What Should I Do If I Don't Get A Dietetics Internship?

[Starstuck]

<p>I'm currently an accounting major looking to switch majors because I'm doing poorly in accounting. I am considering Dietetics, but am worried about earning an internship because it is very competitive to earn and requires a 3.8 to be competitive standing (which is almost as difficult as the accounting field (but in a different way)</p>

<p>Currently I have a 3.0 and will barely make into the dietetics program if I keep up with these grades. I have trouble learning in all my classes and tested negative for a learning disability. I am considering in double majoring in Dietetics & Exercise Science w/Nutrition for Physical Therapy as a backup so I can get certified as a personal trainer. I realized the pay is low, but the wage is similar to accounting staff except with low hours. I rather have a career in something I am truly interested about. </p>

<p>I am curious what other career possibilities are with a Dietetics Major and low GPA?</p>

[nyquist]

<p>This is an alternative to becoming a RD. This also requires taking coursework in an accredited didactic program, and passing an exam, but not doing the Internship. It pays less than RD, and has different responsibilities - more assisting of an RD.</p>

<p>“helping to treat and prevent disease by conducting screens, gathering data and performing other tasks to assist the registered dietitian in providing medical nutrition therapy as an important part of health-care teams”</p>

<p>DTR pay: $33,800 and $37,700 per year</p>

<p>RD pay: $51,100 to $62,200 per year</p>

<p>DTR:
[Becoming</a> a Dietetic Technician, Registered (DTR) - From the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics](<a href=“http://www.eatright.org/BecomeanRDorDTR/content.aspx?id=8144]Becoming”>http://www.eatright.org/BecomeanRDorDTR/content.aspx?id=8144)</p>

<p>Obviously, getting a RD Internship is first choice. You should ask at your school what the chances are for an Internship with your GPA. Nationally for all schools, the overall acceptance rate is 50%, and I suspect students under 3.0 are discouraged from applying.</p>

<p>Another alternative to RD is to major in Food Science. Not sure about job prospects for that w/ a BS.</p>

<p>A BS in Nutrition & Dietetics program should be good background for other medical specialty certificate post-grad training, such as Medical Imaging, if the RD Internship does not pan out.</p>

[Tinuviel8]

<p>Well where are your interests? Are you much more interested in nutrition? If you are, then you will probably enjoy the material a lot more and find it easier to absorb. Do keep in mind that this program is usually heavy on the science classes- depending on the school- requiring up to a year of biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry as well as food science courses.</p>

<p>My own story is that I spent a couple years as a nursing major, got in to the limited access program and then decided it was not for me as I fell back into and out of playing with the idea of becoming a dietitian. I also fell in love with my science courses, looked into becoming a science major before tossing that aside after learning about job prospects. Now I’m doing my engineering prerequisites!</p>

<p>I still am very interested in nutrition, but the job prospects are not that good. The amount of dietitians needed per hospital is very low, and the dietitian (speaking about clinical) is there because of legal requirements- they must use an R.D. You must also pay for your own internship- if you get in- the ADA posted something making it known that about half of all students who try to match for a program get in per year. And from my research on the internships, you are not expected to work because your internship is always full time with projects due weekly (to be done after work- at night) with some work on the weekends. You can also not get loans, but can only defer your existing ones. Lastly, although you can pick a preference, if you do get matched the internship is where you can get it. Some dietitians I talked to said that they got a lot of help from their families during this time (i.e. room and board) and could not have otherwise afforded the expenses. So if your internship is not located near family or friends, you can’t work at the time or take out loans…that’s a really crappy situation. And on top of that, you are paying them for a year to get experience.
And the demand for R.D.s is not very good. Another point for me was that there was only so much one could do as an R.D. (like many careers), but this won’t matter as much to everyone. The latter was a huge factor that pointed me to engineering (with my love of science as well). </p>

<p>To actually answer your question though, I had read that a lot of students simply wait and try to rematch the next year. Of course, students find themselves having to pay back student loans and find work…so some take jobs working in food service or jobs that want knowledge of nutrition/food. R.D. work as I’m sure you know is heavily licensed, so without that you really are limited. The reason many students end up working in food service is that the R.D. undergrad has several classes in food service/preparation.
Not getting an internship is a very real possibility, and having a great amount of difficulty completing one due to finances/expenses is just as common from what I heard. You really want to be sure that there is nothing else you could see yourself doing. </p>

<p>As far as the major in food science as mentioned above- I had researched that too as I was considering pre-med for awhile. The food science major is like most science majors- it serves as a great foundation for more education but not much more in terms of what you can do with it. </p>

<p>If you are really set on nutrition, then becoming a technician first could be a great transition if a program is offered at your school. This way you could gain experience in the field that would serve you well if the internship for R.D does not pan out.</p>

<p>I found this page helpful when I wanted more info about the career/process: [Becoming</a> an RD](<a href=“http://thehappinessinhealth.com/happy-jessie/becoming-an-rd]Becoming”>http://thehappinessinhealth.com/happy-jessie/becoming-an-rd)</p>

<p>I made the switch to stick to engineering very recently, and just found out I got accepted to my state university for their nutrition program, but I am happy with my choice. My boyfriend, also an engineering major, just sought out his first internship as a junior and ended up actually getting hired on making about as much as a starting R.D.- to learn. The contrast with the nutrition field, where you pay them for months just for experience is incredible. I’m going to go with what gives me the most for my college education (in terms of knowledge and financially), and I know this will be different for everyone, but some majors do offer much better returns than others. Good luck, and I hope this helps. I spent many many months not being able to decide on my major myself.</p>

[ugofatcat]

<p>I know this is an old post but I wanted to put my two cents in.</p>

<p>Tinuviel8, you are correct in most of what you say. As a dietetics student who recently completed my dietetic internship, I can’t tell you frustrating and disappointed the dietetics field is. You are paying a school/hospital to WORK for them, at least 40 hours a week. It seems kind of insane when you think about it, because like Tinuviel8 said, her boyfriend is getting paid to learn.</p>

<p>Although you do “work” you aren’t actually producing anything. Food/nutrition in a hospital is NOT covered by insurance. Dietitians are typically under the dietary department, meaning that they only lose the hospital money. This is why you have to pay the program. </p>

<p>Some programs do let you take out loans. I did work during the internship on weekends as a nanny, which meant that I worked 7 days a week, 55-60 hours. I also got scholarships to help pay, but still had to take out loans. I have been offered a job making $14/hr.</p>

<p>I wish I had of picked engineering but I “loved” nutrition and it was my “passion”. I guess to reap what you sow, because I am not in a good place right now, career wise. I am planning to continue nannying on weekends and save money to go back to grad school for food science or nursing.</p>

<p>Read dietitiancentral.com for more information. I really want to warn students about how poor the job opportunities are for dietitians, how poorly compensated we are, and the painful education process, because the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics/our professors are too busy talking about how we are the “nutrition experts” to talk about our abysmal salaries and extensive, but poorly compensated, education.</p>