What To Think About When it Comes to Registered Dietitian Programs
It’s always worth thinking about what you want to become before you start, when you’re trying to find out more about Dietitians. Do you want to work in hospitals, communities, management, or maybe even in private practice? This will influence the direction you take, and the subjects you end up needing to learn.
If you live in the United States, all dietitians will need to have (at least) a bachelor’s degree in dietetics, as well as food and nutrition. Other subjects can be very useful, including food sciences and even biology. Management positions, such as those responsible for catering at places such as schools may need management skills and business schools. When looking into registered dietitian schools, and how to get a registered dietitian degree, it’s a good idea to contact them in some way and see what support (if any) they offer to people hoping to become registered. A good school should be able to help you become a dietitian, and show you the way to becoming properly registered.
You will usually need to do some form of internship work in order to become registered. Some of these internships are specialized, such as gluten free diet tips. This is usually required for at least six months. Exams are also run by the appropriate register, and you’ll need to pass those too. Staying registered usually means you’ll need to demonstrate that you have maintained your knowledge in some way. This might include taking courses, or completing additional tests. If you don’t like the idea of having to go and visit a campus, perhaps you might like to try getting an online dietitian degree.
This sort of education can be excellent for the right person, although if you tend to procrastinate you might find it a challenge! Check before enrolling in an online course to make sure that they are able to help you with the task of becoming a registered dietitian. The outlook for registered dietitians is very good. As more people get interested in healthy eating, increasing numbers of people with an understanding of nutrition are going to be required. Demand is expected to grow at 20%, and salaries are quite good, depending of course on where you may end up employed. There’s never been a better time to investigate becoming a registered dietitian.
Since the entry criteria for becoming a dietitian can be quite strict, it’s important that you don’t run into difficulties before you begin. Registered dietitian programs are important to ensure that you don’t short change yourself, and end up with a qualification that’s not going to work for your longer term goals. It’s worth the effort of becoming a registered dietitian.