Clinical Nutrition
Common Career Paths
- Practice:
- Nutrition assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring, and evaluation.
Employers
- Hospitals
- Nursing care facilities
- Outpatient care centers
- Health centers and clinics
- Home health providers
- Health maintenance organizations (HMOs)
- Dialysis centers
- Diabetes care clinics
- Exercise and fitness centers
- Corporate wellness programs
Strategies
- Volunteer in hospitals or nursing homes to gain experience working with patients or the elderly.
- Develop excellent communication skills and learn to work well in a team.
- Plan to earn the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) credential.
- Several years’ experience and a graduate degree are required for specialty such as pediatrics, renal nutrition, or oncology.
- Develop strong interpersonal communication skills.
Community and Public Health Nutrition
Common Career Paths
- Health promotion
- Education
- Program planning and implementation
- Administration
- Food and nutrition security
- Health coaching
- Grantsmanship
- Assessment and evaluation
- Consultation
- Non-profit
- Emergency relief
Employers
- Public health departments
- Home health agencies
- Social service agencies
- Community centers
- Federal, state, and local agencies
- Daycare centers
- Food and nutrition assessment program
- Health and recreation clubs
- Health maintenance organizations (HMOs)
- Community health organizations
- Congregate nutrition programs
- Cooperative extension
Strategies
- Participate in campus health promotion or wellness education programs.
- Earn a master’s degree in nutrition, public health, or related field to increase job opportunities.
- Develop strong presentation and public speaking skills.
- Learn to work well with people of varying socioeconomic and racial backgrounds.
- Seek experiences in the public health arena.
- Research government application procedures and develop grantsmanship skills.
Food Service Management
Common Career Paths
- Menu planning
- Budgeting
- Purchasing
- Food preparation
- Personnel management
- Food safety management
- Food processing
Employers
- Hospitals
- Schools
- Colleges and universities
- Company cafeterias
- Correctional facilities
- Camps
- Restaurants
- Hotels
- Nursing homes
- Airlines
Strategies
- Obtain work experience in any large-scale food service operation such as campus cafeterias. Move into supervisory positions if possible.
- Take business courses and develop strong computer skills.
- Get involved in campus organizations and seek leadership roles.
- Learn how to relate to a wide variety of people and to work well in a team environment.
Federal Government
Common Career Paths
- Clinical dietetics
- Nutrition education and teaching
- Administration
- Program management
- Research
- Health care reform
- Supplement labels
- Regulation
- Inspection
Employers
- Army
- Navy
- Air Force
- Marines
- National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA)
- US Department of Health and Human Services:
- Indian Health Service
- Food and Drug Administration
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
- National Center for Health Statistics
- Health Resources and Services Administration:
- Maternal and Child Health Bureau
- National Institutes of Health
- US Department of Agriculture:
- Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
- Veterans Health Administration
- Peace Corps
- AmeriCorps VISTA
Strategies
- Pursue internships in government agencies.
- Research federal government application procedures.
- Maintain a strong grade point average.
- Earn a master’s degree for advancement in research, administration, or public health nutrition.
- Assist a faculty member with nutrition research.
Consulting
Common Career Paths
- Nutrition consulting
- Menu development
- Food preparation and safety
- Nutrition counseling
- Weight management: adult and pediatric
- Teaching
- Health promotion and programming
- Writing
- Food photography
Employers
- Private practice
- Consulting to:
- Physicians’ offices
- Weight loss clinics
- Nursing homes
- Health clubs and spas
- Consulting to:
- Corporate wellness programs
- Restaurants and chefs
- Catering services
- Food vendors and distributors
- Grocery stores
- Consulting to:
- Food manufacturers
- Food service managers
- Sports teams and athletes
- Health-related magazines and internet sites
- Newspapers
- Agriculture and trade organizations
Strategies
- Gain experience and expertise in a specialty area of nutrition.
- Earn additional certifications in fields such as fitness and athletic training or adult and pediatric weight management.
- Find a need in the community and fill it. An entrepreneurial spirit is required.
- Watch market trends.
- Be prepared to work in several areas at one time.
- Develop excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Learn how to promote oneself.
Industry
Common Career Paths
- Research
- Product development
- Sensory evaluation
- Quality assurance
- Marketing
- Sales
- Customer service
- Consumer food science
- Consumer affairs
- Medical equipment
- Food service equipment
- Pharmaceuticals
- Nutriceuticals
Employers
- Food manufacturers
- Food vendors and distributors
- Special food services
- Trade associations
- Pharmaceutical companies
- Health-related businesses
- Weight loss programs
- Restaurant and hotel chains
- Public relations firms with food industry accounts
Strategies
- Supplement curriculum with courses in business administration, marketing, or advertising.
- Develop strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Get involved in research and gain technical experience.
- Seek leadership roles in campus organizations.
Education
Common Career Paths
- Teaching
- Research
Employers
- Colleges and universities
- Community and technical schools
- Teaching hospitals
- Nursing, medical, dental, health sciences schools
- Culinary schools
Strategies
- Earn a master’s degree for instructor positions or a doctorate for tenure track professorships.
- Serve as a tutor or peer mentor on campus. Learn to work well with a variety of people.
- Gain research experience by assisting professors.
- Maintain a high grade point average and secure strong faculty recommendations.
Getting Started and Advancing in Major
- Most positions require the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) credential. Become an RDN through an accredited bachelor’s or master’s program followed by an approved, supervised internship. RDNs must also pass the Registration Examination for Dietitians.
- Research individual state requirements for licensure or certification to practice dietetics.
- Scientific aptitude is required to successfully earn a degree in nutrition, as basic sciences play a large role in this discipline.
- One should enjoy helping people, working with healthcare professionals, and demonstrate interest in good health, nutrition, and fitness. Seek involvement in campus wellness or peer health educator programs to gain experience.
- Volunteer in hospitals or nursing care centers to test interests and gain experience.
- Learn the fundamentals of human relations and group dynamics, as clients may be seen individually or in groups.
- Strong communication skills are necessary to interact effectively with patients and healthcare professionals. Develop good interviewing and counseling
techniques. Develop the ability to work independently and as part of a team. - Approximately half of RDNs work in hospitals, outpatient centers, or nursing/residential care facilities.
- Research, public health, and advanced clinical positions require a graduate degree.
- Consider gaining specialized certifications in areas such as pediatric or renal nutrition, nutrition support, diabetes education, etc.
- Learn about the path to Certified Nutrition Specialist offered by the Board Certification of Nutrition Specialists for healthcare professionals with advanced degrees.
Professional Associations
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
- American Society for Nutrition
- Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists
- Commission on Dietetic Registration
- National Association of Nutrition Professionals