy and physiology, bio- and organic chemistry , microbiology, and food service. In order to maintain registration, an RD must pass a comprehensive exam as well as meet the continuing professional education requirements of ADA that includes at a minimum seventy-five hours per five-year period.

A registered dietitian helps put together nutritional plans for persons with special medical diets and eating plans for persons with special needs and disabilities. In additional to working in hospitals, RDs may work in government (public health), for corporations, school systems, food service companies, or in private practice, for professional sports teams, Job opportunities are infinite with those ADA credentials. All registered dietitians are nutritionists.

A nutritionist may be a health specialist, however, does not require a professional degree. Keep in mind that anyone, whether with or without formal specialized education, can refer to themselves as a nutritionist. There is no regulatory body for nutritionists.

First step is to find an accredited (CADE) didactic program in which to enroll. Visit the American Dietetic Association's (ADA) website for a complete and updated list: http://www.eatright.org/students/education/dpd.aspx . Most of those programs listed on the ADA's website are in physical locations while distance learning programs are available.

These didactic programs consist of a variety of courses, ranging from food and nutrition sciences, foodservice systems management, business, economics, computer science, culinary arts, sociology and communication to science courses such as biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, anatomy and chemistry.

Dietetic Internships are very competitive so it is important to maintain a good G.P.A. and to accumulate experience (whether it is paid or unpaid) in the field. Many would suggest one to "shadow" a registered dietitian or work as a dietary aide. Volunteer work in a related area as well as participation in your institutions dietetic organization are other recommended activities to have under one's belt.

During one's didactic education, it is suggested to put together a portfolio of your academic career. Include writing samples (in the form of graded research papers), academic projects, volunteer experiences, and any other types of certifications that I demonstrate your experiences.

Become a student member of the American Dietetic Association (www.eatright.org). As a student, you are entitled to a discount on membership ($50) and there are many scholarship opportunities as a member.

Your textbooks will prove to be valuable resources for the next step of the process (Dietetic Internship) so it is suggested to keep the books that you are able to. I purchased most of mine on Amazon.com and Half.com rather than the student bookstore in order save a significant amount of money.

At the completion of the didactic program, you should receive a document called an ADA Verification statement (or depending on your graduation date and the start date of the internship programs, an ADA Declaration of Intent). This document is required for your internship applications.

The Dietetic Internship is required in order to be able to sit for the R.D. exam. In order to apply to a Dietetic Internship, students must complete at minimum, a bachelor's degree and CADE-accredited coursework requirements (Didactic Program in Dietetics). Currently all DIs must provide at a minimum of 1200 hours of supervised practice. Generally, this is done in approximately 10 months depending on the particular program. Some programs are "part-time" vs. "full time" others may include a requirement of graduate credit. Students that complete the internship who are giving a verification by the program director and are now eligible to sit for the R.D. exam.

Please note that many programs suggest that you do not work while participating in one of these programs. Between the heavy course load , research classes and projects, and rotations - there is not an adequate amount time to do so.

As mentioned earlier, appointments to dietetic internship programs are awarded on a competitive basis and most use a national computer matching process (ie D&D Digital). Programs that don't participate in a computer matching program accept applications only from individuals employed by the sponsoring organization.

Check the D.I. program's website, contact the program director, or attend their open house to get all the important information and see if their program is right for you. The following link from the American Dietetic Internship: http://www.eatright.org/students/education/di.aspx will allow you to search for programs and link to them.

Prospective applicants must contact program directors for current information, including application deadline dates. Programs will provide application forms and detailed information on program requirements, tuition, and financial aid upon request.

The direct link from the ADA regarding dietetic internship programs is: http://www.eatright.org/students/education/di.aspx . Another good website to get an overview of many internships is http://www.allaccessinternships.com/home.php .

Each program will have different specific requirements so be sure to read directions carefully. Keep yourself organized by assigning each application to its own special "pocketed" folder. As you accumulate each required component, put it in its corresponding folder.

MAKE NOTE OF WHEN YOUR APPLICATION IS DUE - most will include a postmark date. Always send your packet via some sort of receipted mail for proof of mail date and delivery confirmation. Certain programs may request specific mailing instructions: i.e. certified mail.

The following list is a guide to the most requested items that will be required. Please check with each individual DI program's requirements and instructions when working on your application packet. Many programs will provide you with an application checklist specific to them:

The official application itself is standard and most if not all programs require it. It can be downloaded on www.depdpg.org . DOUBLE and TRIPLE check the information on your application before submitting it.

Some application packets will require a current resume and other may require a list of your didactic's programs required courses.

A Declaration of Intent OR Statement of Verification of Didactic Program in Dietetics is required. This must be an original form - no photocopies.

Letters of recommendation - Different schools range from requesting anywhere from 2 or 3. Usually ask for one professor (that you have had at least 2 classes with). Other letters should come from professional relationships (supervisors from recent employment) - especially if you were working in a food-related industry. **POINT OF NOTE: Ask early! (especially of your professors as they will probably be bombarded with requests from other students). A waiver form should accompany each recommendation (www.depdpg.org) and mst be in an individually sealed envelope with the signature of the person making the recommendation across the sealed flap.

