Registered dietitians work in a wide variety of employment settings, including health care, business, and industry, community/public health, education, research, government agencies and private practice. Many work environments, particularly those in medical and health-care settings require that an individual be credentialed as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). RDNs work in:
- Hospitals, HMOs or other health-care facilities, educating patients about nutrition and administering medical nutrition therapy as part of the health-care team. They may also manage the foodservice operations in these settings, as well as in schools, day-care centers and correctional facilities, over-seeing everything from food purchasing and preparation to managing staff.
- Sports nutrition and corporate wellness programs, educating clients about the connection between food, fitness, and health.
- Food and nutrition-related business and industries, working in communications, consumer affairs, public relations, marketing, product development, or consulting with chefs in restaurants and culinary schools.
- Private practice, working under contract with health-care of food companies, or in their own business. RDNs may provide services to foodservice or restaurant managers, food vendors and distributors, athletes, nursing home residents, or company employees.
- Community and public health settings, teaching, monitoring, and advising the public and helping improve their quality of life through health eating habits. Examples include, but are not limited to, WIC, EFNEP, food banks, state, and county extension agencies.
- Universities and medical centers, teaching physician’s assistants, nurses, dietetics students, dentists, and others the sophisticated science of food and nutrition.
- Research areas in food and pharmaceutical companies, universities, and hospitals directing or conducting experiments to answer critical nutrition questions and find alternative foods or nutrition recommendations for the public.