—Judy
Response: Dietitians plan therapeutic diets and implement preparation and service of meals for patients in hospitals, clinics, schools, colleges and corporations.
In health care facilities, they may consult with a physician and other health care personnel to determine nutritional needs and diet restrictions of patients. Dietitians formulate menus for therapeutic diets based on the medical and physical condition of patients and integrate patient's menus with basic institutional menus. They instruct patients and their families in nutritional principles, dietary plans, food selection, and preparation.
Dietitians may also supervise the activities of workers, engage in food preparation and service. Many and varied career paths may be taken by those trained in the science of foods and nutrition where one can engage in research or teach nutrition and diet therapy to medical students and hospital personnel. Alternate titles are staff dietitian and therapeutic dietitian.
Some clinical dietitians specialize in the management of overweight patients, care of the critically ill, or of renal (kidney) and diabetic patients. In addition, clinical dietitians in nursing homes, small hospitals, or correctional facilities also may manage the food service department.
Community Dietitians or nutritionists work mainly in government or voluntary health agencies. These outlets would include public health clinics, home health agencies and health maintenance organizations, counseling individuals and groups on nutritional practices designed to promote good health.
They evaluate individual needs, develop nutritional care plans, and instruct individuals and their families. Community dietitians also provide instruction on grocery shopping and food preparation to the elderly, individuals with special needs, and children.
Consultant Dietitians work under contract with healthcare facilities or in their own private practice. They perform nutrition screenings for their clients, and offer advice on diet-related concerns such as weight loss or cholesterol reduction.
Some consultant dietitians work for wellness programs, sports teams, supermarkets, and other nutrition-related businesses. They may consult with food service managers, providing expertise in sanitation, safety procedures, menu development, budgeting, and planning.
Administrative Dietitians plan, coordinate, and supervise the preparation and service of food in quantities for institutions such as hospitals, schools, and colleges and universities.
Research Dietitians plan, organize, and conduct studies of nutrition, foods, and food service.
Employment Outlook:
Above average growth is projected through 2008 for Dietitians and Nutritionists. Opportunities in private industry (catering, restaurants, medical supply) and employer-sponsored fitness programs are expected to increase. Demand is also increasing for those specializing in research.
Salary Range:
| DIETITIAN projected 2002 annual salaries in the Los Angeles area: |
|||
| YEARS EXPERIENCE | 10th PERCENTILE | TIME SERIES MEDIAN | 90th PERCENTILE |
| 5 | $ 37,784 | $ 44,109 | $ 52,463 |
| 3 | $ 35,385 | $ 41,324 | $ 49,132 |
| 1 | $ 32,987 | $ 38,540 | $ 45,803 |
Educational/Licensing requirements:
Many jobs require that the applicant be a Registered Dietitian.
Dietitians and nutritionists need to complete a bachelor's degree in dietetics, foods and nutrition, food service systems management, or a related area.
- A registered dietitian requires the following:
- • Complete a minimum of a bachelor's degree at a US regionally accredited university or college and course work (Didactic Program in Dietetics) approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE) of The American Dietetic Association (ADA).
- • Complete a CADE approved supervised pre professional practice program at a healthcare facility, community agency, or a foodservice corporation, which usually takes 6 to 12 months to complete. This involves a minimum of 900 hours of supervised practice.
- • Successful completion of the registration examination for Dietitians, which is administered by CADE.
- • Renewal of registration required 75 hours of approved continuing professional education every five years.
- • Complete a CADE approved supervised pre professional practice program at a healthcare facility, community agency, or a foodservice corporation, which usually takes 6 to 12 months to complete. This involves a minimum of 900 hours of supervised practice.
According to the ADA web site, forty-one states have enacted legislation regulating the practice of dietetics. Both state licensure and state certifications are separate and distinct from registration or certification by the Commission on Dietetic Registration. California does not require separate state licensure.
Resources:
- Commission on Dietetic Registration
- 216 West Jackson Blvd.
- Chicago, IL 60606-6995
- (312) 899-0040 x 5500
- Fax (312) 899-4772
- www.cdrnet.org
- Chicago, IL 60606-6995
The program director will evaluate your previous academic preparation and identify the courses that you would need to complete to meet the academic requirements for dietetic registration. The dietetics program director can advise you of your options. Once the required coursework is completed, you are eligible to apply to a CADE-accredited, supervised practice program.
