Registered Dietitian?

I'm not one but I've looked into in the past. I think you have to have a minimum of a bachelor's degree with quite an extensive internship; something like 9 months on top of the 4 year degree. I may be incorrect but this is what I found in my searches. Maybe someone else has more input. Good luck!

I have a bachelor's in nutrition. I wanted to be an RD. My university only took 12 applicants each year for the internship which was also a master's program. The competition was fierce. Unfortunately I did not make the cut. It is very difficult. My bachelor's degree was very difficult. It was full of sciences and labs which made my transition to nursing school much easier. Some of the classes I had to take were of course A&P, basic chemistry, organic chemistry, bio-chemistry, microbiology, advanced nutrition, clinical nutrition, just to name a few. If you want to be an RD, it is a long road, but it is doable. I hear the competition in other states is not as bad...I just happen to be in the Austin, TX area. Good luck!

Keep in mind that there is more to nursing besides LTC. Just because you are unhappy with what you have seen in your current work setting, does not mean you might not enjoy nursing in a more hands on setting (ICU or ER maybe). On the other hand, if you are really interested in the dietary gig, I would suggest shadowing an RD for a week or two in order to ensure it is something that you would want to make a profession out of.

I have a bachelor's in nutrition. I wanted to be an RD. My university only took 12 applicants each year for the internship which was also a master's program. The competition was fierce. Unfortunately I did not make the cut. It is very difficult. My bachelor's degree was very difficult. It was full of sciences and labs which made my transition to nursing school much easier. Some of the classes I had to take were of course A&P, basic chemistry, organic chemistry, bio-chemistry, microbiology, advanced nutrition, clinical nutrition, just to name a few. If you want to be an RD, it is a long road, but it is doable. I hear the competition in other states is not as bad...I just happen to be in the Austin, TX area. Good luck!

wow. I didn't know it was so hard or competitive. This is the kind of info I was looking for. What were the criteria for getting the internship? GPA, an interview, a test? Can you re-apply the next year if you don't make it in?

My best friend is a RD. She took very hard classes in her ungrad, such as upper level organic chemistries. She had a near perfect GPA when she was done. When you graduate with a nutrition degree, you are a nutritionist. To become a licensed RD, you must complete an internship like the previous poster said. I think her internship was about a year long. Then you become eligible to sit for the RD exam. Regarding the internship, it is pretty competitive. I went with her when she interviewed for her internship and it was intense. All the people who interviewed with her were people who graduated top of their class. It can be done though! At first, I think she was disappointed with being a RD. She worked in a large hospital and was not content. She then moved on to consulting with a fitness facility. That did not last because she did not have enough clients. Now she works with dialysis patients and enjoys it!

Being a RD and being a RN are very different in my opinion. Like previous poster said, I would shadow both a RD and a RN to see what you think.

The education will be significant, and there is an internship requirement. Even with a BA in another field, you need a get accepted into a program, apply for an approved didactic internship (could be in any state- you take what you can get), and complete the coursework for your bachelor's degree. All of this before you can even sit the exam. It would be less difficult to complete your RN.

Honestly, I would argue that RDs don't even come close in income to RNs. Simply due to the difficulty with getting work. RD positions are few and far between. Most hospitals only have 1 or 2. (Unlike nursing, where a hospital may have 100!) RDs are starting to work for grocery chains, do consulting, and fitness center work- hardly the job security of an RN. Most hospitals employ a lot of dietary aids because no education is required (some community colleges offer programs, but they are professional development). Perhaps go down to the cafeteria where you work and talk with the director of dietary. Ask her if you can work a few shifts per week. See if you like it. You should know dietary aids make minimum wage.

Did anyone here start out with a degree in nutrition or consider that over nursing? I'm thinking about it, but unfortunately there's no such thing as allRDs.com

I became a CNA because I love the elderly. I love my job to pieces, but I don't make enough money, so I thought about taking the next step going to nursing school. But all the nurses at my job do a long medpass, then paperwork, followed by another medpass and more paperwork. They don't really get to do any hands-on care. One of them told me if she could make more money as a CNA she would totally prefer that over pushing pills. I know that it's pretty much like that in all LTCs. And I was under the impression that once you're a licensed nurse, you cannot work as a CNA anymore.

I'm really interested in nutrition, and I learned that RDs make about twice as much money as I do now and they also have a few different options regarding career paths. The job seems less stressful, with better hours, and I would still be able to at least work per diem as a CNA for as long as my back can stand it.

Like I said, there's no amazing website for dietitians out there, so I'm hoping someone on here has something to say about it.

I can't adress the dietary field- It might be a fantastic choice for you. However, it sounds like you might be making the choice based on a misperception of the nurses job. While that may be the case in LTC's, there is a whole world of nursing out there. It might be worth your time to look at nursing in other environments. Just a thought.

hherrn

The education will be significant, and there is an internship requirement. Even with a BA in another field, you need a get accepted into a program, apply for an approved didactic internship (could be in any state- you take what you can get), and complete the coursework for your bachelor's degree. All of this before you can even sit the exam. It would be less difficult to complete your RN.

Honestly, I would argue that RDs don't even come close in income to RNs. Simply due to the difficulty with getting work. RD positions are few and far between. Most hospitals only have 1 or 2. (Unlike nursing, where a hospital may have 100!) RDs are starting to work for grocery chains, do consulting, and fitness center work- hardly the job security of an RN. Most hospitals employ a lot of dietary aids because no education is required (some community colleges offer programs, but they are professional development). Perhaps go down to the cafeteria where you work and talk with the director of dietary. Ask her if you can work a few shifts per week. See if you like it. You should know dietary aids make minimum wage.

I agree that there is much less of a need for RD's so their salaries tend to be lower.

check it out.:)

and good luck.

http://www.dietitiancentral.com/mb/index.cfm

leslie

i agree that there is much less of a need for rd's so their salaries tend to be lower.

not true! the starting salaries may not be as high in some cases but they are pretty competitive with rn starting salaries in most states. also, there is a need! rds who tend to live in rural areas are in demand! the federal government is in need of them too. in fact, their shortage is real, unlike nursing.

Well, I live in a rural area!

Hi,

I am a registered dietitian, have been in the field for about 8 years and now trying to transition into NP. If I had to do it over again I would not have choosen dietitics.

The road as far as eduation is long. You are required to have a BA followe by an full, time unpaid internship (6 months to one year). Most of the undergraduate coursework is very similar to nursing lots of chemistry, A&P, microbiology etc.

The pay as a clinical dietitian is not as good as that of an RN. In order to make good money as a dietitian you need to get into management (which often requires a Master's) or food service.

Also, I am concerned about the future of the field. Reimbursement for RD services is a big problem. Also, I've seen our ability to function independently slowly disappearing. For example, order writing privileges are being taken away in the state of California. The skills and knowledge we have aren't utilized. I've worked in hospitals were admistration thought the RN handing a patient a handout on low sodium diet was just as effective as a RD providing counseling with all the knowledge and expertise we have.

Every field has there pros and cons but at least from my perspective I wouldn't advise dietetics as a career choice based on my experience in the field.

Especially if you're someone that enjoys hand on care. Dietetics is fairly hands off and the scope is limited. That's probably the biggest driver for me to get out of the field.

Just my thoughts! :) You can check out dietititancentral.com for more information on the field and other people's perspectives.