Tag Archives: Nutrition

Becoming a Dietary Technician

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Dietary Technicians work alongside Dietitian in developing nutritional plans to promote health, treat illnesses or prevent disease. Their responsibilities include screening clients or patients, gathering data from clients, assisting the Dietitian and other health professionals in providing medical nutrition therapy as well as nutrition education services. They also conduct counseling sessions and instruct patients, clients and their families on how to choose and prepare healthy food so on and so forth. In addition, they also perform other administrative duties such as ordering food& supplies, documenting patient intake etc.

Dietary Technicians may get employment in varieties of environments such as hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, health clubs, food companies retirement centers, hospices, corporate cafeterias, educational institutions, research facilities etc.

Educational Requirements

To become a Dietary Technician, aspiring candidates need to obtain at least a 2-year associate degree in a nutrition program approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE). The candidates can also go for advanced degree such as a bachelor’s degree or master’s program in related area for better job opportunities in this field. The common syllabus includes courses in anatomy, human biology, medical nutrition food service management, counseling, psychology, sanitation etc.

Licensure and Certification

Since a Dietary Technician requires to be licensed in most of the states of USA, the aspiring candidates need to earn a licensure by passing the required exam and completing a state-approved training program. These professionals can obtain exam based certification from Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Skill Set

Dietary Technicians possess wide range of skills such as ability to teach and instruct others, critical thinking abilities, problem solving abilities, good listening skills, understanding of some clinical modalities, empathy towards patients, high medical ethics, willing to work as a part of team, ability to establish and maintain cordial relationship with various health professionals and others, strong verbal and written communications skills, competent in computer skills etc.

Job Outlook and Salary

The job outlook for a Dietary Technician 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 18% from 2012 to 2022. The average annual salary of a Dietary Technician was $25,620 in May 2012.

Becoming a Dietetic Technician

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The Dietetic Technicians work with people to improve their health and fitness through nutritional planning and guidance. They also consult with the Dietitians to prepare diet schedule and food chart for the people suffering from obesity and other ailments. The Dietetic Technicians usually get employment at schools, day care centers, gyms, private clinics, government agencies and prisons.

These professionals are well trained to identify the problems people face in their day-to-day life when it comes to eating habits. They understand how the nutrition factors influence our health and what we should eat or drink to keep the body in balance mode. They prepare nutritious recipes that help people to overcome the resentment and accept the foods that are good for their health. Proper guidance and healthy eating habits help people reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other ailments. The Dietetic Technician plays a key role in making that happen.

Education Requirements:

An Associate’s Degree in health studies from an accredited institution is must to become a Dietetic Technician. The coursework generally includes general science, nutrition science and food service systems management. After that, you can enroll in a training program offered by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). The program includes 450 hours of practical work in real environment.

The training will help the aspiring Dietetic Technicians learn the communication tricks while dealing with the patients and preparation of food chart to satisfy their needs as well as dietary requirements.

After the training, a certification is necessary to start working as the Dietetic Technician. You must pass a national examination conducted by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) to get the certification.

Salary & Job Outlook:

The job outlook for Dietetic Technicians remains bright in the United States. Demand for this profession is expected to grow by 18% during the 2012-22 period. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary of Dietetic Technicians was $26,260 in May 2012.