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What To Do Now? Dietician Career Training

by Karen Jo Shapiro
Online Education Columnist

Are you someone who cares about people being as healthy as possible? If you're interested in meal planning and nutritional requirements, a career as a dietician might be a career for you to explore. Dieticians generally work with clients or in organizations that feed large groups of people, like nursing homes or hospitals so that meals have the healthiest balance of vitamins and minerals. Retraining to become a dietician requires some specific coursework. Online dietician training courses can be one way to improve your skills and complete the necessary classes.

The Dietician's Menu of Career Skills

Dieticians work with food and nutritional requirements. They are well-versed in the dietary needs of people from all backgrounds and age groups. Dieticians have the career skills to understand the interplay of vitamins, minerals, fats, sugars, and other aspects of food. They often design menus and food plans to meet the needs of their patients. An effective dietician is detailed-oriented, a good communicator, and skilled at assessment.

Dieticians may also oversee the preparation of meals on a large scale, such as for hospitals or nursing homes. In these settings, dieticians must be able to work well with a team of professionals as they will advise them on the special needs for the community they serve. Dieticians also work in private practices and community clinics. Some dieticians provide counseling on matters like weight loss or cholesterol management. Even in a difficult economy, dieticians will likely find a place amongst the many institutions and organizations that employ them.

Career Advice for Dieticians

Becoming a dietician requires specialized education, usually a bachelor's degree in food and nutrition or another diet-related field. Online dietician training courses can help you retrain and improve your skills for this career. These courses often include classes in nutrition, chemistry, biology, and institution-management. Once you have the career skills, it is very helpful to get some on-the-job experience through internships or supervised programs. Additionally, some states require that dieticians be licensed.

More about Dietician Career Training & Dietician Schools Online


Kaplan University

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  • Southwest Institute of Healing Arts

  • Holistic Nutrition Specialist – 100 Hr Certificate of Excellence- Online
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  • Kaplan University International

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    Karen Jo Shapiro is a psychologist who specializes in leadership and career development in addition to personal coaching. She is the owner of Your Next Steps Coaching and is on adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro, NC. She leads workshops for women on achieving their dreams through action planning, and also on powerful connections through networking. Karen Jo has undergraduate degrees in English and Spanish from Colby College and a Psy.D. from the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology. She has published two books of humorous poetry for children.