Any dietitians out there?

[ItsyBitsy]

Hi, guys. I've been seriously considering doing a second degree since many of the people I've spoken to in the health policy field (which is something I eventually want to do in some capacity) have said it's much easier to get anything substantial done in health policy with some kind of credentials.

 

So I've been exploring plan B back-up careers if I don't get into medicine and I've realized that nutrition/dietics is something I'm very interested in.

 

So I was just wondering if anyone familiat with this field can offer me some insight...what was the schooling like (cost/duration/stress levels?), and what are the job prospects like (pay, hours, etc)?

 

Would really appreciate some inside info, thanks in advance!

[T.O.Student.]

I don't know if this is a time sensitive issue but you can PM me for more information that I can answer you in more detail when I have more time in September.

 

Getting an internship for dietetics can be quite competitive and pretty stressful from what I hear. You apply in your third or 4th year for internship placements and its a bit like medicine where you need a competitive gpa and good extracurricular to back you up (plus the interview, which is heavily weight for some universities I believe?)

 

I believe McGill is the only integrated dietetics program where you do the internship at the same time during your 3-4 years of your program. So if your gpa is competitive enough to get into the McGill program it relieves the stress of obtaining an internship at the end of your 3-4 years of study.

 

Biggest cost? Definitely the internship. You may have to relocate cities depending on your placements and obviously you would have to fund all of that on your own.

 

Anyways, I can give you more details at a later date. I guess it just depends on what you were looking for and also your geographic preferences. While I am bias, I do believe that dietitians are definitely playing a more significant role in healthcare as time progresses. Some people have approached me thinking that a dietitians primary job is telling people what to eat and how to loose weight and its all common sense etc. Contrary to this, I know a lot of dietitians who play an essential part in patient care. Everything from tube feeding, parental nutrition, dialysis treatment, mental health and chronic diseases includes essential dietitian care to name a few.

 

So I guess this short message turned into a long one. Anyways, feel free to PM me for more info.

 

Hi, guys. I've been seriously considering doing a second degree since many of the people I've spoken to in the health policy field (which is something I eventually want to do in some capacity) have said it's much easier to get anything substantial done in health policy with some kind of credentials.

 

So I've been exploring plan B back-up careers if I don't get into medicine and I've realized that nutrition/dietics is something I'm very interested in.

 

So I was just wondering if anyone familiat with this field can offer me some insight...what was the schooling like (cost/duration/stress levels?), and what are the job prospects like (pay, hours, etc)?

 

Would really appreciate some inside info, thanks in advance!

[mikeb88]

I'm starting my second degree in Nutrition and Dietetics at UWO in a couple of weeks. I'm really looking forward to it, and I'm hoping it leads me to medicine. If not, I plan to apply for an internship as a dietician while I continue to apply to MD programs. UWO also has an integrated Masters program that will allow you to do an internship concurrently with grad school I believe.

[Elaina Walker]

Dietitians are in demand nowadays, mostly in hospitals. Becoming a dietitian usually requires a bachelor's degree in dietetics, foods and nutrition, food service systems management, or a related area. Graduate degrees also are available. For these majors you can take courses in foods, nutrition, institution management, chemistry, biochemistry, biology, microbiology, and physiology.

Later on the usual licensure and certification are required, the procedure of which varies in different states.

[MarathonRunner]

I'm starting my second degree in Nutrition and Dietetics at UWO in a couple of weeks. I'm really looking forward to it, and I'm hoping it leads me to medicine. If not, I plan to apply for an internship as a dietician while I continue to apply to MD programs. UWO also has an integrated Masters program that will allow you to do an internship concurrently with grad school I believe.

 

Guelph also has an integrated dietetic internship with their MAN (Masters of Applied Nutrition) program. MUN (Memorial in Newfoundland) does as well.

 

In addition to McGill, UBC also has an integrated dietetic internship as part of their undergraduate program.

 

Some universities (U of A, Acadia) have optional internships as part of their undergraduate programs - they are competitive though, so although you apply in your third or fourth year, you aren't guaranteed admission.

 

Dietetics was my back-up plan if I hadn't been accepted to medical school this year. I was looking at Guelph, Brescia/Western, Acadia, Ryerson and MSVU. Both Guelph and Western/Brescia appealed to me due to the ability to do a Masters degree after the undergraduate program that included a dietetic internship as part of the Masters program. Acadia also really appealed due to the structure of their program and the general "feel" of the program.

 

When I was looking into dietetics programs, Guelph, Western/Brescia and Acadia were all the most welcoming, encouraging, and "friendly" programs - all of the individuals at those schools were quick to reply to my inquiries and were very helpful. Other schools were less friendly and polite. But YMMV.

[ItsyBitsy]

Thanks so much for all your input, guys. Helps a lot. I'm actually looking into Guelph, it seems to be the most feasible right now.

 

Medicine would still be my first choice, but I want to be prepared for the worst. Though a background in nutrition would probably be very useful when it comes to practicing medicine, I reckon.

[Real Beef]

Hey Itsy Bitsy,

 

Glad I checked this sub-forum.

 

I am a Registered Dietitian and work in Diabetes Education. I have my CDE (Certified Diabetes Educator) certification. Hours are usual, 37.5 hours a week, 8:30-4 pm, low-moderate levels of stress on the job, make between $62-71k/yr. I would say that nursing is moderate-high levels of stress particularly in the busy services like Ortho, Emerg.

