Dietetics and Nutrition

Registered Dietitians often work in hospitals or other clinical settings to provide specialized care to patients undergoing treatment or in recovery from illness.

An Essential Member of the Modern Health Care Team
The American Dietitian Association defines registered dietitian as a food and nutrition expert who has met the minimum academic and professional requirements to qualify for the RD credential. In addition to RD credentialing, many states including Kansas have regulatory laws for dietitians and nutrition practitioners. State requirements frequently are met through the same education and training required to become a RD.

Registered dietitians must meet the following criteria to obtain the RD credential:

1. Receive a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college and complete coursework approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE) of the American Dietetic Association.
• Students wishing to become a registered dietitian study subjects including food and nutrition sciences, foodservice systems management, business, economics, computer science, culinary arts, sociology, communications, biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, anatomy and chemistry.
• KU does not provide an undergraduate program in dietetics and is unable to provide the verification statement required for application to dietetic internships.
2. Complete a CADE-accredited supervised practice program at a healthcare facility, community agency, or a food service corporation or combined with undergraduate or graduate studies.
   • KU Medical Center offers a combined dietetic internship and Master’s of Science degree program.
3. Pass a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).
   
   • Students completing the KU Medical Center dietetic internship are eligible to complete the national examination. KU Medical center dietetic interns have an excellent pass rate and outstanding job placement upon receiving their graduate certificate.
4. Once the RD is obtained, the registered dietitian must complete continuing educational requirements to maintain registration.
   
   • KU Medical Center faculty work to provide continuing education opportunities for state dietitians. A yearly Clinical Nutrition Symposium is offered which provides continuing education credits for local dietetics professionals.

Some RDs hold additional certifications in specialized areas of practice. These are awarded through CDR, the credentialing agency for ADA, and / or other medical and nutrition organization and are cognized within the profession. These are not required credentials but note expertise in specialty fields. Some of the certifications include, renal nutrition, pediatric nutrition, nutrition support and diabetes education.

A Career in Demand
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of registered dietitians is expected to grow because of increased emphasis on disease prevention, the growing elderly population and public interest in nutrition. Registered dietitians are trained to work in a variety of areas.

• Hospitals, HMO’s or other health-care facilities providing medical nutrition therapy.
• Sports nutrition and corporate wellness programs providing preventative services educating clients about the connection between nutrition, physical activity and health.
• Food and nutrition-related business and industries working in communications, consumer affairs, public relations, marketing product development or consulting with restaurants and culinary schools.
• Private practice working under contract with health care or food companies or in their own business

The Importance of the Registered Dietitan

Some individuals call themselves “nutritionist” and attempt to provide nutrition services without having completed education, formal training, and licensing as a nutrition professional. However, the registered dietitian has completed years of advanced college study and training plus passed a national examination to obtain the RD credential. The registered dietitian is the nutrition expert. The American Dietetic Association maintains a list of registered dietitians providing medical nutrition services to the public. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment maintains a list of dietitians licensed to practice in the state of Kansas. Licensed Dietitians from Kansas use the “LD” credential.