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



RD School: How Can I Become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist?

It was about this time of year during my senior year of high school that we were challenged to look at 2 or more careers to prepare for college the following year. Thanks to Mrs. Malone, my amazing AP English teacher, I found dietetics as a career. I grew up loving science and learning, so I was preparing to become a science teacher. After looking at the job opportunities for teachers and dietitians, I decided to pursue a career in dietetics with the hopes of pursuing teaching on the collegiate level later in my career. 

Today, we will review how you can become a Registered Dietitian (RD) or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). Notice, that I did not say "nutritionist." Nutritionists are not the same as a Registered Dietitian. I repeat, dietitians and nutritionists are NOT the same. 

Technically, everyone is a nutritionist - meaning you do not have to have any schooling to use this title. This would be like someone being able to say that they were a "doctor" without pursuing medical school and their MD. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be seen by a "doctor" who hasn't completed medical school. 

Registered Dietitians complete undergraduate education, a dietetic internship, and all who want to sit for the RD exam in 2024 will have to earn their Master's degree. If you want more information about becoming a RD, check out this series where I walk you through each step of the process and give tips on how to succeed in every step.

 Becoming a Registered Dietitian: Undergraduate

Becoming a Registered Dietitian

Undergraduate Education in Dietetics or Nutrition

Becoming a Registered Dietitian: Dietetic Internship

Applying for a Dietetic Internship

Succeed in Your Dietetic Internship

Becoming a Registered Dietitian: Pass the RD Exam

Pass the Registered Dietitian Exam

Registered Dietitians have the credentials RD or RDN after passing the national RD Exam. The RD and RDN (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist) are the same credentials. The "N" in RDN was added to help regulate the use of the title "nutritionist" and protect consumers. If you want to find a RD in your area, you can use the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website to find RDs and verify credentials. Be an educated consumer. Make sure you know what credentials your healthcare practitioners have. Be safe and healthy!

For more tips about healthy eating and information about becoming a RD, follow RDtipoftheday on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

If you enjoyed this post, you might be interested in:

What do Registered Dietitians do?

Where do Registered Dietitians work?

Dietitian Myths

Five Things You Should Know About Becoming a RD

I had the pleasure of meeting with an undergraduate nutrition student, aka a RD to be. I love teaching and mentoring! I wish I could sit down with each of you to hear about your journey and help you navigate life as a RD. This was a great opportunity for me to remember what it was like to be a student pursuing an unknown career. 

Do you remember what it's like to be a student? I remember putting a lot of work and effort into studying and preparing to be a RD. I also wondered if my career choice would be a good fit for me. So, here are some of the questions she asked me about being a RD. I thought you might have some of the same questions too.

What kind of Dietetic Internship should I pursue?
There are many different types of dietetic internships. My advice is to determine the top 3-5 areas of dietetics that you are interested in pursuing. Then, find an internship that has those areas. There are internships that focus on clinical (hospital) practice, pediatrics, geriatrics, or food service. All dietetic internships will have a small component of each sub-specialty of nutrition. You need all the experience and knowledge to prepare and pass the RD exam.
Here is even more information about applying for your dietetic internship and how to be a successful dietetic intern.


Should I obtain my Masters Degree?
Yes. I am a strong proponent for obtaining your Masters Degree. Also, a Masters Degree will be required to be eligible to take the RD exam in 2024. 
You can pursue different degrees that are applicable to your practice as a RD. You may choose to pursue of Masters of Science (MS) if you practice as a clinical RD or professor. You can earn a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) if you plan to open your own practice. You can earn a Masters of Arts in Counseling (MA) if you plan to do a lot of counseling with your patients. You can also earn a Masters of Public Health (MPH) if you plan to work in weight management or like the policies that can improve the public's health.


What does a typical day look like as a RD?
I will answer this question in a separate post because I have worked in a variety of areas as a RD. I am an outpatient (think doctor's office) RD, an adjunct professor, a consultant (think freelance) RD, and I have been a clinical (hospital) RD. My days looked a little different with each of my roles as a RD.

