Health Profession Speaker number #5 Essay Essays - Articles, Health

Speaker name: Rebecca Chrasta Date: 02/28/2019 Speaker number #5 Profession: Clinical Dietetics The profession of clinical dietetics was i ntroduced to us by regist ered dietitian Rebecca Chrasta. During her presentation, she discussed about the first step in the path to becoming a clinical dietitian, which is to obtain a Bachelor' s degree, which usually take s approximately around four years with a nutrition internship included. Bachelor's degree in any closely related field will help students succeed in this profession; however, a degree in nutrition , specifically, is recommended because it gives students opportunities to work in real-life environment under the supervision of a dietitian or a nutritionist. The next step is to complete a graduate program in order to receive a master's degree. There are two types of master's degree in nutrition: Master of Science in Nutrition (MS) and Master of Science in Nutrition/Didactic Program in Dietetics. The Master of Science in Nutrition is a two-year program in which students are prepared to work in resear ch and public advocacy as well as to counsel a variety of populations . On the other hand, the Master of Science in Nutrition/Didactic Program in Dietetics gives students the opportunity to obtain an MS while gaining the advanced knowledge and expertise to apply for a dietetic/nutrition internship. After two-year of graduate college, the two exams that students are required to take and pass are the registration exam and the jurisprudence exam. Following is the submission of the licensure application. La stly, a registered dietitian must read seventy five CEUS every five years while a licensed dietitian must read twelve CEUS every two years in order to stay up to date with information and research. Moreover, nutritionist and dietitian might be similar but it can also be very different. Chrasta mentioned in her presentation that nutritionists are not required to be registered and licensed to practice while dietitians are. Majority of clinical dietitians work full time. They sometimes work on the weekends or even evenings to accommodate clients and patients who are unable to meet during their work hours. Clinical dietitians work in state/local/private hospitals, outpatient care centers, nursing and residential care facilities, and a very few of them are self-employed workers. Utilizing food and the concept of nutrition to promote and improve well-being as well as prevent diseases is their main expertise. They guide and counsel their clients on what food to consume and what food to avoid in order to acquire a healthy yet enjoyable lifestyle or achieve a specific dietary goal. With clients' budgets and preferences taken into account, clinical dietitians typically build meal plans for their clients. As time goes by, they will evaluate the meal plans and make some changes if needed. In addition to interacting with their clients , clinical dietitians also stay up to date with latest food and nutritional science research so that they are able to gain a substantial amount of knowledge in order to accurately develop their clients' meal and nutrition plans. With that being said, clinical dietitians must have excellent analytical skills so that they are able to understand scientific studies and, at the same time, utilizing what they have got to translate science into practical nutrition advice. Additionally, it is crucial for clinical dietitians to have exceptional listening and communication skills. They must be able to listen attentively to what their clients have to say about their goals as well as their concerns. Clinical dietitians must then utilize their communication skills to give clear explanations on eating and nutrition plans to their patients as well as other healthcare professionals who are involved in their patients' care. Clinical dietitians offer very few career advancements and specialties. Some of them include weight management, diabetes, renal, sports, cancer, pediatrics, advanced practices, professional organizations, and Ph.D., etc. Each of these aforementioned specialties requires extra schooling and additional CEUS reading depending on which specialty you are choosing. However, before pursuing any of these specialties, one must first register to practice in clinical dietetics. There are a few reasons why this career appeals to me. First, being able to help people gain confidence to maintain their health by giving them nutrition advices is such a rewarding feeling. Another factor