Verified

Something long-awaited for came in the mail this past weekend: my verification statement

A verification statement is documentation that a student has completed all requirements necessary to be eligible to complete a dietetic internship. I have been taking classes for the past 2 years in order to complete a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD Program) and earn this verification statement. I have a BS in Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise but chose a pre-med concentration instead of the accredited dietetics concentration. That was back when I wanted to be a doctor… LOL. Thankfully all my nutrition courses transferred to my current DPD program so I only had to take 12 classes (clinical and food service management courses) to be able to get my verification statement.

If you are interested in a career in nutrition and already have a degree in something else, here are the steps you would need to take to become an RD:

• Find an accredited DPD program… you can search for programs by location on The Academy’s website.
• Contact the DPD program director and ask him/her for a transcript evaluation. This is where the school will review the courses you’ve already taken and compare them with what is required for their program. Some schools charge a fee for doing this.
• Complete the DPD program
• Complete a dietetic internship
• Pass the RD exam

If your degree is in a science field then you will most likely have your basic DPD courses out of the way (biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, etc). If your degree is in a non-science field then you may be starting from scratch. It really depends on the program.

You have to have a bachelor’s degree in order to be an RD. If you don’t have one then you should look into a dietetics program that is an accredited DPD or CPD (coordinated program in dietetics, where you complete your coursework and internship together).

Also, if you’re interested in becoming an RD then any program you complete has to be accredited by The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Here is a link to their website for more information about the process.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go celebrate the fact that I never have to take another course in my life :)