Registered Dietitian Jobs, A-Z

Don't mind the lint...

It's a Monday morning and I'm on my second cup of coffee after sharing and spilling my first cup with the LA Times reading the Oscars' reviews. In normal fashion, I was wearing my stretchy

Gravity defying messy masterpiece

pants and messy bun crossing my toes looking for job opportunities when I realized how vast the field of dietetics has become.  Within five RD job postings of each other was a job with Disney and a correctional facility. This blows my mind. Long-gone are the stigmas of straight laced dietitians endorsing strict diets of steamed veggies and baked fish.  Our field has become so prevalent, promising, and essential to humanity that dietitians are found beyond the hospital and weight loss clinic and now in grocery stores, schools, and corporate America. So I bring you, Dietitians A-Z:

A-Agriculture: Agriculture includes nutritional science and food science.  Farms and companies require dietitians to be food experts for their companies analyzing nutritional value of foods. I happened to be in the College of Agriculture as a Nutrition student during my undergrad at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and even went to another Agricultural school, Utah State University, for my dietetic internship

B-Baker: Being an RD-Baker would seriously be my dream come true. Sound like an oxymoron to you? I think not.  An RD-baker could come up with substitutions for baked goods and develop healthier recipes.  

C-Corporate America: Corporations can reach out and hire dietitians to encourage health and wellness to their employees.

D-Disney: who knew you could work for the happiest place on Earth? Yup. Saw a posting today for Manager of Healthy Living. Go Mickey!

E-Education: Dietitians that can educate the public are in high demand for schools, diabetes and renal outpatient centers, and public health just to name a few.

F-Fast Food: Restaurants need dietitians to modify and develop menu items to meet health needs.

G-Grocery Stores: Many grocery stores are starting to hire dietitians to answer customer questions, highlight nutritious food choices in stores, present grocery store tours, and create educational handouts for customers.

H-Home Health:  RD's are needed to assess and follow-up with patients requiring home health that may be on tube feeds or have poor appetites. 

I-Inpatient: RD's will always be an essential part of the health care team in hospitals.

J-Jails: also known as correctional facilities, dietitians can work here to ensure people are meeting their needs.  I can imagine it may be a grim atmosphere, but that might inhibit appetites, thus making RD's essential.

K-Kitchen Manager: Working as a kitchen manager would give excellent managerial and food service experience for someone who wanted to be a Food service Director/RD someday.

L-Long Term Care Facilities: This is a huge and growing field as the baby boomers age.

M-Magazines: All kinds of magazines (cooking, health, family, women, men, kids) need dietitians to write everything from how-to's to Q & A's to informative consumer articles about trends such as coconut oil

N-Navy: Armed forces need dietitians too! If the Navy isn't for you, NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Units) are another "N" option for an RD wanting to specialize in neonatal pediatric nutrition. 

O-Outpatient: Many dietitians work as counselors and educators in clinics that focus on diabetes, dialysis, weight loss, and more.

P-Pharmacies: Some pharmacies may team up with dietitians to work as a team helping clients.

Q-Quality Assurance: RD that evaluates performance and services of dietetic services.  Could also pertain to food manufacturing. (HA bet you didn't think I could come up with a Q!)

R-Representative of Sales: RD's are needed as sales reps for medical supply companies such as Abbot and Nestle to promote nutritional supplements.

S-Schools: Most school districts need a dietitian to analyze school menus to meet the USDA's school lunch and breakfast guidelines.  RD's can also modify meals for children with allergies and specific needs, educate students, and even work as Food Service Directors.

T-Teachers: RD's are needed to teach health classes as General Ed and nutrition classes for diet tech students at a community college level. You could get a Masters or PhD and teach as a professor at a college level.

U-Urban Gardener: Why not? It doesn't take an RD to plant an urban garden, but for a profession that promotes fruits and veggies, seems like a perfect marriage to me!

V-Vice President: An RD could be the VP of a food manufacturer or corporate company!

W-Wellness Programs: Wellness programs for companies or through insurance require dietitians to encourage nutritious preventive care and counseling as a health coach or educator. 

X-Xtra Hard Worker: Ok, sorry I couldn't come up with anything for X, but I know that no matter where an RD ends up, they always work Xtra hard! (It was either that or something to do with X-Men)

Y-Yourself: No matter what an RD does, it is always important to be YOURSELF! If working in a clinical field doesn't work out for you, look at how many other options there are!

Z-Zoologist: Zoology refers to evolution and habits of all animals. Why not become a zoologist RD and investigate the eating and wellness habits of the human animal?