Reader Favorites: March 2016 Edition

Thank you for all of the love this month! March is one of my favorite months; there is so much celebrating. We celebrate birthdays in my family, National Kidney Month, and National Nutrition Month! If you missed any of the posts last month, here are the top favorite posts you visited in the month of March. Enjoy!

 How Do I Become a Registered Dietitian? 5 Steps to your RD

 Happy National Nutrition Month (NNM) 2016!

 How to Find Your Niche: Registered Dietitian Edition

 Becoming a Registered Dietitian: Pass the RD Exam

Friday Favorites: March Edition

P.s. Happy National Nutrition Month!

Let me know if there are any nutrition-related topics you would like me to write about. You can comment below. 

For more recipes, encouragement, and tips for healthy eating, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. 

If you liked this post, you may enjoy:

February Reader Favorites

January Reader Favorites

 2015 Reader Favorites



How Do I Become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist? 5 Steps to Becoming a RD

Happy National Nutrition Month! I get many questions from friends, clients, and students who are curious about how to become dietitians. Today, I am telling you the five steps you need to complete to become a Registered Dietitian.

Dietitian vs. Nutritionist

Registered Dietitians (RD) or Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN) are the nutrition experts. The RD and RDN are two credential designations for one certification program. In other words, a dietitian can choose to use the title RD or RDN.

A nutritionist is different from a dietitian. Anyone can call themselves a "nutritionist;" however, you have to complete many hours of education and an internship to become a RD/RDN. We complete a lot of education in school, an undergraduate degree and Masters Degree. We also receive valuable on-the-job experiences through dietetic internships. After completing your internship you must pass the RD exam to earn your RD or RDN credential. All students that complete their dietetic internship will be required to have a Master's degree by 2024 in order to sit for the RD exam.

These are the 5 steps to become a Registered Dietitian or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.

 1) Complete Your Undergraduate Education.

2) Take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE).

You will need to take the GRE at least 6 months before you plan to apply to your internship. You will need to have your exam scores to complete your dietetic internship applications and to complete your post-graduate or Masters degree applications. Different dietetic internships have different desired scores for the GRE. Some dietetic internships simply require "completing the GRE," so there is no score cut off. So, research your dietetic internship's requirements.

3) Apply for Your Dietetic Internship.

3) Complete Your Dietetic Internship.

4) Complete Your Masters Degree.

In the past, you were not required to complete your Masters Degree. By 2024, all students that complete their dietetic internship are required to have a Master's degree in order to sit for the RD exam in 2024.

I choose to complete my Masters of Science (MS) even though it was not a requirement to take the RD exam. I choose to complete my MS for several reasons. One, I earned 12 graduate credit hours for completing Masters choices during my internship. These applied to the MS degree. I also wanted the opportunity to teach on the collegiate level, so I felt the MS was a great degree to support my career goals.

I have several co-workers and fellow dietitians that have Masters degrees in various areas. I worked for a registered dietitian that earned her MBA because she knew she wanted to open her own nutrition practice. I had a registered dietitian that earned her Masters of Art (MA) in Counseling; I've seen her use her counseling skills daily.

I encourage you to think about your future career goals. Research different Masters degrees. And, research your dietetic internship programs. Many dietetic internships offer Masters level courses that you complete during your dietetic internship. So, research and find the best fit for you and your future career.

5) Pass Your RD Exam.

Follow me, RDtipoftheday, on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter, for more information about healthy eating, encouragement, recipes, and nutrition facts. You can also subscribe to this blog, RDtipoftheday.blogspot.com, through BlogLovin.

If you liked this post, you might enjoy:

5 Things You Should Know About Being a RD

Where can Dietitians work? A list from A to Z.

National Nutrition Month: How did it start?

Where do Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) work? A look into clinical nutrition.

Becoming a Registered Dietitian: How to Succeed in Your Dietetic Internship

Registered Dietitians (RD) or Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN) are the nutrition experts. We go through many years of school, a dietetic internship, and new RDs will be required to have a Master's degree by 2024. This week we are walking through all the steps to become a Registered Dietitian. We discussed ACEND accredited dietetic undergraduate programs, and today we are discussing dietetic internships.

So, you've completed your undergraduate degree, taken the GRE, and applied for the internship. You wait on your "match." And, now you've been accepted into your Dietetic Internship! You are a big step closer to becoming a RD!

Your Dietetic Internship (DI) is a time of observing and hands-on learning in various nutrition fields. It is a time to confirm that you want to be a dietitian and decide what field of nutrition you are truly passionate about. So here are a few of my tips to succeeding in your dietetic internship.

Internship = Job Interview
Make sure you also treat the internship as a job-interview. Remember to show up on time, be prepared, and dress according to the dress code. Even if you do not plan to work at that facility or you are not interested in that particular specialty in nutrition, treat your preceptor with respect; it takes effort to be a preceptor. You are representing your internship and yourself. You never know what job opening will be available at the end of the internship, so treat each rotation like a job interview. You have a great opportunity to network with RDs, learn, and check out perspective places for future employment.

