Dietitian Careers

By an allied health world contributing writer
Published: January, 12 2010

• Public Health/Community
  Working as a dietitian in public health is directed at providing nutrition education and resources to a variety of clientele. Public health employment settings include federal (USDA/FNIC/CDC) and state public health agencies (WIC, Child Nutrition Programs), schools districts, food banks, Dairy Council, County Cooperative Extension, and many other non-profit or health education-focused agencies. In these settings, dietitians develop education materials including outreach programs and working collaboratively with other organizations to reach the greatest number of people of various socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds. This dietitian is desirably bi-lingual and has an interest and understanding of different ethnic and population groups.

• Food Service/Culinary Arts
  There is a large variety of different roles a dietitian can play in various food service and culinary professions. Typical settings include hospitals and clinics, schools and colleges, daycare organizations, nursing homes, and other food establishments, including restaurants and institutional settings. Dietitians in these roles usually have an interest in food production and culinary arts, and roles may include meal planning, understanding special dietary needs, calculating nutritional content, ordering food, ensuring appropriate sanitary guidelines are followed, and budgeting food costs.
• Cardiac rehabilitation centers
  Dietitians in cardiac rehab clinics typically work with exercise physiologists and cardiologists to educate patients on healthy eating for cardiovascular health. Some dietitians in cardiac rehab may have additional training and/or certifications in exercise science through the American College of Sports Medicine.
• Bariatric/Weight Loss Clinic
  These dietitians work closely with doctors and nurses to evaluate and prepare potential clients for invasive weight loss surgery. Dietitians make very specific nutrition recommendations and meal plans and work closely with patients to ensure compliance. Dietitians are typically advanced-practice and have knowledge of liquid diets as well as experience in working with gastrointestinal disorders.
  
  
• Business/Communications
  Dietitians can work for large corporations as an in-house nutrition specialist (Ex: Dole, Dannon, or Disney) or as a nutrition sales representative (Ex: Abbott, Mead Johnson). Communications positions for dietitians include working for a public relations firm (Ex: Fleishmann-Hillard, Weber Shandwick) to manage accounts with companies that require food and nutrition expertise (Glaceau). Others may work directly for a print or online company to write/publish nutrition and food-related content (Ex: CSPI, Cooking Light Magazine or eDiets).
• Retail/Food Industry
  Dietitians working in a corporate environment can work in many different capacities: consumer-focused; food safety; and employee-focused. Consumer-focused dietitians provide nutrition education to the public through AD publications and in-store events. Some dietitians work directly for food manufacturers (Nestle, Kraft, General Mills, Frito Lay) in many different capacities: marketing, consumer affairs, food safety or research and development. These positions typically require some business experience or coursework and may have rigorous internship programs.
• Research/Academic (advanced degree)
  Dietitians working in research can work in a hospital research clinic (GCRC) or may work for an academic institution. Dietitians in academic positions typically require advanced degrees (master’s level or doctorate) and involve teaching courses, publishing research, and advising students. Some positions in public health do not require an R.D. but require doctorate-level clinicians.
• Dialysis Centers/Renal Dietitians (advanced practice)
  Dietitians at dialysis centers review and track lab values (phosphorus, calcium, sodium, albumin, etc.) and provide nutrition education. While there are full-time positions available in single dialysis clinics, oftentimes dietitians in these settings are part of a group of RDs that travel to a variety of dialysis centers.
• Eating Disorder Clinics (advanced practice)
  Dietitian careers in eating disorder clinics involve working closely with social workers, psychologists, counselors, nurses, and physicians to provide adequate nutrition for normalizing eating behaviors for patients in the clinic. By normalizing these eating behaviors, patients are able to stabilize their vital signs, including weight, blood pressure, and heart rate. Dietitians in these roles must figure their patients’ body composition (lean muscle to fat) to determine the number of calories the patient must consume in order to gain or maintain a healthy body weight. They are constantly monitoring the weights and adjusting the diets according to weight gain or loss. Dietitians are also regularly involved in dietary assessment and providing nutrition recommendations specific to individual needs. Typically, they are involved in menu and meal planning with patients. In addition, these dietitians work closely with behavioral health specialists to assist clients in navigating emotional issues that can impact food behaviors and intake. Dietitians become part of the counseling process for these patients, using various techniques to provide nutrition therapy.
• Private consultants (advanced practice)
  Dietitians who run their own businesses can take as many or as few patients as they so choose. This is typically an area that requires at least 5 years of clinical practice. These dietitians can choose an area to specialize in (such as child nutrition, eating disorders, weight management, diabetes, sports nutrition) and may work on a fee-for-service basis or accept health insurance (depending on the location). Private-practice dietitians are typically required to have professional liability insurance and may need state licensure depending on the location.