Other RDtips:

• Pursue volunteer experiences.
• You get to learn more about being a RD. Find out what fits you best and what areas are not a good fit.
• Pursue what you enjoy!
• There are a variety of jobs that you can work in as a RD. Here's my list of RD jobs from A to Z.
• Never stop learning.
• RDs and other health care professionals are required to complete Continuing Education Units (CPUs) to maintain your state and national license and credentialing. I think continual learning is impressive to those in a nutrition-related profession. Nutritional science is a relatively new science, when compared to astronomy, geology, and traditional medicine. It is vital to keep up with new information about nutrition and how it relates to your practice. So, never stop learning.

Do you want to be a RD? Stay tuned as I give you a look at the variety of areas you can work in as a RD. If you have questions, comment below or ask on Instagram or Twitter. You can also follow me on  on Pinterest, 

If you enjoyed this post, you might enjoy:

5 Steps to Becoming a RD

Finding Your Niche as a RD

How I became a RD and College Nutrition Professor

Being A College Professor

Since my last posts about being a college professor and why I became a college professor,  many of you have asked questions about how to become a collegiate professor, what does it look like be an online professor? How do I come up with coursework? These were the same questions that I had when I started teaching. So, I'll address some of these topics today and in future posts, since you had questions. So, stay tuned.

I have always loved teaching, and I knew I wanted to teach eventually. But, I took a slightly different approach to becoming a teacher. I became a registered dietitian (RD) first. To become a RD, you must complete an undergraduate degree with prerequisites for entrance into a dietetic internship. You apply and match to an internship program. Once you complete your dietetic internship, you are eligible to take the RD exam. . Once you pass the RD exam, you can practices as a dietitian. 

Master of Science
After I passed my RD exam, I began working as a clinical RD. I worked full-time at a pediatric hospital and worked to complete my my Master of Science (MS) part time. 

I earned 12 graduate level credits during my dietetic internship. I was fortunate enough to find a Dietetic and Nutrition MS program that was mostly online. Having online courses was great for me since I was working full-time, I am self-motivated, and I had a good base understanding of the subject matter from my undergraduate degree. Also, it provided me with personal experience taking online courses as a student. This has been very valuable since I'm now on the "other side" teaching online courses. 

My MS degree did require some face-to-face classes, which I enjoyed. It was nice to have classes with people. I love meeting new people, so this was a nice change of pace from the online courses.

CSP or specialty certification

I earned a specialty degree in pediatric nutrition. I did this because I am a clinical pediatric RD, but I was offered the Lifecycle Nutrition course because of this degree. The Lifecycle Nutrition course is the only course I had as an undergraduate student that had a pediatric portion. So, it never hurts to specialize. And, keep learning.

Sending out your resume
When I decided to pursue teaching as an RD, I sent out resumes to local universities, community colleges, dietetic internship programs, and cooking schools. All of these institutions provide courses on food, nutrition, health, and food safety, which an RD can teach. I met several people through this, but ultimately there were no jobs available.

Networking
I actually got my first job through networking. I reached out to my dietetic internship program director to see if she knew of any jobs in her institution or at another institution. There were none at the time. But, she gave my contact information to a Undergraduate Director

Volunteering
If you are interested in teaching or any other aspect of being a RD, I would recommend volunteering. It may take some time and effort to find a RD that has the time to have a volunteer, but it will be worth it! Also, some dietetic internships have "alternate" or "staffing" weeks where you can request to shadow a RD in a specific setting. Take advantage of this opportunity and explore some different job opportunities for RDs.

I now have the pleasure of teaching several online courses, Basic Human Nutrition and a Lifecycle Nutrition. So, wish me luck as I work to finish reading 19 chapters of Lifecycle Nutrition. 

Are you a college teacher? Do you have any advice for those wishing to become professors? Do you have any questions about becoming a RD or professor? 
If so, comment below with your questions or advice about being a RD or professor.

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

Being a College Professor

I hope many of you are enjoying wrapping up school or enjoying summer vacation. You may remember that I am a college professor. So, the end of the school year is actual a busy time for me. After grades are posted, I start working on next semester's classes. 