Take Notes
Your DI is a time to learn, so write it down. I learn best through repetition and listening. So, I took notes about things I liked, new information, and I kept a list of acronyms and terms to look up later. I learned a ton by listening, identifying my areas of weakness, and looking up terms. I became more familiar with medical terminology and acronyms, which greatly helped me in my clinical job and helped improve my communicate with doctors.

Review MNT and Take "Cheat Sheets"
In my senior medical nutrition therapy class (MNT), we had to create a pocket book of MNT for each disease. It was a ton of work, but it was so helpful to have in the internship. You can't remember everything, so it's helpful to have resources handy. So, review the MNT and information about your next internship rotation before starting the rotation. Make cheat sheets to take with you to jog your memory.
My internship had homework that coordinated with each rotation. I tried my best to finish the homework before the internship. Then if I had questions, I could ask the preceptor or internship director questions I had about MNT from the homework. This was a great way to prepare. By preparing before the rotation, I could better assess what I did know and what information I did not know or needed to learn more about.

Make a "Cheat Sheet"
My internship had fantastic opportunities to shadow and practice. So, I took notes on what my preceptor was asking the patient. Each preceptor has a different way of assessing a patient, so there are many 'right" ways to assess your client's nutritional needs. Also, each disease process requires different MNT. You learn a ton from school (aka "book smarts"), but I would argue that there is nothing that can compare to hands-on learning from an expert in the field (aka your preceptor). 

Did I leave out any of your ideas of how to be a successful intern? If so, leave a comment below and share with your colleagues and future dietetic interns.


Follow me, RDtipoftheday, on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter, for more information about healthy eating, encouragement, recipes, and nutrition facts. You can also subscribe to this blog, RDtipoftheday.blogspot.com, through BlogLovin, so you never miss a post.

If you enjoyed this post, you might enjoy:

5 Steps to Become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)

5 Things You Should Know About Being a Registered Dietitian (RD)

Becoming a Registered Dietitian: Applying for Your Dietetic Internship

Registered Dietitians (RD) or Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN) are the nutrition experts. We go through many years of school, a dietetic internship, and new RDs will be required to have a Master's degree by 2024. This week we are walking through all the steps to become a Registered Dietitian. We discussed dietetic undergraduate programs, and today we are discussing dietetic internships.

Applying for the Dietetic Internship
There are several parts to the Dietetic Internship Application: undergraduate grade point average (GPA) in core curriculum, GRE score, and volunteer and nutrition-related experience. To apply for a Dietetic Intern, you must complete your undergraduate degree with the necessary prerequisite courses.

You will also need to take the GRE for programs that have a Master's component. Plan to take the GRE at least 6 months before internship application, so you have all the necessary components to apply for the internships.

Aside from your GPA and GRE score, personal experience is important. Volunteer in different areas of nutrition to get a better idea of what are you would like to work in, gain nutrition-related experience, and build your resume.

When you have all of these components, you can complete most dietetic internships through the Dietetic Internship Centralized Application Service (DICAS) and D & D Digital, which is the site where you pay the computer matching fee and rank the dietetic internship. 

Now you are ready to apply to dietetic internships? But what internship will you choose?

Types of Dietetic Internships: Coordinated Programs or Didactic + Dietetic Internship
There are two paths of entry into dietetic internships: coordinated programs or a didactic program with a dietetic internship. After you finish your undergraduate or didactic program in dietetics, you are eligible to apply for to a 'traditional' dietetic internship. After you apply to a 'traditional' dietetic internship you are matched using a national computer match process. This match process involves you ranking dietetic internships and the internships ranking all of their applicants. You are only matched with one program. 

Or, you could enroll in a coordinated program in dietetics which combines undergraduate (bachelor's coursework), graduate coursework, and a supervised practice or internship for RD eligibility. The coordinated programs is also called a combined program. The coordinate programs usually have students complete their freshman and sophomore year. Then, students may apply for entry into the coordinated program at the end of their sophomore year. Students complete their supervised practice as an intern while completing their undergraduate degree. 

Specialized Dietetic Internships
All dietetic internships must provide at least 1,200 supervised hours of practice. But internships has some differences. Internships can range in length from 8-24 months. The longer internships usually include a part-time internship schedule with some graduate credit.  Some dietetic internships have a specific focus including pediatrics, geriatrics, clinical, etc. If you have an interest in this areas, you might consider looking for an internship with a specialization. All internships have a variety of shadowing experiences within the field of dietetics to help prepare you for the RD exam.

Find a Dietetic Internship
Check out Dietetic Internships in your state and find one that fits your needs by visiting the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' (AND) Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) website.

My Dietetic Internship
I completed my undergraduate course work at Louisiana State University (LSU). I had the opportunity to work for a RD in private practice and for LSU's RD during my undergraduate career. I visited to several internships the summer before my junior year. I met with the program director, toured the facilities, and had a chance to talk with some of the current interns. I also researched the internship I applied and matched to the internship program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences/Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare Systems. 

