A Registered Dietitian is a health care professional with specialized training in the areas of food and nutrition. Students intending to become RDs must complete a Bachelor of Science degree in an accredited program, a period of supervised clinical practice and a national examination before they may be certified. Registered dietitians work in facilities such as hospitals and HMOs, private practices, universities and sports facilities. They may also perform advisory roles in nonprofit organizations, food-related industries or various levels of government.
Accredited programs in nutrition and dietetics are widely available across the country. Community colleges and vocational schools typically do not offer the necessary bachelor's degree, but in many cases credits can be transferred to an appropriate four-year program at a university with an accredited program for dietitians. A few examples of accredited programs may be found at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland; The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas; Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California; and Indiana's Purdue University in West Lafayette.
The American Dietitics Association oversees accreditation for schools and programs training registered dietitians. The ADA's Commisson on Accreditation for Dietitics Education evaluates programs on a variety of criteria, available for viewing on their website. Full programs result in a four-year Bachelor of Science degree, while Didactic Programs in Dietetics are for students who already hold a bachelor's degree in a related field and wish to qualify as dietitians.
After graduating from a CADE-accredited program, students must still pass a rigorous national examination before they may be certified. This examination is overseen by the ADA's Commission on Dietitic Registration, or CDR. Students must demonstrate a suitable level of competence and professional knowledge in order to be credentialed as a registered dietitian. Once certified, RDs must maintain their credential through a regular process of professional development and recertification.