Dietetics

Things No One Told Me About When Going Into Dietetics

Nutrition is my passion there is no doubt about that so when I chose to get my Bachelor's in it, I was positive that this was the right choice for me. Along the way, however, I learned that Nutrition is way more confusing than anyone ever told me. It's like the hushed secret that no one tells freshman so they don't scare them out of the program or something. Since no one really told me what I was in for and mind you, that totally sucked, I'll gladly be the one to shout it from the rooftops that NUTRITION. IS. NOT. EASY. You will have to take a lot of hard science classes like anatomy and physio, you will have hard nutrition classes too, you will need a good GPA if you want to get into an internship, you will need experience in some form if you want to get anywhere after graduation, you will need to pay a lot of extra money that you may not even have. I am not trying to make you want to cry or quit your program, I simply just want you to know that if you want to succeed in this field, you need to plan ahead, set goals, and get organized.

First things first, do not chose to go into nutrition if you don't love it. I'd like to think that's a no brainer but hey, you never know. If you don't love this field or if you don't really live a nutritious life (that one time that you lost 5 pounds cause all you did was drink juice for a week does not qualify you as a nutrition expert), you should reconsider this major. 

If you like it and practice it but don't know much about it, welcome aboard! No one starts their undergrad as an expert so don't be nervous that you don't know enough before you even start. That's the sole purpose of undergrad, to give you the info and the skills to someday, hopefully, become an all-knowing nutrition guru (I think they should ditch Dietitian and call us that instead).

Once you've decided this is for you & you want to go for it. Do. Your. Research. Not every university is the same and not every nutrition program is the same. Look at all your options, compare, contrast, phone a friend, do some voodoo magic, whatever it is you need to do to figure out what school is best for you. Do not, do not, do not just settle if you don't love it or even really like it there. If you don't, you'll be miserable and if you decide to transfer then, well...good luck.

Once you're in and settled into your cozy little closet sized dorm room (and no I'm not exaggerating) start planning. Yes, right now. The early you start doing this, the better off you are at graduating on time, with good grades, and bomb.com experience. Plan out your semesters a couple at a time or if you're feeling ambitious, go for the whole 4 years, no ones going to stop you! Be sure to research pre-requisites for classes so you know what needs to be taken first before you can the classes that are next in the sequence. Don't be afraid to ask questions either. You are not an advisor so don't feel like you have to know everything that your advisor does. Ask him or her specific questions when you think of them, preferably in person if you can. Getting close to them and your professors too is a good way to build up your pool of people that you can ask for recommendation letters later on when you need them.

Once you've got this, the rest of your college career is really for taking your classes (and doing well in them. Get that GPA up nice & high!) and building up your resume. Getting good experience is key when it comes to internships and jobs in the scary post-grad world. If you are able to work, look for positions at local hospitals, nursing homes, etc. that have openings in their dietary department. That looks fab on a resume, especially if the experience is clinical in any way. Aside from that, you should always always always volunteer. Something related to food is always preferred but any substantial volunteer work always looks good to an employer or director. And then of course you can always get involved in your school's nutrition club. Try to apply for a leadership position in the club because that is another thing that employers and directors look for in an applicant. Also, at some point in your undergrad years, become a student member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (eatright.org). This is always a good step and student members are charged only $50 to apply whereas professionals don't get off so cheap.

So say you survive undergrad. You've got the grades, the experience, and you're ready to start applying for dietetic internships if that's part of your plan. Well lucky for you, that is exactly where I am in my life right now so I can give you live updates of the process and how its going for me! Check in on my blog every now and then to see new posts about DICAS, open houses, recommendation letters, transcripts, personal statements, etc!