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.

Kids Eat Right Month: 3 Steps to Healthy Eating

Happy Kids Eat Right Month! As a pediatric registered dietitian (RD), I often get asked many questions about feeding children in a healthy way. This month we will discuss many topics about healthy eating with a focus on teaching children how to eat healthy. Luckily, these principles can be applied to children of all ages (including adults who are kids at heart)!

So, the most common question I get is "How do I get my child to eat healthy?". We will discuss several strategies to eat health. So to start, we need to offer healthy options. We can do this in a few simple steps.

1) Have healthy options available.
We discussed 8 tips for eating healthy on a budget earlier this month. This is a simple step that is vital. You have to have healthy options available to eat them. If you fill your fridge, freezer, and pantry with healthy options, you will make a healthy choice by default. Remove the temptation of high calorie and high fat foods by not buying them. If they are not in your home, they are not a temptation.

2) Cook a healthy meal. Have your family, including children, help you in the kitchen.
Cooking meals take time. You can have your roommate, friends, spouse, or your children help you in the kitchen. When we are involved in the cooking, we are more willing and more likely to try the foods. The same is true for children. If they are familiar with a food, they are more likely to try the food.
It is important to make a safety a priority in the kitchen. So, here are some tips for age-appropriate kitchen tasks.

Cooking Skills by Age

• 6-7 years - crack eggs, measure dry ingredients, shuck corn on the cob
• 8-9 years - open cans, whisk ingredients (like scrambled eggs), juice lemons and limes
• 10 years and older - be a sous chef and slice or chop ingredients, boil pasta, use the microwave, bake food in the oven

*Parents, remember to supervise kids at all times in the kitchen.

3) Build a healthy plate.
You've purchased healthy foods. How do you make them appetizing? Use the MyPlate method to build a healthy meal. You can also check out my quick and easy recipe for green chips to help encourage increase intake of vegetables.


Stay tuned all this month for more on healthy eating and Kids Eat Right Month. For more recipes, encouragement, and tips for healthy eating, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

Kids Eat Right: 8 Healthy Lunch Ideas

I was interviewed to provide tips for healthy eating with children for Kids Eat Right Month. For more information on how to give your kids a healthy start, here are 8 Healthy Lunch Ideas, using MyPlate to build a healthy school lunches, and tips for teaching your kids about fueling themselves in a healthy way with meals and snacks.

Stay tuned all this month for more on healthy eating and Kids Eat Right Month. For more recipes, encouragement, and tips for healthy eating, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. 

How Do I Find a Dietitian?

So, you now know where RDs work and what RDs do. Are you interested in seeing a dietitian?  Dietitians are trained to help you with your nutrition and health. RDs can help you lose weight healthfully, gain weight healthfully, help you build a healthy plate, meal plan, read Nutrition Facts Labels, help you lower your cholesterol, and so much more. Here are another 10 reasons to see a RD. 

You can locate a dietitian near you though the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), which is the national credentialing agency for RDs and RDNs. Remember it is important to talk with your personal dietitian or MD before starting a new diet or exercise plan. 

And don't forget to follow me, RDtipoftheday, on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter . You can also subscribe to this blog, RDtipoftheday.blogspot.com, through BlogLovin..