Health Careers Spotlight:
Dietitian

Dietitians plan nutrition programs for large groups such as hospitals and nursing facilities, and for individuals with special needs, such as people with diabetes or high blood pressure. They also educate people about the need for and ways to achieve proper nutrition. There are many specific areas of this field that work with particular population groups.

Employment of dietitians is expected to grow faster than average for all occupations through 2014 as a result of increasing emphasis on disease prevention through improved dietary habits. A growing and aging population will increase the demand for meals and nutritional counseling in nursing homes, schools, prisons, community health programs and home health care agencies.

The middle 50 percent of dietitians earn between $35,000 and $53,370 a year, depending on setting and experience. The highest salaries are found for those in consultation and business, food and nutrition management, education and research, community nutrition and clinical nutrition.

For those interested in a career as a dietitian, high school course work should include college prep classes in sciences, math and communication. Dietitians must obtain a bachelor's degree from an accredited program and complete a supervised internship. They must also pass the Registered Examination for Dietitians to become a Registered Dietitian (RD).

For more information on a career as a dietitian or another health career, please call 802-527-1474.

Jill Sullivan, RD is a Registered Dietitian at Fletcher Allen Health Care Nutrition Services in Burlington, Vermont. Jill received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Miami and her Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics from the University of Vermont. We recently spoke with Jill to discuss her experiences working as a Registered Dietitian.

Q How did you become interested in becoming a Dietitian?
A Health and prevention has been a personal interest for a long time. I knew I wanted to engage in a career that I had a personal as well as professional interest in. I experienced the loss of a family member due to a stroke caused by hypertension. I believe this could have been prevented by better self care including better nutrition and weight control. This loss solidified my desire for a career in nutrition.

Q How long have you been working in your health career?
A I have been working as a Registered Dietitian for six years.

Q What other career alternatives did you consider?
A I originally earned a degree in English but was never quite sure what I wanted to do with it. After taking a few years off after graduating college, it became more clear to me that I was interested in nutrition.

Q Did any person influence your decision to become a Dietitian?
A Other than the experience of losing a loved one to a preventable disease, no other person had a strong influence.

Q What personal needs are satisfied by your occupation?
A Establishing relationships with patients and feeling like I have really helped a person is very satisfying. Seeing a person become empowered with knowledge and take charge of their health is very gratifying.

Q In what ways has being a Dietitian changed you as a person?
A I think I have become a more patient and compassionate person. It has also inspired me to take better care of my health and to not take my good health for granted!

Q If you could have chosen any occupation (no limits) what would it be?
A Veterinary medicine is interesting to me. I enjoy animals very much and think it would be rewarding to treat animals, particularly less fortunate ones that end up in shelters.

Q If you didn't have to work, would you anyway? If not, what would you do?
A I would still work in some capacity, possibly working to improve nutrition in countries where undernourishment is problematic.

Q Describe the demands of your job...
A I work 20 hours per week since having a baby, and then work a few additional hours weekly as part of a behavioral weight control program that I'm involved in. I work one weekend per month which involves covering the whole hospital population. This can be complex in that it requires being able to provide a nutrition consult on any potential patient and disease state. Most of the work I do involves weight management which can often be a sensitive subject for people. Being able to counsel patients in this area is challenging as some people are more ready than others to address their weight control problems. It requires a balance of sensitivity and directness.

Q What is a typical day for you?
A With my current work schedule no one day is typical because I work in different areas each day I work. One day I work in a bariatric surgery clinic seeing patients who are either preparing for obesity surgery, or patients who have already had surgery. Another day I counsel patients who are either referred by their physicians for medical nutrition therapy, or seek nutrition counseling on their own. I work one or two evenings per week with a psychologist who runs a behavioral weight management program. My work week involves working half a day at a rehabilitation facility that has a very varied patient population.

Q Do you supervise the work of others?
A I currently do not supervise the work of others.

Q What personal characteristics are desirable to be a good Dietitian?
A Being able to work well in a team is a helpful skill.

Q What special knowledge or skill does a person in this job need?
A After completing a degree in dietetics, an internship is required that usually lasts a year.

Q What kinds of people do you work with? Coworkers, clients, patients...?
A My coworkers include physicians, nurses, and psychologists, mostly. The client and patient range is wide and varied, including pediatric patients to elderly, healthy people to critically ill patients.

Q What do you like best about your career and what aspects of being a Dietitian cause you the most frustration?
A I like the variety my job has as each day I'm working with a different population of patients and with a different group of coworkers. It can be frustrating working in a system that can limit a persons access to nutrition therapy. Not all medical diagnoses like obesity are covered by all insurances, therefore, some people who can really benefit from working with a dietitian do not have the means to do so.

Q What high school classes should be taken to prepare for a career as a Dietitian?
A Biology and chemistry would be helpful to prepare for the college requirements for a degree in nutrition or dietetics. Also, if a nutrition class is offered, this would be helpful.

Q What requirements exist, in addition to schooling - training, experience, certification, license to become a Dietitan?
A Ongoing education within the profession is required to maintain certification and licensure.

Q What are the career ladder possibilities in this field?
A Dietitians can advance their career in management and administration positions.

Q Can a person specialize within this field? Into what areas?
A It is possible to specialize. For example, there are dietitians that specifically work with renal patients. There are specific credentials a dietitian can earn such as a certified diabetes educator (CDE) to specialize within the profession.

Q What changes are occurring in this field?
A Generally, I think there is more opportunity for dietitians given the obesity epidemic and greater range of treatment of obesity.

Q Can a person work flexible hours? Part or full time?
A Work hours are somewhat flexible. Since I work at a hospital, the hours are somewhat dictated by a hospital schedule. The consulting work I do is flexible, which is great.

Q Do you encounter any problems combining your job with your family life?
A I don't have a problem combining all facets of my life. I've been fortunate to have been able to have a flexible schedule that allowed me to work part-time after the birth of my daughter. I also am able to do some consulting work in the evenings which fits in well with family life.

Q Do you have ample time for leisure activities?
A I do. Leisure time is a priority for me as I try to maintain a balance in my life. My current job and schedule leaves me with plenty of time to enjoy other interests.

Q What advice would you give someone who is planning to enter the Dietetics field?
A To research the educational opportunities and the job market in the area they would be planning to live. Internships can be limited, potentially requiring someone to move.