What are the pros and cons of being a dietitian?

Question

Zippia Team · Accepted Answer

There are several pros and cons related to being a dietitian; the pros include the rewards associated with the career and the many career options within the field, while the cons include education and licensing requirements, and work environment.

Here is a more detailed list of the pros and cons of being a dietitian:

Pros:

Rewards: Becoming a registered dietitian can be a very rewarding career. Often, dietitians are tasked with helping people adopt healthier eating habits that can have a positive impact on their lives. Dietitians work with the elderly to improve their quality of life as well as with children to promote growth and overall health. Dietitians are able to share their passion for healthy eating.
Career options: As a registered dietitian, you may be employed almost anywhere. Some dietitians work for the government and help develop public policy, while others help develop guidelines for children's health in public school systems. Business and marketing firms also employ dietitians to help promote the healthy aspects of a food product or technology.
Variety: Seldom does a dietitian experience the same routine while at work. Whether it comes in the form of various projects or the different people that a dietitian sees, there is typically a range of work experiences that prevent the job from becoming monotonous.

Cons:

Education and licensing requirements: This career requires a college degree followed by an accredited internship. Candidates must then take an exam and become licensed by the state in which they choose to work. Often these licenses must be renewed and continuing education is a requirement for that renewal.
Work environment: While some dietitians work in a government or corporate setting, many deal daily with ill patients. Working in a hospital or care center and counseling patients on dietary restrictions related to their illnesses can be trying. These interactions are rewarding for patients who respond positively, but may also be taxing when patients do not respond.
Conflicting messages: Some dietitians experience frustration when their holistic approach to dietary health is not within their field. Government regulations and corporate agendas do not always consider the experiences of the individuals impacted by their decisions. In the 1980s ketchup was labeled a vegetable in order to provide budgetary flexibility to school systems.