Susan's Nutrition Weblog

Nutrition Career

Q:
Dear Susan,

Thank you for sharing your passion for good nutrition via your blog.

I am in the early stages of a transition towards a nutrition career (from that of a number-cruncher) and I was hoping you could share any further insights into how you chose a graduate program and how you made the decision to become a RD (as opposed to getting a masters in nutrition only).

The 2 challenges that I perceive, and that you may have also dealt with, are (1) my lack of undergraduate science education, and (2) how to reconcile my interest in the holistic aspect of nutrition with the “conventional” graduate RD programs that are commonly available. Which school did you attend, and do you feel like it adequately prepared you for your PCRM job or the position at the holistic health clinic that you were considering? I’m drawn to graduate programs like at Tufts and Cornell, but I wonder if it’s more science than I need, especially considering that I’m currently struggling through my prerequisite General Chemistry class.

I also feel like I would be pursuing the RD, purely for the credential, and not necessarily for the clinical training. Do you feel like your training was anywhere in line with your beliefs about how nutritional advice should be administered?

Other schools that I’m considering are Bastyr, NYU, and UC Davis. I’m currently in Los Angeles, but the local programs don’t inspire me at all.

I’d really appreciate any thoughts you might have. It’s reading stories like yours that really keeps me motivated!

Best,

Edie

p.s. Looking forward to some new posts!>

A:
Tough tough questions, Edie. This is such a personal decision. However, I'm afraid if you aren't interested or very good at science, you in trouble. There's a lot of science involved in dietetics, true, maybe not organic chemistry, but certainly things like anatomy and physiology. So be warned. If you are looking for a program that avoids science then you will probably find not such a reputable program.

I went to Bastyr because I needed to be somewhere where vegan diets were accepted. I was in no mood to defend my beliefs throughout graduate school, although it would have been cheaper to suck it up at a state school.

I finally did have to accept that I needed a lot of schooling prior to grad school. Three years it took me to get through all that stuff! Three years and then three more of grad school plus internship. Ready for that? I had a BA from UNC, which was totally useless for my new goals.

I did the RD because it's a safety net. I have moved around a lot in my day and didn't know where the heck I would end up. Some places are more conservative than others, and I have a fondness for the South. That could have spelled trouble. For me, the RD was worth it.

I do know others, however, who did not do the RD and have been very successful. This would be good for folks who know exactly where they will be laying their hats for decades to come.

Cornell (one of my PCRM co-workers went there for her nutrition undergrad) and Tufts (we had an intern from this program) are awesome as are the other schools you mentioned. You will appreciate all the science background once you are out and about. It's extremely helpful!

Since you asked about PCRM, I don't think they would have hired me without the RD, so, even open-minded organizations like mainstream credentials.

Hope that helps. Sorry for the long long delay. -Susan

Back to School

i'm very interested in going back to school - at the moment i'm looking for a career change and i'm thinking of school teacher but my love is nutrtition. i'm curious: how is the lifestyle of a nutritionist? are the benefits okay, pay, easy enough to find a job?

Posted by: bernadette leach | October 08, 2005 at 04:34 PM

Hi, Bernadette. Well, I can only offer my limited opinion on this issue.

Lifestyle: The lifestyle is that of most health care workers, I suppose. There are lots of areas you could work: hospital (in- or out-patient), private practice, integrative clinic, fitness club, corporate setting, academic, public health, cooking/chef. I've known a lot of people who do part-time here and there to keep from getting locked into one area. Usually, they have the goal of going into private practice but first racking up as much exposure as possible, thus the appeal of a hospital, for example.

Benefits: Health care facilities can offer great benefits, provided you work full time in one spot.

Pay: Depends. Are you going for a masters? I suppose you would start off at a higher pay with a masters. If you do the dietetic internship, I'm guessing that would also put you at an advantage in certain areas. Also, where you live plays a role in this obviously. I'm told most people with a masters and who are RDs make around $50K in the beginning. But I really have no idea. I work in non-profit, stickin' it to the man, so the pay sticks it right back at me.

Job Opportunities: I think if you are open to whatever, then you can get a job pretty easily. I know for a fact you could work for a big corporate evil organization - no problem. Geriatrics is also a wide open door for nutritionists. Lots of oldies in need of help and growing! I didn't think I would find a job I wanted, because I was very picky, but lo and behold, I got my dream job. So who knows. I know several people who went to chef school post graduate school and they have jobs they love. Several classmates are teaching at various colleges. There are lots of jobs for nutritionists on Native American Reservations. But clearly you would have to be willing to relocate.

I think what you need to decide is if you are ready to go back to school for years. I had NO science background when I decided to do what I loved. It took me three years to take all my pre-requisites before starting grad school. I think you could do it in two though. Then two years for a masters and one year internship. The internship is if you want to be a dietitian, a safety net unless you live and plan to stay in a very liberal state. And no, NY does not count as very liberal. Weird, I know.

My general advice is to do what you love. If you know you love nutrition more than teaching, then go for it. If you love them both the same, then you could do both, teach nutrition. If teaching is more appealing, then do that and then became an avid reader of nutrition issues. Then annoy all your friends with your personal database of nutrition factoids. It's fun.

