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Clinical dietitian vs consultant dietitian

The differences between clinical dietitians and consultants dietitian can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a clinical dietitian and a consultant dietitian. Additionally, a consultant dietitian has an average salary of $59,637, which is higher than the $59,133 average annual salary of a clinical dietitian.

The top three skills for a clinical dietitian include patients, patient care and medical nutrition therapy. The most important skills for a consultant dietitian are patients, nutrition assessments, and weight loss.

Clinical dietitian vs consultant dietitian overview

Clinical DietitianConsultant Dietitian
Yearly salary$59,133$59,637
Hourly rate$28.43$28.67
Growth rate7%7%
Number of jobs57,50010,584
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 73%Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Average age4242
Years of experience22

What does a clinical dietitian do?

A clinical dietitian is responsible for providing quality nutritional care for patients by monitoring their current health conditions, advising nutritional and dietary supplements to maintain their healthy lifestyle, and speed up their recovery process. Clinical dietitians often coordinate with other medical professionals to assess food choices and develop nutrition programs for the patients. A clinical dietitian must have excellent knowledge of the medical industry to offer the best services to the patients and accurately handle their inquiries and concerns.

What does a consultant dietitian do?

Consultant Dietitians are experts in food and nutrition. They explain nutrition issues to the public, promote healthy nutrition through giving talks to groups about nutrition and diet, and asses clients health needs and diet.

Clinical dietitian vs consultant dietitian salary

Clinical dietitians and consultants dietitian have different pay scales, as shown below.

Clinical DietitianConsultant Dietitian
Average salary$59,133$59,637
Salary rangeBetween $43,000 And $80,000Between $42,000 And $82,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CA-
Highest paying stateCalifornia-
Best paying companyUniversity of California-
Best paying industryHealth Care-

Differences between clinical dietitian and consultant dietitian education

There are a few differences between a clinical dietitian and a consultant dietitian in terms of educational background:

Clinical DietitianConsultant Dietitian
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 73%Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Most common majorDieteticsDietetics
Most common collegeUniversity of Maryland - College ParkUniversity of Maryland - College Park

Clinical dietitian vs consultant dietitian demographics

Here are the differences between clinical dietitians' and consultants dietitian' demographics:

Clinical DietitianConsultant Dietitian
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 8.7% Female, 91.3%Male, 7.1% Female, 92.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 10.0% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 10.1% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between clinical dietitian and consultant dietitian duties and responsibilities

Clinical dietitian example responsibilities.

  • Provide personalize nutrition counseling to clients managing diabetes, lipid disorders, hypertension & obesity.
  • Collaborate with diabetes educator to achieve AADE accreditation for the diabetes education program and to provide education as an instructor.
  • Develop nutrition assessments and provide individual nutrition interventions for post-surgical/medical patients entering rehabilitation.
  • Provide nutritional care for general medical population; assess nutritional status of ICU patients and implement nutritional intervention.
  • Perform nutrition evaluations and education for rehab patients; complete MDS forms and participate in interdisciplinary team meetings.
  • Sole nutrition department member participating in daily and weekly integrative team rounds for oncology and high risk maternity patients.
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Consultant dietitian example responsibilities.

  • Manage the anemia status of patients by reviewing necessary lab data and initiating or adjusting medication doses.
  • Provide individual outpatient diabetes, weight management and cardiovascular counseling.
  • Deliver medical nutrition therapy to patients, and offer culturally appropriate nutrition education to patients and their families.
  • Formulate menus and nutritional plans of care for regular and therapeutic diets base on medical/physical condition of patients.
  • Provide nutrition counseling for pediatric medical conditions including poor growth, feeding difficulties and food allergies.
  • Provide nutrition counseling & diabetes education to individuals in private practice setting.
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Clinical dietitian vs consultant dietitian skills

Common clinical dietitian skills
  • Patients, 35%
  • Patient Care, 9%
  • Medical Nutrition Therapy, 7%
  • Home Health, 5%
  • Nutrition Services, 3%
  • Diabetes, 3%
Common consultant dietitian skills
  • Patients, 17%
  • Nutrition Assessments, 9%
  • Weight Loss, 6%
  • Medical Nutrition Therapy, 6%
  • Long-Term Care Facilities, 5%
  • Nutrition Education, 5%

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