How to Become a Dietitian

DietitianWith the improvement of technology every single day, our lifestyles are getting more and more easier as the days go by. Every transaction and business deal is done over the phone, on the Internet, and similar ways, well most of them at least. More and more people have jobs that do not require them to move around. Weight gain and health problems are an obvious result of this kind of lifestyle, where any kind of exercise is non-existent. Which is why, dietitian jobs are much in demand these days. People feel that the least they can do is alter their regular diet and eat healthy. And then there are those many others who are looking for guidance on the right diet to lose weight. If you are looking out as to how to become a dietitian, I will guide you regarding the same.

Firstly, you need to have an interest in this field. It involves the knowledge of medicine and also food, put together. A dietitian needs to treat each case differently, and suggest a suitable diet. For that, he will have to study the client’s medical history, and also what the person is looking for, in terms of weight loss, just to eat healthy and stay fit, or it can be an athlete too. So case studying is important, and generalized rules cannot be applied for all clients.

As far as the education or dietitian degree goes, you will need a bachelor’s degree at the least, though a master’s degree will prove extremely beneficial in the long run. The need to have studied subjects like biology, chemistry, math, etc., is also very important. You will also need to major in an area like food management, food and nutrition, food science, human nutrition, or food technology.

Now for the certification part. If you want to be a registered dietitian or RD, the ADA or American Dietetic Association is the place to go to, to register for the relevant course. Depending on the specific type of course that you enroll in, duration can be anywhere from 1 year to 2 years. Also remember that once you are a dietitian, the learning process never stops. In every five years time span, you need to go through around a hundred hours of continuous training and education in this field. The reason being, things are changing fast in today’s world, and this helps keep up with new developments and breakthroughs.

The dietitian salary aspect will depend entirely on what type of institution you are associated with, or whether you are practicing this profession on your own. But usually average annual salary is anywhere around USD 50,000, though it could be much higher once you have many years of experience. Areas of potential employment include hospitals, schools, corporate companies, correctional facilities, and similar kind of institutions.

A dietitian’s job description includes many aspects. A patient may come to him, who has been to another doctor for some diagnosis. The dietitian will have to study his case and advice a diet accordingly. In educational institutions, it will be the responsibility of the dietitian to see that all the students are consulted and at least follow some kind of diet program, and also that the institution itself serves healthy meals. A dietitian can also be a researcher for a facility that is into food manufacturing. Now that I have told you how to become a dietician, if you think you have it in you, and you like the idea of meeting many people and advising them on this subject, you know how to go about it.

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