Clinical Dietitians provide nutritional care to patients in various disease states and medical conditions. They design and develop a required diet plan for patients in order to speed up the recovery process, prevent diseases and maintain a healthy life. They also consult with physicians and other healthcare professionals to coordinate medical and nutritional needs of their clients. In addition, they counsel people about beneficial dietary habits.
Clinical Dietitians work in various settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, long term care facilities, cafeterias, clinics etc. Some of these professionals are self-employed and have their own practices.
Some Clinical Dietitians may specialize in a particular area, such as nutrition for pregnant women, children, diabetic patients or people with high blood pressure to name a few.
Educational Requirements
To become a Clinical Dietitian, the aspiring candidates have to complete a four-year bachelor’s degree program in a relevant area such as dietetics, food and nutrition etc. The students may also complete a Dietetic Internship of few months. The syllabus includes physiology, anatomy, microbiology¸ food and nutrition sciences, food service systems management, metabolism, antioxidants, proteins etc.
The students may pursue a master’s degree in related areas for better job prospects in this field.
Certification and Licensure
Most of the states in USA require Clinical Dietitians to be licensed. To obtain licensing, a bachelor’s degree in food and nutrition or a related area as well as some supervised training and successful completion of an examination are required. The Commission on Dietetic Registration offers exam based certification to these professionals.
Skill Set
Apart from the academic knowledge, Clinical Dietitians have various traits such as detail-oriented, active listening skills, sensitive to their patients’ needs, good decision making and judgment capabilities, critical thinking abilities, motivating skills, ability to work collaboratively with different professionals, strong communication and interpersonal skills; knowledge in computer application etc.
Job Outlook and Salary
The job outlook for a Clinical Dietitian remains excellent across the USA. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the growth rate for job opportunities in this profession may rise 21% during 2012-2022, faster than the average for all occupations. The average annual salary of a Clinical Dietitian was $55,240 in May 2012.