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Nutrition internship vs public health dietitian

The differences between nutrition interns and public health 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 nutrition internship and a public health dietitian. Additionally, a public health dietitian has an average salary of $60,855, which is higher than the $36,506 average annual salary of a nutrition internship.

The top three skills for a nutrition internship include patients, nutrition education programs and nutrition education materials. The most important skills for a public health dietitian are public health, patients, and wic program.

Nutrition internship vs public health dietitian overview

Nutrition InternshipPublic Health Dietitian
Yearly salary$36,506$60,855
Hourly rate$17.55$29.26
Growth rate7%7%
Number of jobs48,20466,512
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 79%Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age4242
Years of experience22

What does a nutrition internship do?

Nutrition interns are individuals who are on the job training for the tasks performed by licensed nutritionists or dieticians. The interns provide a nutrition care process that includes prescription of parenteral and enteral recommendations and analysis of laboratory values. They prepare a case study presentation that applies evidence-based guidelines and nutrition care process research. It is also part of their responsibilities to provide nutrition services, meal plans, and lesson plans.

What does a public health dietitian do?

Public health dieticians can expect an annual pay of around $65K but require a four-year bachelor's degree and studies in nutrition, physiology, biology, and other related science courses for this career, as well as a skill set that includes organizational, analytical, speaking and people skills. They help coordinate with food suppliers and faculty administrators for the provision of menus that will meet individually-based dietary needs.

Nutrition internship vs public health dietitian salary

Nutrition interns and public health dietitians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Nutrition InternshipPublic Health Dietitian
Average salary$36,506$60,855
Salary rangeBetween $24,000 And $53,000Between $31,000 And $116,000
Highest paying City-San Mateo, CA
Highest paying state-California
Best paying company-Amazon
Best paying industry-Health Care

Differences between nutrition internship and public health dietitian education

There are a few differences between a nutrition internship and a public health dietitian in terms of educational background:

Nutrition InternshipPublic Health Dietitian
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 79%Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common majorFood And NutritionDietetics
Most common collegeUniversity of Maryland - College ParkUniversity of Maryland - College Park

Nutrition internship vs public health dietitian demographics

Here are the differences between nutrition interns' and public health dietitians' demographics:

Nutrition InternshipPublic Health Dietitian
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 18.0% Female, 82.0%Male, 5.1% Female, 94.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 10.1% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 9.2% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between nutrition internship and public health dietitian duties and responsibilities

Nutrition internship example responsibilities.

  • Research foods available in VT grocery stores that meet the WIC criteria for eligible food products in VT.
  • Complete nutrition assessments and design interventions for hospital patients and long term care facility residents.
  • Enter recipes and analyze nutrient levels of school lunches via USDA approve software program, NutriKids.
  • Create agendas, identify potential speakers and topics, connect communities and individuals to USDA resources and programs.
  • Research on various topics such as corporate wellness, exercise, food allergies, and other health relate concerns.
  • Create diabetes educational handouts for an outpatient clinic.
  • Show more

Public health dietitian example responsibilities.

  • Manage the anemia status of patients by reviewing necessary lab data and initiating or adjusting medication doses.
  • Partner with certify diabetes educator on consulting gestational diabetic patients on glucose monitors and diabetic eating guidelines.
  • Provide diabetes education to community groups.
  • Implement and develop diabetes information newsletters.
  • Provide medical nutrition therapy for medically high risk patients.
  • Write quarterly project newsletters, create tools need to properly assess for obesity causing behaviors and develop educationmaterials as needed.
  • Show more

Nutrition internship vs public health dietitian skills

Common nutrition internship skills
  • Patients, 24%
  • Nutrition Education Programs, 9%
  • Nutrition Education Materials, 5%
  • RD, 5%
  • Diabetes, 4%
  • Food Safety, 4%
Common public health dietitian skills
  • Public Health, 28%
  • Patients, 15%
  • WIC Program, 7%
  • Nutrition Services, 5%
  • Medical Nutrition Therapy, 5%
  • Community Nutrition, 4%

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