Do you feel overwhelmed and need guidance on preparing for the RD Exam? We’re breaking down the basics!
The RD Exam is a beast, it covers topics you have learned in your DPD program and while in the internship. It requires serious critical thinking skills and in-depth knowledge. Due to the amount of material on the exam, we recommended a solid 2-4 months of preparation before taking the exam. If you can, it is best to study in the last few months of your internship, and then really go HARD for about a month after you complete your internship.
RD Exam Basics
The RD exam updates every 5 years, and was last updated in January 2022. Hence, the next update will be in 2027.
It is an online multiple choice, linear exam – you cannot flag questions to come back. There is a minimum of 125 questions and a maximum of 145 questions, with 25 of the questions being piloted. Basically, this means that they don’t count towards your score, but you don’t know which questions those are.
The exam is based on a scale of 1-50, and a 25 is passing. However, this does not mean you only have to get a 50% to pass, each question is weighted differently. Since the exam is online, you will find out immediately if you passed.
If you do not pass on the first time, you are eligible to take the exam again after 45 days of the original test date. Please refer to the CDR website for additional details regarding the exam format.
The exam is broken down into 4 domains
Principles of Dietetics (21%)
- Food, Nutrition, and Supporting Sciences
- Education, Communication, and Technology
- Research Applications
Nutrition Care for Individuals and Groups (45%)
- Screening and Assessment
- Diagnosis
- Planning and Intervention
- Monitoring and Evaluation
Management (21%)
- Functions of Management
- Human Resources Management
- Financial Management
- Marketing and Public Relations
- Quality Management and Regulatory Compliance
Foodservice Systems (13%)
- Menu Development
- Procurement, Production, Distribution, and Service
- Sanitation and Safety
- Equipment and Facility Planning
Preparing for the RD Exam
You absolutely need a study guide to prepare for the RD Exam. Although it may be possible to prepare utilizing your notes from your DPD courses and internship, it is not recommended. Our Pass Class program (used by 2000+ RD2BEs!) includes an extensive 650+ page study guide, review session recordings, and tutor-led community that will help you study smarter so you can pass the exam! Click here for more details regarding Pass Class!
Once you have Pass Class, RD exam prep program, you’ll want to begin by creating a study calendar.
Steps to creating a solid study calendar:
- -Print out a monthly calendar online or utilize a planner and fill in your work schedule, class schedule, or any other activities you do throughout the day.
- -Now, figure out when you can schedule in studying time based on the available time left in the day. You may only have time to study in the mornings or evenings, and that is OKAY. No one expects you to study 8 hours a day, this is why we recommend 3-4 months to prepare for the exam.
- -Now you have your study schedule set, but what should your study sessions actually consist of? With our Study Smarter Method, we recommend to study utilizing practice questions. After all, practice makes perfect, right? It helps you to understand the “why” behind each question. Also, by answering practice questions you’ll get used to the types of questions on exam.
- -Once you get used to answering practice questions, figure out the material you are really struggling with. You’ll want to create focus sheets or topic sheets and draw diagrams to ensure you really understand the material. Refer to Pass Class study guide for in-depth explanations!
While mastering a 650+ page study guide and answering practice questions may seem like a lot, when you put into perspective, it is not. (And once you learn the Study Smarter Method, you will realize you are NOT trying to memorize this whole binder!) Think about it, you have been studying this material for years. You just went through a 1200+ hour supervised practice implementing all the skills and knowledge you have acquired thus far. Some concepts will be easier for you grasp and master while others will be more difficult and take a little bit of time. You have to identify your strengths and weaknesses. You may know MNT really well but struggle with the research concepts. Or you may know Food Service really well but struggle with MNT. Remember, this is just one more stepping stone to achieving your dream.
Key Reminders When Studying
Learning is broken down in 3 phases.
- Exposure – Identifying the material
- Processing – Learning the material
- Feedback – Assessing how well you’ve learned the material
Utilize active learning strategies
- Draw a diagram – draw the Kreb’s cycle, identify the different types of vitamins and minerals need for glycolysis to occur
- Make a worksheet – write out a list of the vitamins, their function, sources, deficiencies; write out the nutrition-drug interactions
- Quiz yourself – what are the lab values associated with metabolic syndrome? what are the deficiencies of adrenal hormones? make sure you know and understand the why behind each concept
- Talk it out – talk through concepts with friends and family members, teach them what you are learning
- Summarize it – rephrase what you are learning into your own words
Lastly, there are essentially 4 parts to the exam
- Actually learning the content
- Managing stress
- Developing a positive attitude around studying
- Problem solving
Remember when you are practicing questions to really read through the question. Think about what the question is really asking you. Immediately, you should be able to eliminate two choices, as critical thinking is imperative in this setting. If you can’t figure out a question, don’t panic. Stop, take a deep breath and think. Use your clinical judgement. You are more than capable of passing this exam. We are our own biggest critic. You are competent, you are smart and you can do this! You have to believe in yourself, mindset is everything. Truly visualize yourself passing the exam, remaining positive and optimistic can do wonders!
Disclaimer: Bailey DeBarmore, creator of the Study Smarter Method suggests not relying too much on your performance on practice exams. She has tutored many students who failed the real exam, but “passed” multiple practice tests.
Avoid Common Mistakes
We’ve spoken with hundreds of future dietitians that have not passed the exam, and found there are very common mistakes students make when studying. Join Pass Class – the RD exam prep program designed to help prevent the common study mistakes!
Ready to dive into studying? Join Pass Class to make this time the LAST time you take the RD exam:
- Pass Class – The first time RD exam pass rates are about 65%, which means there needs to be a NEW way to study for the exam! That’s why we created Pass Class, which addresses all the common reasons why students fail the RD exam. Learn more about Pass Class here.
