Desire to know what it takes to become a registered dietitian? This step-past-step guide will walk you through the verbal steps to accept to get a registered dietitian nutritionist, from didactic and coordinated programs, dietetic internships, and beyond.

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UPDATE: This commodity was originally posted in July 2018 and updated with new information in January 2021.

So you desire to get a registered dietitian? That's keen! It'south amazing profession and there are endless means to utilize your registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) credential.

However, the steps to become a dietitian are a bit confusing and tin can bring up more questions than answers: What exactly is a dietitian? Is it the same as a nutritionist? Why aren't all nutrition programs the same and which one should I choose?

I had these questions and more than when I was yet a student, so I pulled together this complete guide of the steps you need to accept to become a RDN to cut the defoliation and know your verbal steps to move forward.

Ready to larn what it takes to become a RDN? Let'southward do it!

👨‍🌾 What is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)?

Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) are nutrition experts and are the only legally recognized nutrition professional in the United States. RDNs work in a multifariousness of settings including (but not express to) hospitals, clinics, public health, food service, business, individual practise, sports, universities, and inquiry.

Having a career as a dietitian has consistently been named one of the best (and to the lowest degree stressful, though I'm sure many RDNs would disagree) jobs in the country.

Every bit lodge becomes increasingly aware of the importance of nutrition in health outcomes, the demand for RDNs grows. In fact, the demand for dietitians is expected to grow faster than average, at 21% in the side by side x years.

👩‍⚕️ What is the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist?

Registered dietitians must take a minimum of a bachelor'southward degree, complete specific nutrition courses, finish a minimum 1200 hour supervised practise program, and pass a rigorous registration examination before they are immune to use the title "Registered Dietitian Nutritionist."

RDNs are bound to professional and ethical standards and base their decisions on evidence based practice. Registered Dietitian Nutritionist are the gold standard in nutrition care in the United States and across.

All dietitians are nutritionists, but non all nutritionists are dietitians.

Anyone tin can phone call themselves a nutritionist, with or without diet teaching or certification. In fact, there are many "nutritionist certifications" online that can exist washed in less than one twenty-four hours. There is no legal standard on the term, and then someone can present themselves equally a nutrition expert with minimal education.

Even so, the registered dietitian credentials — RD and RDN — are legally protected*, so y'all know when you run into them that the person has the proper educational activity and training to provide medical nutrition therapy.

*The titles "Registered Dietitian" and "Registered Dietitian Nutritionist" are interchangeable and each dietitian can cull to employ whichever credential they prefer.

📚 The 4 steps to go a dietitian

There are 4 full general steps to becoming a RDN, which are listed beneath and then explained in more detail:

  1. Consummate a minimum of a available's caste and all required nutrition courses through a program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pedagogy in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND®).
  2. Consummate an accredited supervised practise program (usually called the dietetics internship), commonly lasting from 6-12 months.
  3. Pass a national registration test.
  4. Complete continuing instruction requirements to maintain registration throughout your career.

More than information virtually the requirements can be found hither.

👩‍🎓 Types of Dietitian Preparation Program

There are a few different routes to finishing the educational requirement before condign a RDN.

  1. Complete a coordinated program, in which the bachelor's/masters caste is combined with the supervised practice. Because of the highly competitive nature of acceptance to dietetics internships, this is the easiest route to becoming an RDN because you are guaranteed acceptance into the supervised practice. However, being accepted into the program may be more competitive than doing the internship separate from the degree and in that location are far fewer coordinate programs (find all coordinated programs hither). As always, thoroughly research all programs earlier applying.
  2. Complete a bachelor'due south or master'due south degree in nutrition/dietetics that is carve up from the internship, called a "Didactic Plan in Dietetics" or DPD. Accredited DPD programs tin can exist found here. If y'all already accept your available's degree, y'all may either complete another bachelor'south caste or do an accredited master's degree program. So apply and consummate a supervised practice programme; a list of internship programs is found hither.

🍏 What's the deal with the Dietetic Internship?

If you are lucky enough to do a coordinated plan, and then you volition not accept to experience the dietetic internship application process. I, like the majority of dietetics students, went the DPD program route and had the pleasure (ahem) of applying for internships in my senior yr.

The internship application procedure is intense–students use through a centralized awarding portal and are matched to one programme, or none.

Each applicant finds out their match at the aforementioned time, bachelor to view on the application portal, and words cannot explain the excitement and nervousness among dietetics students on that day. The match charge per unit is currently at 47%, which ways that over half of those who apply are non matched to a program and must wait until the adjacent matching circular to apply again, normally in half dozen months to i year.

At that place are many rules, tips, and tricks to applying for and beingness matched to a dietetics internship, but the most important is to bring the best possible awarding to the table. A high GPA, excellent work/volunteer experiences, and leadership tin be what makes or breaks an application. Notice out more about the dietetic internship awarding here.

💡 Resources for time to come dietitians

My advice to those considering studying to become a RDN? Research, research, inquiry!

I cannot count the hours I spent searching for data about becoming a dietitian over the final half dozen years, they would measure in the thousands. I researched schools, internships, read blogs, reached out to current students and RDNs, and never hesitated to ask questions. I went after every experience I could get my hands on to make certain that condign a RDN was really for me.

I suggest starting with the resources listed below and going from at that place. The profession is ever growing and dietitians are more than helpful with information for students, because they know what it's similar to exist in your shoes!

  • All Access Internships: Hands-down the best resources for dietetics students, including application coaching. Become 20% the Go Matched online course with the code FORKINTHEROAD.
  • RDN Fact Sheet from ACEND®
  • FAQs about Figurer Matching for supervised exercise internships
  • Diet Jobs: A site devoted to careers for diet professionals.
  • Dietitian Central: A website for RDNs posting jobs, manufactures, and career advice. The forums are the place to mail service and search information and get answers from nutrition professionals and fellow students.
  • Reddit Dietetics: A gathering of students and RDNs on Reddit that mail near bug pertaining to the profession. Posting here will give lots of great insight into what information technology takes to succeed equally a dietetic student.
  • Blogs: With more people searching online for information about nutrition and wellness, it's no wonder that so many RDNs and students are at present online! Try the Diet Web log Network for a list of RDNs that weblog or a elementary search to show blogs written past dietetics students.

👉 Read more about the process to become a RDN

  • What to do as a dietetics student to become a successful dietitian
  • The exact steps to the DICAS application, explained
  • Don't make these personal statement mistakes
  • How to ace your dietetic internship interview
  • Read this before taking your registered dietitian test

I promise this answered any questions about what a RDN does and how to become a dietitian, keep an middle out for future posts on my resources for RDNs section. If you have any further questions, please leave a comment beneath!