I have the pleasure of teaching a Lifecycle Nutrition class next Fall and Spring for undergraduate dietetics and nutrition students. I am so excited for this opportunity! It is the only course that includes pediatric nutrition. Since I also practice as a pediatric Registered Dietitian and have my CSP (Certified Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition), I am so excited to share what I've learned about pediatric nutrition from our textbook along with real world examples (without disclosing any HIPPA information). I am also excited to have the same group of students for 2 semesters; I hope the feeling will be mutual for the students :)

So, wish me luck as I dive into 19 chapters of Lifecycle Nutrition. 

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

Becoming a Registered Dietitian: the RD Exam

So, you've completed your undergraduate degree, taken the GRE, applied to a dietetic internship (DI), matched to a DI, and completed your internship. Congratulations! Now you are eligible to take the RD Exam.

Your undergraduate program and internship experiences will help you prepare for the RD (registered dietitian) exam. Shadowing dietitians in the internship will provide you with even more knowledge of the various types of medical nutrition therapy (MNT). Your internship should also include some food service experiences. The RD exam has both clinical and foodservice questions. So, be prepared for both! 

RD Exam Study Tools

There are many study tools for the RD exam. I would encourage you to look through the available options and pick one that fits your learning style. There are books, audio programs, daily questions, and flash cards. Examples include RD in a Flash, which is 630 flash cards for $127. I used the RD in a Flash cards and studied course material from my internship. There is the Jean Inman review course, which is a 2-day review with printed materials for $385. I've had many colleagues use this program to review for the RD exam. 

Many internships suggest a program. I encourage you to talk with your DI director about review material. Also, consider how you learn best. 

**Update: The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) now offers a study tool. It's called eatrightPREP for the RDN exam. It's about $250 for non-academy members and $200 for academy members for 90-day access. It can be renewed for longer if needed. I have not personally used this resource. It was not available when I took the RD exam. I wanted to make you aware of a variety of resources. 

My advice is to invest in a study aide, make time to study, and set a date to take the exam fairly soon. This will give you a deadline and encourage you to make time to study. I encourage you to take the exam fairly close to graduate so all the information you absorbed during the DI will be fresh. Good luck!

Life After the RD Exam
Once you've passed the RD exam. You may decide to take one of three paths: finish your Master's degree as a full-time student, pursue a full-time career as a RD, or a mix of both by finishing your Master's degree as a part-time student while working as a RD. We'll talk about searching for a job as a RD and interviewing more in the near future. Stay tuned.

**Update: In 2024, students who complete their dietetic internship will now be required to earn their Master's degree before being eligible to sit for the RD exam. So, your path to become a RD looks like undergraduate degree --> dietetic internship --> Master's degree --> RD exam --> practice as a RD or RDN.

For more nutrition information, encouragement, and tips for healthy eating, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter . You can subscribe to this blog, RDtipoftheday.blogspot.com, through BlogLovin.

If you liked this post, you might enjoy:

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

Becoming a Registered Dietitian: Undergraduate Education

Are you interested in becoming a dietitian? You may be finishing high school, in college, or considering a second career. I believe we all have a little interest in nutrition because we have to eat to survive. Why not fuel your body in a healthy way?

Registered Dietitians (RD) or Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN) are the nutrition experts. We go through school, a dietetic internship, and all new RDs will be required to have a Master's degree by 2024. The first step in becoming a registered dietitian is to attend an ACEND-credited undergraduate program.

The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) is the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics'  (AND) accreditation program for dietetic undergraduate programs that prepare students for careers as RD/RDNs or dietetic technicians registered (DTR). ACEND was previously known as the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE) if you are more familiar with that terminology. ACEND makes sure that undergraduate programs and dietetic internships are adequately preparing dietetic and nutrition majors for their dietetic internship and providing a solid base for their future career as a dietitian. Their are objectives for each undergraduate course that have to be met for the program to be ASCEND accredited.

The dietetics curriculum is heavily science based. So if you enjoy science, this could be the right career for you. Many dietetics programs will overlap with some nursing, speech therapy, and medicine programs because of these degrees are medical and science-based. I enjoyed my undergraduate core classes and felt that I was well-prepared for my dietetic internship and Master's degree. Click here to search for an ACEND-accredited undergraduate program, didactic program, or dietetic internship.

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 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)