Perhaps you’ve heard the news? March is National Nutrition month and today, March 8th, is all about celebrating Registered Dietitian Nutritionists.
Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) are the food and nutrition experts. I discovered I wanted to pursue this field almost ten years ago, right after I met my husband. It has not been an easy road to get where I am today as far as earning the RDN credentials. At best, about half of those that graduate with a degree in nutrition are matched to a required internship. It is incredibly competitive and stressful. However, I have been so very thankful for the process because it has prepared me to feel comfortable and confident in the healthcare world.
The steps to become a RDN include:
1. Acquire a degree in nutrition – bachelors at minimum and often times dietitians have masters or doctorate degrees.
2. Complete a dietetic internship – very competitive admissions process, incredibly time consuming and often times expensive.
3. Pass a national board exam.
4. Document continuing education hours to maintain the credential.
There are many different programs that train nutritionists, some better than others, but they aren’t nearly as complete and rigorous as the training required for RDNs. If you know a dietitian and have the inclination, send them a quick email or note to let them know you appreciate them and the work they do. We love feedback and it means so much when we feel like we make a difference.
Just for fun, I have included a video of a project that I contributed to for Swedish hospital during my internship at Bastyr University. While it isn’t my best work, I can honestly say that I was still learning at this point in my career and I could have used some more practice in front of the camera. 😀 Oh well, it will just be one of those things that lives on the internet forever associated to me. Friendly teasing comments are totally welcome. 🙂
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