The Registered Dietitian (RD) exam is a comprehensive test that candidates must pass to become a Registered Dietitian in the United States. This exam assesses an individual’s knowledge and skills in the field of dietetics and nutrition. It covers various aspects of dietetic practice, including nutritional assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring, and evaluation.
The history of the RD exam dates back several decades, as the profession of dietetics has been established and regulated for a significant amount of time. The exam itself has evolved over the years, reflecting changes in the field of dietetics and the expanding body of knowledge that dietitians are expected to master.
The RD exam is a critical step in the journey to becoming a Registered Dietitian. Passing the exam signifies that an individual has met the national standards for competence in the field of dietetics and is qualified to provide nutritional care and guidance.
Here are 8 fascinating facts you should be aware of to understand the RD exam’s scoring system.
8 interesting and important facts about the RD exam scoring system.
Ever wonder “what the heck is a scaled score?” OR what is a “pre-test” question? Get the answers below.
To pass the exam, you will need to get a scaled score of at least 25 out of 50.
This can be confusing because most of us are used to quizzes and exams being scored based on percentages, so let’s take a look at what scaled scoring is, and how it is used to grade the RD Exam.
The RD Exam is a computer-based exam that utilizes scaled scoring to grade the exam. The Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) uses this type of scoring to ensure that the test-taker has the competence to pass and practice as an entry-level dietitian.
The exam uses a scaled score which takes the number of correct answers and translates those into scores of anywhere between 1 and 50. The scaled score is based on the weight or value of each question, and does not represent a percentage of the total questions like traditional tests. This means that the more difficult questions you answer correctly, the higher your scaled score.
The RD exam asks a minimum of 125 questions and a maximum of 145 questions. If the test taker receives an exam that is more difficult, fewer questions need to be answered correctly to pass the examination. On the other hand, if the candidate receives an easier exam, more questions must be answered correctly to pass. This process ensures that candidates are neither rewarded nor penalized because they took an easier or more difficult examination.
There are 25 questions that are called “pre-test questions” that won’t contribute to your overall score. These are practice questions that CDR is testing out to use on future exams. As a test taker, you won’t know which questions are contributing to your score and which ones aren’t, so make sure that you treat each question the same. This means that only 100-125 questions are going to count towards your score.
Examinees must answer 125 questions for the exam to score. If the minimum number of questions are not answered within the allotted 2.5 hour time frame, the exam will shut down and will be scored as failing because the results are inconclusive.
When you take the RD Exam, you will be tested in four major domain areas. This includes principles of dietetics, nutrition care for individuals and groups, management of food and nutrition programs and services, and foodservice systems. The exam will pull randomly from each of these topic areas and will present you with questions of various difficulty levels. You will get a completely randomized exam and no two exams will be the same for each test-taker.
To take a look at what topics are covered on the RD Exam, you can visit this link.
Right after you finish the exam, your exam score will display on the computer screen. You will receive an exam report right from the administrator at the testing center after you take the exam. The report will show your overall scaled score, sub scores and whether you passed or failed the exam.
When you receive your exam report, it will show your overall scaled score. It will also show sub-scores of how you performed in each domain area. Domains one and two are combined into a sub-score and domains three and four are combined into a sub-score. These sub scores are only provided by CDR to offer a general indication of the test-takers performance in each content area.
Take a look around to see what intrigues you. This is a great resource for RD2Be’s looking for some “sage” words of wisdom about the registered dietitian exam and the profession of dietetics.
