What’s the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist?

It’s a matter of education and training.

Consult with a healthcare provider who has appropriate training in the specific area you require assistance with. Inquire about your practitioner’s training to verify it aligns with your nutrition objectives. Following advice from an untrained provider can be detrimental, potentially preventing or delaying appropriate treatment.

Dietitian

Education

Starting in 2024, individuals will need a Master’s degree from an accredited university in order to be eligible for the dietetic exam which is necessary to become a registered dietitian (RD). Courses include clinical practice, complementary and alternative nutrition therapies, diseased gut, and clinical nutrition assessment. For more detailed information about requirements, click here.

Training

Complete a 1,200-hour dietetic internship by an accredited program. During the internship, students rotate through different settings such as hospital, community-based rotation and food service areas. Students learn how to practice medical nutrition therapy (MNT) and communicate with medical teams that include physicians, physical therapists, mental health providers, and family members.

Dietetic exam

After successfully completing eligibility requirements and being validated by the commission on dietetic registration, individuals must take and pass the board exam in order to become a registered dietitian. For more information about the exam such as the outline and study resources, click here.

Place of work

Dietitians can hold positions in hospitals, universities, the military, international olympic committee (IOC), foodservice, or doctor’s offices.

Continuing medical education (CME)

Every five years, the commission on dietetic registration (CDR) requires 75 credits of CME. This can be accrued through seminars, journal articles, workshops, webinars, training programs, additional certifications, etc. For a full list of how to obtain CME, click here.

Specialty certifications

In addition to the registered dietitian credential, there are many other specialties which are listed below. They each have different training requirements, supervised hours and exams.

Nutritionist

Education

No standard. Anyone can claim to be a nutritionist…There is no formal governing body.

Training

There is no current standard for training nutritionists. The type of courses offered and length of programs for nutritionists varies. Some nutritionist programs can be as little as 10 weeks online. No state licensure standard for all nutritionists.

Amy Stephens

What’s the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist?

optimize health and performance

Amy Stephens, MS, RDn, CDces, CSSD

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