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What is a consultant dietitian and how to become one
These are nutrition experts that use food to maximize the well-being and health of individuals. They work under contract with a healthcare organization or either independently. As a consultant dietitian, you are expected to perform advice and assess clients about diet-related matters like cholesterol reduction, weight loss, etc. Sometimes, you may have to consult with food service managers to provide expertise in the area of sanitation, budget and planning, menu development, etc.
Reading and contributing to the latest nutritional research is also of utmost importance. You may have to speak to groups about the necessity of nutrition to prevent some particular diseases and document the patient's progress. Most consultant dietitians study dietetics, nutrition science, or food and nutrition. You should have a bachelor's degree in any of these related fields. As a consultant dietitian, you will earn an average of $51,819 in a year.
What general advice would you give to a consultant dietitian?
Dr. Sandra Poirier
Professor, Website
* Understanding the aging population and how those skills working with that aging population are very different than other life stages.
* Telehealth skills using the phone and videos to meet virtually and work with patients.
Avg. Salary $59,637
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 7%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.86%
Asian 10.12%
Black or African American 8.12%
Hispanic or Latino 11.19%
Unknown 3.66%
White 66.05%
Genderfemale 92.94%
male 7.06%
Age - 40American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 40Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is good
6.4 - fair
Consultant dietitian career paths
Key steps to become a consultant dietitian
Explore consultant dietitian education requirements
Start to develop specific consultant dietitian skills
Skills Percentages Patients 17.19% Nutrition Assessments 8.74% Weight Loss 5.99% Medical Nutrition Therapy 5.65% Long-Term Care Facilities 5.10% Complete relevant consultant dietitian training and internships
Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New consultants dietitian learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a consultant dietitian based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real consultant dietitian resumes.Research consultant dietitian duties and 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.
Prepare your consultant dietitian resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your consultant dietitian resume.
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Choose from 10+ customizable consultant dietitian resume templates
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Apply for consultant dietitian jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a consultant dietitian job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first consultant dietitian job
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Average consultant dietitian salary
The average consultant dietitian salary in the United States is $59,637 per year or $29 per hour. Consultant dietitian salaries range between $42,000 and $82,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do consultants dietitian rate their job?
Consultant dietitian reviews
No room for upward mobility in most healthcare areas. Pay is bad. Still the lowest paid healthcare professionals for the amount of education required to become a RDN. For that much education better off becoming a PA or RN that becomes a NP.
It needs more patience to apply the true solution and satisfy your client
I love the daytime work hours and having the weekends off most of the time. I love it when a client is interested in diet and ready to learn.
Some areas of nutrition-especially outpatient-require a certain amount of persuasive ability. It can be hard to work with the public all the time. And some dietitians, mostly clinical and hospital food service have to work some holidays.
Updated January 8, 2025
