Knowledge

• English Language: Knowledge of the meaning, spelling, and use of the English language.
• Biology: Knowledge of plants, animals, and living organisms and how they function.
• Education and Training: Knowledge of teaching and the methods involved in learning and instruction.
• Administration and Management: Knowledge of managing the operations of a business, company, or group.
• Food Production: Knowledge of planting, growing, and harvesting food for eating.
• Mathematics: Knowledge of the rules and uses of numbers. Areas of knowledge include arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and statistics.
• Chemistry: Knowledge of the properties of substances and the changes that occur when they interact.

Preparation

Dietitians need a bachelor's degree. Recommended college majors are dietetics or food service management. Classes that teach communication skills are recommended for all dietitians. Students who plan to become management dietitians should take classes in business and economics. The sciences also provide a good background for dietitians. Science courses to consider include biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, anatomy, and chemistry. Students who are in high school should take science classes such as biology, anatomy, and chemistry. Math, English, sociology, psychology, and business courses are also important.

Skills

• Teach others how to do something.
• Manage the time of self and others.
• Use scientific methods to solve problems.
• Express ideas clearly when speaking or writing.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Analyze needs and requirements when designing products.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Think of new ideas about a topic.
• Make sense of information that seems without meaning or organization.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.
• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Read and understand work-related materials.
• Inspect and evaluate the quality of products.
• Motivate, develop, and direct people as they work.
• Add, subtract, multiply, and divide quickly and correctly.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Look for ways to help people.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Check how well one is learning or doing something.
• Choose a mathematical method or formula to solve problems.
• Identify problems and review information. Analyze options and apply solutions.
• Persuade others to approach things differently.
• Determine how a diet should work and how changes in foods will affect the patient.
• Decide how to spend money to get the work done and keep track of how the money was used.
• Change behavior in relation to others? actions.
• Identify ways to measure and improve food preparation and quality.
• Obtain needed equipment, facilities, and materials and oversee their use.
• Use several methods to learn or teach new things.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Be aware of others? reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Solve problems by bringing others together to discuss differences.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.

Interests

There are many different interest inventories available. The results they produce may differ from the interests described here.
• Have investigative interests. They like work activities that have to do with ideas and thinking. They like to search for facts and figure out solutions to problems mentally.
• Have enterprising interests. They like work activities that involve starting up and carrying out projects, especially in business. They like to lead and persuade others, make decisions, and take risks for profit.
• Have social interests. They like work activities that assist others and promote learning and personal development. They like to communicate with others: to teach, give advice, help, or otherwise be of service to others.

Values

• Consider achievement important. They like to see the results of their work and to use their strongest abilities. They like to get a feeling of accomplishment from their work.
• Consider relationships important. They like to work in a friendly, non-competitive environment. They like to do things for other people. They prefer jobs where they are not pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
• Consider independence important. They like to make decisions and try out ideas on their own. They prefer jobs where they can plan their work with little supervision.
• Consider good working conditions important. They like jobs offering steady employment and good pay. They want employment that fits their individual work style. They may prefer doing a variety of tasks, working alone, or being busy all the time.
• Consider recognition important. They like to work in jobs which have opportunities for them to advance, be recognized for their work, and direct and instruct others. They usually prefer jobs in which they are looked up to by others.

Related Educational Programs and Colleges

 Visit our education page for AA degrees  or for Bachelors, Masters & PhD. Degrees   in Dietetics or Nutrition