Dietitian or Nutritionist?
- Liyao
- Apr 14, 2020
- 3 min read
“Every registered dietitian is a nutritionist, but not every nutritionist is a registered dietitian” [1]
What's the difference between dietitians and nutritionists?
If you ask me what’s the major difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist in the United States, I would say that the use of the “dietitian” label is regulated by law. Dietitians go through similar education and training as other healthcare providers, such as doctors, physicians, pediatricians, and so on. They must earn a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Nutrition, complete a series of supervised practice and rotations, and pass a rigorous registration exam to earn the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) credential. This exam is administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
To call yourself a nutritionist and practice as such, you do not need an advanced degree (a high school diploma is sufficient) or credentials, and you do not need to complete supervised rotations. In other words, anyone can call him or herself a nutritionist.
Who can call him/herself a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)?
First, he/she must earn a Bachelor or Master’s degree with coursework approved by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Coursework typically includes food and nutrition sciences, foodservice systems management, business, economics, computer science, sociology, biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, and chemistry.
Second, he/she must complete an accredited, supervised practice program at a health care facility, community agency or foodservice corporation. Most of these accredited programs require 1200 hours of supervised practice over the course of 8-12 months.
Third, he/she must pass a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration. This is known as the RD exam.
Last but not least, he/she must complete continuing professional educational requirements on an ongoing basis to maintain registration. [2]
What does it cost to become a dietitian?
“Among ranked National Universities, the average cost of tuition and fees for the 2019–2020 school year was $41,426 at private colleges, $11,260 for state residents at public colleges and $27,120 for out-of-state students at state schools, according to data reported to the U.S. News in an annual survey.” [3] To earn a four years bachelor’s degree in nutrition science can cost between $45,040 to $165,704.
For people who would like to pursue a Master’s degree in Nutrition Science, you need to finish science prerequisite courses, including Inorganic Chemistry with lab, Biology with lab, Organic Chemistry with lab, Biochemistry, Nutrition, and Anatomy, and Physiology with lab.[4] Different colleges may have different prerequisite courses so it’s best to check the school’s website before you sign up for classes. It can take one or two years to finish all of the prerequisites. You can usually take the prerequisites at the school you are going to apply to. You’ll be considered a non-degree seeking student.
The total cost of taking prerequisite classes will vary depending on your academic background and where you take classes. I spent around $7,000-$8,000 for a few classes I did not have from my previous degree, but it can be more if you need to take all or most of the prerequisites.
As far as cost goes for the Master’s degree itself, tuition and fees for the 2019-2020 school year at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) were $16,367 for in-state students and $27,967 for out-of-state students. To earn a two-year Master’s Degree in Nutrition at UIC, you can expect to pay between $32,734 and $55,934.
All nutrition students must complete an accredited supervised practice program/internship in order to become a registered dietitian. These internships are competitive and unpaid. Most dietetic supervised internships charge fees like most medical rotation programs. Again, cost varies depending on the program.
Should I seek guidance from a registered dietitian or a nutritionist?
It’s hard to tell. It’s your choice. Not every dietitian can help you, and not every nutritionist is short of nutrition education. However, what’s the chance that you meet a registered dietitian without knowledge or experience? Zero. What’s the chance to meet a nutritionist without nutrition education? I don’t know. Do you want to try?
Reference:
Kommentare