When I Grow Up I Want to Be A . . .

Dietitian/Nutritionist

In the last ten years, after being overweight and ill, I have learned a lot about diet, nutrition and fitness. 

Although I am not actively pursuing another new career at this point in my life, if I were, I think I would like to be a Dietitian. I find that people who have seen me struggle with my weight loss and have seen me maintain the loss are coming to me for help and advice. This has motivated me to find what would be required of me to go into a career as Dietitian. The following is a result of my research.

Dietitians and Nutritionists

Dietitians and Nutritionists are considered experts in food and nutrition. Their job is to help people to know what to eat in order to achieve a healthy lifestyle. They may need to assist a client to either gain or lose weight, according to the individual’s needs.

Duties

Dietitians and Nutritionists have a number of duties including:

·        Explaining nutrition issues

·        Assess patient’s and clients’ health needs and diet

·        Develop meal plans, taking both cost and clients preferences into account

·        Evaluate the effects of meal plans and change the plans as needed

·        Promote better nutrition by giving talks to groups about diet, nutrition, and the relationship between good eating habits and preventing or managing specific diseases

·        Keep up with the latest nutritional science research

  (United States Department of Labor , 2012)

Work Locations

Dietitians and Nutritionists are employed in various settings. They may find employment in nursing homes or hospitals. Some work in schools or cafeterias. Some Dietitians and Nutritionists are self-employed.

Personal Traits Needed

Dietitians and Nutritionists need to have good organizational skills, they must like working with people and have good speaking skills.

Summary

As the following chart shows, in 2010 the median pay for Dietitians and Nutritionists was $25.60 per hours. A Bachelor’s degree is required. Most Dietitians and Nutritionists have earned their Bachelor’s degree in dietetics, foods and nutrition, food service systems management, or a related area. Programs include courses in nutrition, physiology, chemistry, and biology. (United States Department of Labor , 2012).No work experience is needed. There is on the job training in the form of Internships or residencies involving several hundred house of supervised training. (United States Department of Labor , 2012). The outlook for this profession is expected to grow at a rate of 20%, which is faster than other professions.

Quick Facts: Dietitians and Nutritionists
2010 Median Pay	$53,250 per year $25.60 per hour
Entry-Level Education	Bachelor’s degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	Internship/residency
Number of Jobs, 2010	64,400
Job Outlook, 2010-20	20% (Faster than average)
Employment Change, 2010-20	12,700

(United States Department of Labor , 2012)

This research has convinced me that Dietitian would be a good career choice for me. I just may continue my education after my A.S. after all. I will need to speak to Guidance to see how I can accomplish this. I think this would be a really good way for me to be able to “pay it forward”, for all the help I have had in the area of nutrition, as I have been working towards better health. 

References

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2012). Occupational outlook handbook, 2012-2013. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/ooh/home.htm.