Transcripts from all undergraduate and undergraduate schools attended - **Also do this in advance as it may take a while to receive. You need original, official transcripts - so make sure that they are in sealed envelopes that are stamped over the flap when they are included in your application packet. I also suggest requesting an additional copy as a spare (just in case).

Writing samples - ranging from anywhere from 2 - 4 pages. For example, one required a "cover letter letter clarifying my professional goals", another program requested an essay that included all of the following: a brief description of what led me to choose a career in dietetics, a description of my short and long term goals, an explanation of why I decided to apply to their particular DI program and a discussion of my strengths, weaknesses (focus: ability to work independently, working with others, stamina, working under pressure, emotional maturity, flexibility, management, oral and written skills).

Last, but not least - most if not all programs require an application fee. I've seen fees that run anywhere from $50 to $75 per application.

*Make note of any specific instructions as I encountered a few that required that my full name appear on the bottom (in the form of a footer) on each page of my essay while another required my actual signature on the essay., some specify font type and size as well as spacing instructions.

See the following page on the ADA website for suggestions on how to your chances of getting accepted to a dietetic internship:
http://www.eatright.org/internship_suggestions/

First, and importantly: DRESS TO IMPRESS.

Arrive to your interview at least 15 to 20 minutes early. In many cases they will have to do a writing sample before you even get to your interview.

My DI interviews lasted anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours. One interview was with a panel of two people simultaneously and another was with three at one time. The last two interviews I attended were one-on-one.

These are some of the questions I have encountered during my interviews:
1. If you are not accepted into a DI program, what is your "Plan B"?
2. What made you decide to get into the field of dietetics or Why do you want to be Registered Dietitian?
3. Qualities that you have that would make you a good R.D.?
4. Do you plan to work during while doing the internship?
5. Where do you see yourself in 3 years? 5 years?
6. What is a current hot topic in nutrition and how are R.D's involved?
7. What are your strong points?
8. What are your weaknesses?
9. What didactic class did you learn the most from?
10. Why have you chosen "XXX"'s internship program?
11. What do I think a dietitian's job description would read?
12. Situation Questions such as "how would I deal with a difficult person", "if I am having conflict with someone on one of the rotation sites, how would I handle it"?

In all of my interviews, I was required to do an "on-the-spot" writing sample. In the first case, it was a 300 word essay on a topic that I could choose (out of a list of 10). The second interview required a 3 to 4 paragraph writing sample on any topic of my choice - not necessarily nutrition-related.

One of my interviews required a small case study (in addition to the writing sample)about someone who needs to be treated for high cholesterol. It also required some small calculations (such as ideal body weight , et al.). The third interview only required a one sentence statement on why I chose the dietetics profession. The last interview required a 2 paragraph writing sample of any topic of my choice.

Bring portfolio of graded work. During your undergraduate, you should have been putting together a professional-looking portfolio with writing samples (graded writing assignments), projects, et al. It may include such items as your resume, certificates, photos of volunteering experiences, and letters of recommendation.

**If you get a choice, try to schedule your interviews for earlier in the day. This way your interviewer(s) is fresh-minded and you have a better chance of getting their full attention. These panels are interviewing hundreds of applicants in a short amount of time and be weary by the end of the day.

When the interviewer asks you if you have any questions regarding their program - it is recommended that you ask at least one question, even if you know the answer already. It shows that you are interested.

It is suggested to send a "thank you note" to the person you interviewed with.

The Commission on Dietetic Registration offers the Registered Dietitian (RD) examination for certification. Candidates must meet specific academic and work experience requirements to be eligible to take this exam.

This computer-based assessment ranges in length, but will have at least 125 questions. Of these, 100 are used for the raw score. The remaining 25 are not scored; these are pre-trial items which may be used on future exams. If a candidate has 145 items (the most possible), then 120 will be used for the score and 25 are for pre-trial. Candidates will not know which items are scored and which are not. The entire test will take 3 hours, but of that time, thirty minutes is used for the directions. The time for the actual testing portion will be 2½ hours, and there is a clock on the computer so that candidates. The clock can be hidden if the candidate does not want to see it. A basic calculator will be provided. (source: Study Guide Zone)

The substance test is broken down into the following sections:

* Food and nutrition - 15%
* Clinical and community nutrition - 40%
* Education and research - 7%
* Food and nutrition systems - 18%
* Management - 20%

Candidates must provide an answer to every question before they can move on. They cannot go back to change or re-assess any preceding items. All candidates will get their results at the end of the test. The raw score (the number answered correctly) will be converted to a scaled score in the 1-50 range. The minimum passing scaled score is 25.

Review a RD Exam study guide or study using RD Exam flashcards so that you strengthen any areas that might be more difficult for you on the test. Check the links section of this lens for some suggested review programs and seminars.

In order to maintain your registered dietitian status, Registered Dietitians (RD) and Dietetic Technicians, Registered (DTR) must participate in CDR's mandatory Professional Development Portfolio (PDP) recertification system and pay an annual registration maintenance fee.

Continuing professional education (CPE) is necessary and required for lifelong development to maintain and improve knowledge and skills for competent dietetics practice. RDs and DTRs must report continuing professional education units (CPEUs) using the PDP recertification system. RDs must report a total of seventy-five (75) CPEUs every five years, and DTRs must report a total of fifty (50) CPEUs every five years.

Source: Commission on Dietetic Registration