 

If you want more money you can usually supplement with Long term care contracts, I do this on side 7-20 hours a week which brings in an extra $25-60k/yr. Im currently doing about 20hrs/wk extra with my LTC contracts so Ill make between 110-120k this year which is pretty decent but you will have to work long hours for this. You'll often find that the pay is similar to RN's though with their strong unions they tend to be somewhat higher and have the opportunity to do OT to make more quite easily while as an RD you'll have to take on a LTC contract or home care contract.

Im somewhat of a work-a-holic so it doesnt bother me as well I would like to pay cash for first year med if I get in

 

In Ontario the areas of growth in dietetics are in long term care, family health teams and Diabetes education centers. The hospital setting isnt actually where all the new positions are for dietitians and I hear they are usually less rewarding as far as job satisfaction. Public health also has openings for RDs which are nice, neat, jobs that pay decently.

 

The nice thing about dietetics is that you dont do shift work and in clinics you dont do weekends or evenings, except for the odd time if you are doing an evening workshop, while nurses fight and compete for coveted 9-5 clinic jobs for years before they get off the floors, or so I am led to believe.

 

Dietetics is a great career as long as you get an internsip. If you dont get an internship, which are competitive, you are screwed while in nursing everyone has an opportunity to become an RN. But if you plan on becoming an MD than your marks should be and stay high anyway so you should remain competetive for an internship anyway and volunteering and general brown-nosing is applicable to both med school and dietetic internships.

 

PM me if you want more information or specific information. I have served as a preceptor for about 5 dietetic interns for the Northern Dietetic Internship program as well as had dietetics as MY second degree so I can probably relate to your situation. Let me know.

 

I hope that helps.

 

Beef

[Angelia]

I just finished my second degree in foods & nutrition and am starting my internship in Ontario this fall. There are lots of options in this field. Almost every province except Ontario the internship is integrated. Graduate internships are also available after you finish your degree, at places like St.John's, Halifax, Moncton, Kingston, Toronto, London, Hamilton, Kitchener, Winnipeg, Northern Ontario, and the Yukon, but these places are competitive. I know this year Kitchener interviewed 70 applicants for 4 spots. ItsyBitsy just give me a PM and I can answer more of your questions!

[MD2019_A]

My friend is in the Nutrition program at Ryerson. The marks seem to be fairly easy to get. But getting the internship is extremely hard. I went to a critical dietetics conference past week and they said the rate of successful internship matches was 1 in 8. Without the internship, you can't write the licensing exam. Some graduate and undergrad programs (ex UBC) do offer a guaranteed internship, however. Without the RD (registered dietitian) license, there isn't much for you in the job market. It's like having an MD without the residency.

 

In short, it's a competitive back up. But good luck

[ItsyBitsy]

You guys are great, thanks so much for all the valuable info!

 

I'm trying to carefuly weight out all my options and have plans A, B (and C!) set out...

 

Real Beef, check your inbox please

[Real Beef]

Apr 28 2011

 

The Dietitian Workforce in Canada: Meta-Analysis Report March 2011

 

A meta-analysis report of the dietitian workforce in Canada was developed, based on the surveys conducted by provinces from 2007 to 2011. The report provides a “snapshot” of the dietetic workforce and identifies workforce issues affecting the profession.

 

The key findings from the pooled meta-analysis include:

 

•the majority of respondents (45%) worked in the clinical area of practice

•the majority of respondents worked full time

•some respondents work in more than one area of practice

•the Territories have the youngest population of dietitians (64% under 40 years of age); Manitoba (MB) and British Columbia (BC) have the greatest proportion of respondents over 40 years of age; BC and Nova Scotia (NS) had the greatest proportion of respondents 50 and over

•95 to 100% of respondents were female

•Quebec (QC), NS, Saskatchewan (SK), and MB had the greatest proportion of respondents who received their undergraduate training in that same province; the Territories, Alberta (AB), BC and Newfoundland (NF) had the greatest proportion of respondents educated elsewhere

•QC, Ontario (ON), AB, and SK had the greatest proportion of respondents who received their practical training in the province; BC, PE, and the Territories had the lowest

•about 50% of respondents indicated they will retire within 10 years and most respondents plan to retire before age 60

•few respondents received coverage for absences greater than three days; clients waited their return for services which contributed to workload dissatisfaction

•all provinces and territories had difficult-to-fill vacancies (vacant more than 90 days); vacancy problems may be compounded when the retirement wave hits

•there were mixed scores regarding satisfaction with earnings and opportunities for advancement;

•over half of respondents served as preceptors training dietetics students.

Existing dietitian shortages in all areas of the country, the impending increase in vacancies owing to retirement of 50% of respondents, population growth and new job creation in the areas of chronic disease management, food supply and specialized nutrition care reveal an urgent need to increase training capacity for dietitians in Canada.

 

For more info see link below: (I quickly scanned it and would recommend you have a read .... 27 pages but some good information)

 

http://www.dietitians.ca/Downloadable-Content/Members-Only/Workforce-Meta-Analysis-Report-English.aspx

[Angelia]

Thanks for posting!!! I am glad to know others are out there. I have to say I was a little sad that dietetics wasn't included with all the other health care professionals on this site.

[premed823]

Does anyone know how hard it is to achieve a good GPA (~4.0) in a dietetics program? I am looking into doing a second undergrad degree in dietetics as a back-up career (I think I'd actually enjoy working as an RD) but medicine is still my first choice so I want to be able to maintain a high GPA. Thank you!!

[Real Beef]

Organic Chem and Biochem dragged my down big time. Finished with a 3.7. If you can get past these two beasts.

 

Beef

[premed823]

Since I took those courses during my first degree, would it be transferred? I did my degree at UofA and I'm thinking of going to UBC to do a year of nutrition (to get some nutrition prereqs/increase GPA) and apply for the dietetics major. Thanks for your insight!