How to Become a Dietitian

As a dietitian, you’ll help your clients with meal planning and preparation and educate them on the foods they should eat or avoid to optimise their health. To become a dietitian, you'll need to pursue your bachelor’s degree, complete the required training, become licensed, and obtain and maintain certifications. Once you are a credentialed dietician, you’ll have a variety of career paths and work settings to choose from.

Meet educational requirements 

To work as a dietician, you must complete 10+2 examinations from a recognised board. Then, you will need to obtain a bachelor's degree in nutrition or a related field. Dietitians earn degrees in dietetics, nutrition, food technology, clinical nutrition, or closely related fields. You can also consider further study, such as a Master of Science (MSc) in Food and Nutrition. 

Complete your 10+2 examinations.

You will need to complete your 10+2 examinations from a recognised board in any stream before getting your bachelor’s degree. Choosing the science stream with biology is ideal to further your understanding of human anatomy, nutrition, and physiology.

Earn a bachelor’s degree in dietetics or a related field. 

The next step to becoming a dietitian is to earn a bachelor’s degree. You can earn a Bachelor of Arts in Nutrition, a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Food Technology, or a BSc in Nutrition and Dietetics from a recognised university. 

Consider advanced degrees. 

After finishing your undergraduate studies, you might explore advanced degrees like a Master of Science (MSc) in Food and Nutrition to obtain more in-depth knowledge. If you simply want to earn the Registered Dietician Licence, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Dietetics and Public Health Nutrition or in Dietetics will be sufficient. For either option, you’ll need to also complete an internship before graduating. Some educational institutions you can consider are as follows:

• All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Nirmala Niketan in Mumbai

• Chandigarh University in Mohali

• SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai

• Institute of Home Economics in New Delhi

• Lady Irwin College in New Delhi

Online degrees are an option.

You also have the option of pursuing an online dietitian or nutrition degree. The Global Institute of Health Science offers a directory of all its accredited courses, including distance learning. Distance education means completing all coursework online, and rotations are locally done. This option might be beneficial if you want to work and learn simultaneously, need accommodations, or simply prefer online learning. 

Undergo required training 

Dietitians usually undergo several hours of supervised training through internships, school programmes, and employers. Some institutions offer coordinated dietetics programmes that allow you to complete supervised training as part of your undergraduate- or graduate-level coursework. 

Complete an internship.

Completing an internship is part of your path to becoming a registered dietitian (RD). You can complete this after graduation or during your degree programme if your university offers that option. To obtain your dietician licence, you must complete a continuous six-month internship at a hospital recognised by the Indian Dietetic Association (IDA). 

Undergo employer training.

Because dietitians work in various settings, your employer training will also vary. Dietitians can work in such workplaces as schools, hospitals, clinics, non-profits, gyms, or other food services. If you plan to work for yourself, you might need training in business administrative tasks. Some self-employed dietitians outsource business and marketing tasks to focus solely on their client base.

Obtain licensure

To become an RD, you will need to pass the admission exam held by the IDA. To be eligible to take this exam, you must fulfill certain criteria. First, you will need to be a member of the IDA. Then, make sure you have graduated with a Post Graduate Diploma in Food Nutrition and Dietetics or an MSc in Foods and Nutrition/Clinical Nutrition/Dietetics. Finally, complete a six-month continuous internship at hospitals accredited for RD training by the IDA. You can apply without an internship if you have five years of full-time experience as a clinical dietitian in a multispecialty hospital recognised by the IDA. 

Earn optional certification

RDs stay current with research and trends through ongoing professional development. You might specialise in areas like cancer or diabetes and consider certifications such as the following:

• International Sports Sciences Association nutrition certifications

• NASM Certified Nutrition Coach

• NFNA Certification in Applied Nutrition

• Centre for Nutrition and Dietetics Studies Certified Nutrition Counsellor

Career pathways for dietitians 

You can also pursue a variety of career paths with your training as a dietician.

These include the following:

1. Health educator

2. Food processing manager

3. Personal trainer

4. Registered dietician (RD)

5. Dietetic technician

6. Clinical dietician

7. Health coach

8. Community dietician

9. Nutrition specialist

10. Wellness consultant

11. Paediatric dietician

12. Sports nutritionist

13. Research dietician

Skills needed to work as a dietitian

Dietitians work with clients or patients and must have strong communication and listening skills. Empathy and compassion are needed as you will work with people who sometimes face tough challenges. You should also have solid problem-solving and organisational skills to find treatment solutions while keeping track of patient paperwork and other administrative tasks. Additionally, analytical and maths skills are necessary to interpret scientific data and translate that into patient treatment and guidance. 

You’ll use your teaching and coaching skills to manage and guide others when pursuing leadership positions. You’ll also likely have to supervise interns. Dietitians may, at times, present in front of community members on issues related to nutrition.

Work environment and industries where dieticians work 

Dietitians work in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, cafeterias, research institutions, governments, gyms, and private companies. Most dietitians work in a healthcare setting. In hospitals, you may guide patients on nutrition and treat them with nutrition therapy as part of the medical team. You may also manage food service operations in healthcare settings. You can also work in schools, daycare centres, and correctional facilities. Your responsibilities range from food purchasing and preparation to managing staff in these facilities. 

As a dietician, you can work for private companies, including those in pharmaceuticals, running wellness programmes for employees. You can offer guidance in developing nutritional products for businesses. You may hold public affairs, communications, marketing, or research and development positions in these companies. 

If you decide to open your practice, you would either work with patients or contract with healthcare or food organisations for food service and other nutrition-related work. You may work in public health or at non-profits, where you would work to educate the community on healthy eating habits and how food and fitness are related.

You can also take up teaching positions at universities, medical centres, and other venues to teach physicians, nurses, students, and others about foods and nutrition.

Average salary and job outlook for dietitians 

As of September 2024 [1], the average annual salary for dietitians is ₹5,28,000. The job outlook for dietitians is promising, with growing demand across various industries. As more people in India prioritise health and disease prevention, the need for nutrition experts like dietitians will rise.

How to become a dietician: Get started with Coursera

Becoming a dietitian involves a combination of education, supervised training, and certifications that prepare you for a rewarding career in various healthcare and wellness settings. By following these steps, you can be well-equipped to guide others in improving their health and achieving their nutritional goals.

Get started on your path to being a dietitian by learning more about the field through an online course, such as Stanford University’s Stanford Introduction to Food and Health or the Academy of Sports Medicine Nutrition Essentials from NASM, the National Academy of Sports Medicine.