Educational Programs:
The following colleges in the Los Angeles area offer bachelor programs with an optional concentration in a Didactic Program in Dietetics:
- California State University, Long Beach
- Department of Family and Consumer Sciences
- 1250 Bellflower Boulevard
- Long Beach CA 90840-0501
- (562) 985-4545
- Fax (562) 985-4414
- Contact: Jacqueline D. Lee, Ph.D., RD
- E-mail: jjlee@csulb.edu
- www.csulb.edu/colleges/chhs/dpd
- Long Beach CA 90840-0501
The school offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics and Food Administration that fulfills the academic requirements needed for a student to become a Registered Dietitian (RD). This is a 129-unit program, which includes 40 units in Family and Consumer Sciences and 24 units of upper division work. The coordinated dietetics option includes an internship program for completing the 900 hours of work experience required to qualify for the Registered Dietitian exam. The cost of registration is approximately $900 per academic year (for a full-time student), not including miscellaneous fees.
- California State University, Los Angeles
- Department of Kinesiology and Nutritional Science
- 5151 State University Drive
- Los Angeles CA 90032-8172
- (323) 343-4666
- Fax (323) 343-6482
- Contact: Joyce Y. Gota, MA, RD
- E-mail: jgota@calstatela.edu
- www.calstatela.edu/dept/hnut_sci/dept_pro.htm
- Los Angeles CA 90032-8172
The school offers a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nutritional Science with an option to complete a coordinated dietetics program. This is a186 to 190-unit program including 61 units of nutritional science coursework and 33 units of program coursework. The coordinated dietetics option includes the 900 hours of work experience required to qualify for the RD exam. The cost of registration is approximately $2000 per academic year (for a full-time student), not including miscellaneous fees.
According to Laura Calderon, the advisor for this program, graduates are "snapped up" upon completion of the program, which generally takes four to five years to complete.
University of Southern California-Master of Nutrition Science
Pharmacology and Nutrition offers a program leading to a master's degree in nutrition science. The program gives graduate students an opportunity to enrich their undergraduate nutrition background with a unique blend of traditional advanced nutrition courses as well as courses in the School of Medicine.
In addition to basic and clinical nutrition, some of the subjects covered include interactions between nutrients, drugs and toxicants; developmental nutrition; nutritional toxicology; research techniques used in nutrition-related disease; and other popular or current topics generated by student or faculty interest.
The M.S. in Nutrition Science is not intended to be a research degree. The aim of the program is to provide advanced education to those persons already working in a nutrition-related field or those wishing to pursue a career in the health care industry, government agencies, academia or the food industry. The master's degree is awarded upon successful completion of a minimum of 24 units and a comprehensive examination.
Professional Associations
- American Dietetic Association
- 216 West Jackson Blvd.
- Chicago, Ill., 60606 v(312) 899-0040
- www.eatright.org
- Chicago, Ill., 60606 v(312) 899-0040
This is a professional association for dietetic professionals. Membership benefits include earning continuing professional education credit through conferences, journal articles and the online education center, networking opportunities at conferences and workshops, industry updates through online and paper publications, and the opportunity to learn of more specialized fields through ADA offered practice groups. Membership in the ADA includes membership in the California Dietetic Association. Annual membership dues are $175.
- California Dietetic Association
- 7740 Manchester Ave., Suite 102
- Playa del Rey, CA 90293-8499
- (310) 822-0177
- Fax (310) 823-0264
- www.dietitian.org
- Playa del Rey, CA 90293-8499
Job Resources:
- Jobs in Dietetics
- P.O. Box 3537
- Santa Monica, CA 90408-3537
- (310) 453-5375
- www.jobsindietetics.com
- E-mail: carolyn@jobsindietetics.com
- Santa Monica, CA 90408-3537
This is a subscription job listing service of local job openings and career opportunities for dietetic and other food service professionals which can also be accessed online. The organization also provides access to information on trends in dietetics. The publication is available for 6 months at a cost of $48 or 12 months at a cost of $84.
You may e-mail questions to swmcareer@aol.com.
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