How do you know if dietetics is the career path meant for you? Dietetic intern, Stephanie Lewis, shares her journey and tips in this post.
Figuring out what you want to do for a career is a journey in itself. Getting clear on your motivators, desires, and passions will help start the brainstorm, but it takes some exploring to figure out your true calling. To help you get there, you need to immerse yourself in areas of work that interest you.
I started as a psychology major solely because I loved my high school psychology teacher. There was no other reason. 🙂 I really could not have told you what a registered dietitian was in high school. In high school, I was always looking up food facts online and searching for different recipes. Research helped me realize that I am fascinated with food and its impact on the body. I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in nutrition. After exploring the career possibilities, I was confident that dietetics was the path meant for me all along.
Here are 3 questions to ask yourself to determine if dietetics is the right fit for you:
Do you enjoy learning about food and the science behind how foods affect health?
If your answer is no, you most likely will not enjoy dietetics classes (but I still encourage you to explore it as it’s a broad field!). Dietetics is a very science-heavy curriculum. Although science courses seemed to be something I wanted to avoid: I am so happy I decided to overcome that fear. Ironically, I ended up enjoying all of my science courses (well, besides general chemistry, but I’m sure I’m not the only one).
Are you willing to seek out volunteer and work experience as you balance your schoolwork?
Balancing volunteer and dietetics-related work experience throughout your education is important not only for networking but for the dietetic internship application. You need to complete a dietetic internship or Future Education Model Graduate Program to be eligible to sit for the RD exam. The application process is competitive and stressful, so I recommend getting a coach to support you through that process – check out Get Matched Coaching here. Anyway…If you are NOT willing to immerse yourself into the field of dietetics, how can you decide if it’s the right fit? From volunteering at a food bank, shadowing registered dietitians, landing a job in the hospital, working at a skilled nursing facility, and more: there are endless opportunities you can (and should!) experience.
Are you willing to complete a dietetic internship or a Future Education Model Graduate Program?
Regardless of how you get there if you want to be an RD you have to complete supervised practice training from an accredited program. After completing your education, you’ll need to complete a 1,200+ hour training program to sit for the RD Exam (similar to a residency – but it’s unpaid). The financial aspect is a significant piece of the dietetic internship process; the average tuition is around $15,000. The dietetic internship is something you should be very familiar with if you do decide to choose dietetics as a major. It can be difficult to find full-time employment opportunities with just a dietetics degree. There are some options out there, but I want to be sure you know that you can’t become an RD with just your dietetics degree alone. All Access Dietetics has a team of expert admissions coaches to help you land a spot in a dietetic internship or RD program. Click here to learn more about Get Matched Coaching.
A little background story:
I graduated from college with a degree in dietetics. My ultimate plan was to go to physical therapy (PT) school! Although PT school was my dream, I had a lot of dietetics-related experience on my resume and wanted to get the best of both worlds.
When PT school fell through, there were feelings of doubt, uncertainty, and I felt lost. I was unsure if I wanted to go through the competitive dietetic internship application process or take some time to “feel out” the real world. I decided to hold off on applying and explore my interests.
In the meantime, I got a job in a hospital where I interacted with RDs each day. This was huge! I also began to save up money as well. I knew if I didn’t have money saved up, I would be stressed throughout my entire internship. Click here for some tips on how to pay for the dietetic internship.
Along with the job at the hospital, I became a fitness instructor. Movement and fitness have always been a huge part of my life. I was nervous to make the jump to get my certification because I had a fear of public speaking, but I came to find out I am a pretty great instructor and enjoy it. 🙂
With both jobs, I began to find clarity in what I should do. I pictured myself in many different careers but realized that dietetics is the perfect fit. One year after completing my undergraduate education, I applied for dietetic internships and was matched during the first round to my top choice!
Choosing dietetics as a career takes time, commitment, and sacrifice: but if it is the only career you can picture yourself genuinely happy in, then wouldn’t it all be worth it? In the end, listen to your heart and try new things that may scare you. You’ll surprise yourself!
Finding the career path meant for you requires a lot of self-reflection and confidence to carve your path. I wanted to be sure I was never living below my potential!
P.S. Don’t apply for a dietetic internship or RD program without an expert by your side. The application process is competitive. Many programs get 100+ applicants each year! Apply to get a coach with All Access Dietetics.
