Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist Career Introduction For this presentation I will be using RD or RDN to stand for Registered Dietitians/Nutritionists

What we do! Eating right is one of the best preventive medicines there is. But people don’t always know what’s good for them. That’s where dietitians (RD) and nutritionists (RDN) come in.

Registered Dietitians/Nutritionists These professionals work closely with a wide variety of people, spreading the good word about proper nutrition and about healthy living.

Duties vary, depending on the particular job. For example, RD/RDN’s might develop nutrition programs for hospital patients, advise clients on losing weight, or work in a fitness facility (and even with sports teams)

RD versus RDN versus Nutritionist Remember this: All Registered Dietitians are Nutritionists (RD= RDN) BUT NOT all Nutritionists are Registered Dietitians (Nutritionists ≠ RD/RDN). Dietitians are often referred to as “nutritionists,” but registered dietitians have more education and training (to include 1200 hours of supervised practice than nutritionists. Dietitians also have greater job responsibilities and earn higher salaries than nutritionists.

The big question??!!!! According to Salary.com, the middle 50 percent of dietitians earn between $50,000 and $60,000 per year. The top 10 percent earn $65,000 or more.

2013 Salary.com (RD)

As an RD/RDN, you might work in any of the following settings: Hospitals Nursing care facilities Public health clinics Home health agencies Corporate cafeterias Food Manufacturers Private practice Fitness Facilities Sports Teams Health Insurance Businesses

Do you like action, fast paced environment and mathematics? Trauma care dietitian

Do you like working with communities? Meals-on-Wheels Congregate Dining Healthcare/Insurance Companies Community Outreach Programs

Do you like working with sports performance? You can work in a fitness facility Work with high school and college athletes Various sports training facilities

Do you like working with adults, elderly and in a setting that rehabs individuals over a period of time? Long-term care facilities Rehab facilities Congregate dining facilities Meals-on-Wheels

Do you like working with infants and children? You might work with schools, obesity clinics, diabetes clinics, day care centers, neonatal intensive care units. Metabolic conditions requiring nutritional management: (cerebral palsy, diabetes, phenylketonuria (PKU)

Registered dietitians/nutritionists assess the nutritional needs of both sick and healthy people and then develop individualized plans of care to improve or maintain health.

Tools used by dietitians (RD/RDN): Computer software- nutrition analysis Electronic Medical Records Body composition equipment Software to make webpages or nutritional handouts.

Dietitians often recommend therapeutic diets therapeutic diets are special diets developed to treat disease or metabolic disorders.

Examples of therapeutic diets and conditions that RD/RDN’s work with. Regular diet Gluten Free Renal (kidney) Diabetic diet Weight Loss Low cholesterol diet Performance Cancer Heart Disease Renal Failure Obesity Performance Nutrition Pregnancy Metabolic Conditions Eating Disorders

Educational Requirements…(and remember, grades matter!) Registered Dietitians and Nutritionists need at least a bachelor’s degree in dietetics, foods and nutrition, food service systems management, or a related area. Courses include: lots of chemistry, biology, medical nutrition therapy, management and food chemistry, anatomy & physiology and even management courses!!!

Next: Supervised Practice  1200 hours of supervised practice in an approved coordinated dietetics program or dietetic internship.

After that (!) Pass a national registration exam.

Employment of RD/RDN’s is expected to grow over the next few years as the growing and aging population will increase the demand for meals and nutritional counseling in nursing homes, schools, prisons, community health programs and home health care agencies.

Obesity and obesity-related chronic disease: Fact – more than 1/3 rd (35.7%) adults in the U.S. are obese. Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable death. The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the U.S. was $147 billion in 2008 U.S. dollars; the medical costs for people who are obese were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight. (

Dietitians play a significant role in the health care system… From prevention of chronic lifestyle- related health issues to management of such conditions. Dietitians educate on disease origin, pathophysiology and lifestyle-related behaviors to help alleviate major health issues (ie – diabetes, hypertension, heart disease)

Other workers who may apply the principles of dietetics include:  Dietetic technicians  Food service managers  Health educators  Registered nurses

Websites to check out: dicalprofiles/p/Dietitian.htm

Places offering Associate Degrees, Bachelor’s Degrees and Master’s Degrees Erie Community College Trocaire College Buffalo State College D’Youville College University at Buffalo (UB)

SO now you know why RD/RDN’s are highly respected professionals! What a wonderful career dietetics is!!! Is there a future career in the area of nutrition and dietetics for you?