WARNING: If you become a nutritionist/dietitian, be prepared to hear about everything everyone in your family eats. Also, get ready to hear things like this at food gatherings, "Oh, I don't want you to see what I'm eating. It's so unhealthy!"

I hope this helps. I know it's corny, but you MUST follow your heart.

DC - my new peeps

Well, it has happened. I am living in DC geared to do the good works of PCRM. Life in the Capital City is quite different from the NYC lifestyle that I once knew and was reacquainting myself with when I accepted this job. Firstly, I am lulled to sleep by crickets each night as opposed to trucks, ambulances and thumping car stereos. Admittedly, I am in a suburb of DC as opposed to downtown. And I have to confess you get used to falling asleep to traffic, and you have to acclimate to silence. No really, you do.

When I run in the morning I hop on a trail that winds me through dense woods for miles and miles. There are plenty of other bikers and runners, so it’s not lonely-empty. I have yet to run in Rock Creek Park as the hard-core runners do, but it is a very intimidating park. It’s huge and forested and interns vanish in there (probably because senators kill them, but just the same).

I miss Central Park, but I don’t so much miss running over the Williamsburg Bridge where I was greeted daily with this sidewalk graffiti: “Honkies in Williamsburg blow a big dong.” Huh, now that is interesting. Actually, I thought it was a fairly tame and polite way of expressing one’s concern over gentrification. Yes, perhaps we do, metaphorically speaking, blow a big dong. I really can’t disagree. Anyway, it gave me something to ponder during my Brooklyn runs.

Now, I just think about trees and flowers and such nonsense. Maybe honkies in DC blow a big dong too. I’ll look into it.

Today I discovered that Trader Joe’s, one of my favorite grocery stores, uses eggs from cruelly caged chickens. I went in to buy treats to send to China, and as I was leaving, there were two progressive minded kids holding a sign that said “Trader Joe’s Shoppers: Stop the Abuse.” Uh-oh. I stopped to inquire and offered my disappointment because I love TJ’s. One young advocate said, “Me too. That’s why I’m determined to get them to stop.” Ok, I’m in. I’ll call, I’ll write, I’ll talk to the manager. Might I suggest those reading do the same (www.hsus.org)? A lot of you have no idea what Trader Joe’s is – you’re exempt.

There’s a big march in DC that I think I am required to participate in this Saturday. Required by my own conscience. Plus I’ve been meaning to do a monument tour and give the evil eye to the White House. I can’t be in DC and not get political. I’m about to go upside Bush’s head, in a non-violent sort of way.

As a professional aside: I just got word that I have been certified as a Dietitian-Nutritionist in the state of New York. Three-hundred dollars well spent. That’s $100 per credentialing letter I can add to my name's end; however, now it’s useless. I’m going to still use it because I still have a NY driver’s license. Do those two things relate? No one knows what any of the letters mean anyway, so what the hell.

Susan M Levin, MS RD CDN

Got A Life!

I have finally made a decision other than do I want the tofu salad salad or the tofu salad sandwich while I search the web for jobs at Soy Luck Club. I decided to move to Washington, DC and start working for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (pcrm.org). This is obviously an ideal job for a vegan dietitian and I was lucky to get the offer. So here I go. Moving four hours down the coast to see what’s new in the capital city. Scary.

Of course, New York City cannot be compared to any other city in the world, and I will miss it. Most of my friends live here and I won’t be able to count on their good company day to day. But there’s a really fast, cheap, clean bus that runs back and forth between the two cities. It’s run by two Hasidic Jews and costs a reasonable $40 round trip. You don’t even have to go inside Penn Station to catch it (BONUS!) and even better, it doesn’t drop you off at the scary DC Greyhound station.

On a food note: I know a vegan who wasn’t aware that Thai food more often than not comes flavored with fish sauce or fish flakes. You absolutely have to ask if it can be made without in order to ensure you are getting a vegetarian dish. That’s my tip for the day. Enjoy.

Job hunt

Ok.  Now I need some advice.  I am interviewing with two different companies.  One is in NYC and one is in Washington, DC.  Neither has offered me a job, but both seem interested.  Both are my dream jobs.

NYC:  Working in a holistic health clinic with a reputable physician as the clinic's one and only dietitian.  I would see many patients with various problems but fairly educated and compliant.  I would be honored to work in this clinic.  It's not all new agey and weird or anything like that.  It's very normal but extrememly open-minded and places a lot of emphasis on nutritional well-being.  It was this actual clinic that made me think 7 years ago, "I want to be a nutritionist and it would be worth 6 years of school to get to that point."

DC:  Working for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.  Hello!!!  Awesome organization, non-profit.  VEGAN-minded.  All my heroes are associated with the PCRM in one way or another: Barnard, Robbins, Ornish.  But obviously you do advocacy work, not counseling.  Probably pays less, although not sure.

Ok, honestly, no one has offered me a job.  Perhaps no one will.  But just in case, I'm taking comments and opinions and votes.  HELP!