I recently had a student ask me this question and figured I’d post the answer as I get this question a lot! I am trained as a Registered Dietitian (RD; also called RDN or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist). I completed my undergraduate degree, my graduate degree, and my dietetic internship at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA.

One of the things that has been great for me about my career is the ability to pivot to a different type of work and sort of explore different ways of practicing. In my years as an RD, I’ve worked in 3 hospitals (Mount Sinai Queens in NYC, Piedmont Atlanta, and Piedmont Fayette hospitals), the school system (Hall County Schools), and in private practice where I get to do all sorts of stuff (mostly 1:1 counseling, but also occasional health fairs, speaking engagements, cooking demos, and community based education).

In order to become credentialed and maintain that credential, RDs must:

• Complete a degree in dietetics from an accredited program. Not all practicing RDs have a Master’s degree or more advanced degree, however this is a new requirement for aspiring RDs. RDs graduating after January 2024 must complete a graduate degree to be eligible to earn their credential.
• Complete an internship program with a minimum of 1000 hours of supervised practice
• Pass a national exam through the Commission on Dietetic Registration
• Fulfill their states requirement for licensing when applicable. Most states do require RDs be licensed in their state to practice (46 out of 50). RDs are required to be licensed in my home state of Georgia.
• Continue their education throughout their career. RDs must complete 75 hours of continuing education (CE) per 5 year recertification cycle. Some states require more CE than this, for example my home state of Georgia requires 30 documented CE hours every 2 years.

If you are interested in pursuing a career in nutrition, I’d recommend shadowing a RD in a job that would potentially interest you. I had a lot of high school students and individuals looking for a second career shadow me when I worked in a hospital environment, which is a great introduction to the field of dietetics. If you’re further along in your research on the profession and looking into educational programs, ACEND accredited programs can be found here.