Imagine a career where one has the option of working in a variety of settings, specializing in one area of practice or performing several different roles. This exciting field is one that employs dietetics and nutrition experts, both of whom play an essential role in today's healthcare system. An aspiring dietitian must obtain a degree through a program accredited by the American Dietetic Association, the professional organization of dietitians in the U.S. Students pursuing a career in dietetics receive an education in a variety of subjects ranging from food and nutrition sciences, foodservice management to biochemistry, anatomy, and microbiology. After obtaining the degree, individuals must then complete an internship to practice the skills required for the profession. Finally, individuals must take a registration exam to be credentialed as a registered dietitian (RD).

Dietitians undertake many different job obligations depending on their education and length of practice. Clinical dietitians play an important role in hospitals and nursing homes. They work closely with doctors, nurses, and therapists to educate patients about nutrition and administer medical nutrition therapy. Clinical dietitians may also manage the foodservice operations in these settings, as well as in schools, day-care centers, and correctional facilities, by overseeing food purchasing and preparation and managing staff (1). Community dietitians work in public and home health agencies and corporate wellness programs, teaching, monitoring, and advising the public on healthy lifestyles. Dietitians who work in universities and medical centers teach physicians, nurses, dietetics students, and others about the science of nutrition. Research dietitians work in government agencies, food, and pharmaceutical companies as well as university and medical centers. They conduct experiments to answer important nutrition questions and find alternative foods to make recommendations to the public (1). Consultant dietitians work under contract with a healthcare organization or in their own private practice. In private practice, these individuals provide nutrition screening and assessment of their own clients and referrals. They advise and teach on diet-related matters, including weight loss, calcium intake and fat intake.

An interesting non-traditional role of a dietitian is seen in the career of Patricia Hart, a chef, dietitian, and consultant in San Francisco, CA. Her belief is that, "as dietitians, food is the common denominator. To impact the public to change their eating habits, we need to become familiar with food, its preparation, flavor balancing, tasting and function of ingredients (2)." She went from a medical technologist to a chef and ultimately a dietitian. She has studied in the Culinary Institute of America and in Annecy, France to gain a foundation of classical culinary techniques and to cultivate her own creativity. During her internship as an RD, she was given the opportunity to combine nutrition and culinary skills by training a food service staff to prepare ethnic menu items. She believes that with a more widespread acceptance of eating foods from a variety of cuisines, we can increase the diversity of food within our own cultures. "When the audience can personalize the nutritional concepts, they are more willing to embrace them...if a person can look to food to offer pleasure as well as nutrition, then the variety, balance and moderation that we teach will be eaten with more gusto (2)."

There are many roads a dietitian can travel. Opportunities are expanding and are expected to increase approximately as fast as the average of all employment through 2006 (1). Such a trend is due to the significance of disease prevention, a growing, aging society, and public interest in nutrition. Starting salaries can range from $25,000-35,000 a year for entry-level dietitians and increase with years of experience. Dietitians serve as vital sources of information in today's healthcare, and those interested in nutrition and dietetics can be assured good employment opportunities.

Jamie is a first-year student studying human nutrition. She plans to obtain her registered dietitian degree and master's in nutrition and specialize in sports nutrition, working with adolescents and eating disorders.

For details about studying nutrition and dietetics, visit UIC Dept. of Human Nutrition, www.uic.edu