Do you have questions about dietetic internships?
For more information about dietetic internships, ask your undergraduate program director or contact the dietetic internship coordinator. Also, check out ACEND's FAQ page to find information about computer matching, program daintiness, and career options in dietetics.

Follow me, RDtipoftheday, on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter, for more information about healthy eating, nutrition facts, and being a registered dietitian. You can also subscribe to this blog, RDtipoftheday.blogspot.com, through BlogLovin.
If you enjoyed this post, you might enjoy:

5 Steps to Become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)

5 Things You Should Know About Being a Registered Dietitian (RD)

A Tale of Two Spices: Banana Bread and Mace

It amazes me how much I continue to learn about cooking, baking, and nutrition. For example, it is amazing how many spices there are from all-spice to za'atar? There are spices that define cooking from the North, East coast, West Coast, and of course from my beloved Southern states of the USA.

One of the new recipe books that I received for Christmas included a recipe for banana bread and mace. What?!? I immediately thought of the defense spray mace, but this is different. Mace inside the defensive spray is a concentration of a substance from hot chili peppers. Mace that is used in cooking is actually kin to nutmeg.

Nutmeg is a brown spice. When whole, it is an oval-shaped pit. Nutmeg can be found dried or whole. It is a warm spice that pairs well with cinnamon and is used most often in baking. It is also used in some savory cooking. For example, many of the recipes I have for béchamel sauce (aka white sauce) calls for a little bit of ground nutmeg.

Mace comes from the same plant as nutmeg. Mace is bright red and actually surrounds nutmeg when both are on the nutmeg tree.  Mace is more red than nutmeg. The taste of mace is more concentrated and peppery in my opinion.

I hope you've learned a little something today in "RD school" about spice and baking. For more recipes, encouragement, and tips for healthy eating, follow me, RDtipoftheday, on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. You can subscribe to this blog, RDtipoftheday.blogspot.com, through BlogLovin.

Failure is a Great Teacher

Dear reader,

My story isn't a perfect, model story, but I hope it is relatable. I great up eating Southern food. My mom made me eat vegetables because she is a great mom and because I would have been perfectly content to live off desserts.

I started dancing when I was little. This was my primary form of physical activity. I never thought of dance as exercise - fun, artistic, form of expression, social, competitive, sport, - yes! but exercise . . . never!

When I went to college, a lot changed. I was only 17, a little naive, and I had a lot to learn. I had so much to learn that I took 18 hours my first semester. Yeah, 18! I planned my courses needed to graduate in 4 years (type A much?!? Fun fact: most RDs I know are type A, so I'm in good company . . . and it was one of my assignments in Nutrition 1001). So, I had to take 18 hours my first semester. needless to say, I studied a lot! Did you know that while studying is great, it's a sedentary activity? Combine this with the fact I did not dance in college, and I lived on campus and made it a goal to get my "money's worth" out of the cafeteria. I found the massive gallons of ice cream and fresh-baked cookies quickly. So to recap, studying + cookies and ice cream in great quantities (because more is better - right???) minus dance = weight gain. I gained quickly - about 20% of my body weight in 3 months. Yes, you heard me right. Apparently, I am in an overachiever in many aspects of my life - weight gain included.

"Failure is a great teacher, and I think when you make mistakes and you recover from them and you treat them as valuable learning experiences, then you've got something to share." - Steve Harvey

I learned a lot in the next 3 1/2 years at college about nutrition and found other forms of exercise I enjoyed (Pilates, yoga, dance, elliptical, Frisbee, cycling, etc.). I slowly, healthfully began to get back to my freshman weight, a healthy BMI (body mass index), and an overall healthy lifestyle.

I hope that you learn a little something from the blog from this Southern RD. I would love to address topics or questions your have about nutrition. So, comment on the blog below or ask a question via Instagram and tag me @RDtipoftheday.

For more information, recipes, and tips and tricks for healthy eating, follow RDtipoftheday on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

To Pack or Not to Pack: Are School Lunches Healthy?

I don't know of the proper definition of “healthy.” I guess this question would lead me to question you on your definition of “healthy.” 

What does healthy mean to me? With regard to food, I would say a balance. Aim for a variety of food groups, colorful foods, and age- and activity- balanced portion sizes.

Many people ask me if school lunches are healthy. So, this is a question of "to pack or not to pack."

The National School Lunch Program is making some health-related changes. They are including more whole grains, colorful fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy, lowering the amount of saturated fat, lowering calories, and lowering the sodium content provided. The lower sodium content now meets DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet and low sodium diet restrictions. I see these as healthy, beneficial changes for the general population as a whole.

So, these changes fit my definition of healthy. Does it fit yours? If not, there is always the option to BYOL (Bring Your Own Lunch) that satisfies your health standards.


For more tips and tricks for healthy eating, follow RDtipoftheday on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.