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Dietetic internship vs outpatient dietitian

The differences between dietetic interns and outpatient dietitians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a dietetic internship and an outpatient dietitian. Additionally, a dietetic internship has an average salary of $64,038, which is higher than the $62,717 average annual salary of an outpatient dietitian.

The top three skills for a dietetic internship include patients, diabetes education and medical nutrition therapy. The most important skills for an outpatient dietitian are patients, medical nutrition therapy, and patient care.

Dietetic internship vs outpatient dietitian overview

Dietetic InternshipOutpatient Dietitian
Yearly salary$64,038$62,717
Hourly rate$30.79$30.15
Growth rate7%7%
Number of jobs52,76510,972
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 80%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Average age4242
Years of experience22

What does a dietetic internship do?

In a dietetic internship, an intern primarily performs support tasks to gain industry insights and experience while under a dietitian's directives and supervision. Their duties typically include conducting research and analyses, gathering and analyzing data from previous projects and studies, participating in the development of new meal and nutritional plans, and assisting in food delivery operations. They also take part in assessing a patient's health and treatment plans, providing nutrition education as necessary. Additionally, an intern must produce regular reports and uphold the facility's policies.

What does an outpatient dietitian do?

An Outpatient Dietitian is responsible for providing medical nutrition therapy, such as nutrition assessment, nutrition support, patient intervention, and education. They also identify the educational needs of others, develop formal educational training programs or classes, and teach or instruct others.

Dietetic internship vs outpatient dietitian salary

Dietetic interns and outpatient dietitians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Dietetic InternshipOutpatient Dietitian
Average salary$64,038$62,717
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $132,000Between $38,000 And $102,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between dietetic internship and outpatient dietitian education

There are a few differences between a dietetic internship and an outpatient dietitian in terms of educational background:

Dietetic InternshipOutpatient Dietitian
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 80%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Most common majorDieteticsDietetics
Most common collegeUniversity of Maryland - College ParkUniversity of Maryland - College Park

Dietetic internship vs outpatient dietitian demographics

Here are the differences between dietetic interns' and outpatient dietitians' demographics:

Dietetic InternshipOutpatient Dietitian
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 10.2% Female, 89.8%Male, 7.5% Female, 92.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 9.8% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 8.5% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between dietetic internship and outpatient dietitian duties and responsibilities

Dietetic internship example responsibilities.

  • Collaborate with diabetes educator to achieve AADE accreditation for the diabetes education program and to provide education as an instructor.
  • Follow up with physician consults, educate patients on nutrition, and take part in IDT meetings and ICU rounds.
  • Complete clinical dietetic rotations which also include specialty rotations in pediatrics, kidney/liver transplant, oncology, and critical care.
  • Acquire excellent interdisciplinary communication skills through ICU and nursing rounds.
  • Communicate breastfeeding, proper infant feeding practices, and provide nutrition education to WIC participants.
  • Work alongside translators in culturally diverse environment to education patients on diabetes, hypertension and healthful eating.
  • Show more

Outpatient dietitian example responsibilities.

  • Manage the anemia status of patients by reviewing necessary lab data and initiating or adjusting medication doses.
  • Perform nutritional education, complete comprehensive assessments, calculate patient needs for nutrition support and determine patients at risk for malnutrition.
  • Create educational lesson discussing hypertension prevention, risk factors, MNT.
  • Monitor patients' nutrition status, laboratory values, diet tolerance, and motivate them to adhere to dietary/medications recommendations.
  • Provide clinical nutrition coverage as needed for medical-surgical, telemetry, intensive care unit, behavioral health and rehabilitative floors.

Dietetic internship vs outpatient dietitian skills

Common dietetic internship skills
  • Patients, 23%
  • Diabetes Education, 5%
  • Medical Nutrition Therapy, 5%
  • Oncology, 4%
  • Nutrition Assessments, 4%
  • Long-Term Care, 4%
Common outpatient dietitian skills
  • Patients, 30%
  • Medical Nutrition Therapy, 11%
  • Patient Care, 6%
  • Nutrition Services, 5%
  • Home Health, 4%
  • Healthcare Professionals, 4%

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