The American Dietetics Association is the professional body of registered dietitians. The ADA maintains a Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education, which accredits schools offering degree or certificate dietetic programs. CADE evaluates candidate schools on several criteria, including how well the curriculum, infrastructure, faculty and business practices correspond to the standards set by the ADA. CADE's accreditation process and criteria can be viewed on their website by any potential student or interested consumer. Some clinical specializations may require further accreditation. All CADE-accredited schools must be recertified on a regular basis.
Schooling is just the beginning of the process for a dietitian in the making. New graduates of an accredited program still must pass a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration, the ADA's credentialing agency for dietitians. Every practitioner must meet the CDR's standards of knowledge and competence in order to be licensed. Having passed the exam, the dietitian must engage in ongoing professional development in order to remain certified.
There are two levels of certification for dietetic professionals. Aspiring registered dietitians must complete a four-year bachelor's degree program to provide a basic foundation of scientific knowledge, complemented by CADE-approved course materials relating to food and nutrition. Students must also have up to a year of clinical practice in a CADE-accredited workplace. Finally, passing the CDR's examination certifies the graduate to practice. Registered dietitians have many workplaces to choose from, including universities, hospitals and HMOs, private practice and sports facilities or in advisory positions with corporations, government and NGOs.
The second certification offered in the field is the less demanding dietetic technician, registered. To become a DTR, students must earn a two-year associate degree or a four-year bachelor's degree, followed by a CADE-accredited dietetic technician program and at least 450 hours in supervised clinical practice. With either degree, a graduate is still required to pass the CDR's national examination before practicing as a DTR. DTRs typically support the work of registered dietitians in the same variety of workplaces.