So what does this mean for the future of dietetics? 

It’s now January 1, 2024, which marks the beginning of a new era in dietetics…..to sit for the Registered Dietitian (RD) Exam and become a registered dietitian, a candidate must now have a master’s degree. 

Well, as dietitians working in the profession, we are concerned and hopeful at the same time. None of us are really sure how this will play out in the future. 

For those of you who don’t know and are curious about what a Registered Dietitian does.. the commission for dietetic registration website states that “RDs are food and nutrition experts who have met the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s (CDR) criteria to earn the RD credential. RDs work in a wide variety of employment settings, including health care, business and industry, community/public health, education, research, government agencies and private practice.”

This criteria now includes the completion of a graduate degree, which has major implications for the profession as Lauren writes about in another blog post  and adds an additional barrier for entry. 

A look back….why a master’s degree for dietitians?

This was a joint decision made between the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), and multiple representatives from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, including the Nutrition and Dietetic Educators and Preceptors (NDEP) and Dietetic Practice Group (DPG). They decided to start planning on how to implement the change to a graduate degree to include supervised practice and successful completion of the RD Exam to enter practice as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). 

At the time of its inception though and the planning processes that followed thereafter, the profession was growing, dietetics programs were growing, there were healthy pools of applicants, and competition to get into programs. The recommendation was made because  other comparative health care professions were requiring entry-level practice beyond a bachelor’s degree. They also found that “requiring a graduate degree was consistent with the knowledge, skills, and research base required in the field of nutrition and dietetics” and students would be better-prepared to enter into the workforce. 

Why 2024? 

CDR decided on a ten year implementation timeline to allow a long-enough window of time (five to six years) for individuals to complete a DPD program, followed by a two year window to find a supervised practice program, and then two additional years to allow for any circumstances that could affect the registration eligibility process. 

If I am a Registered Dietitian who does not have a graduate degree, will this impact me? 

Phew, no! If you already have your licensure, you do not have to obtain a graduate degree by the January 1, 2024 deadline. Only those who are in the process of completing their registration eligibility requirements will be affected by this deadline. 

Will this change the RD Exam?

The graduate degree will not impact the content found on the RD Exam. The exam is based on practice audits, which CDR conducts to make changes on the RD Exam every five years. 

What does this mean for the future? Some final thoughts 

This graduate degree means an extra investment of time, money, and effort to get the RD credential in order to practice. We are hopeful that it does what the decision makers set out to do in the first place- align the profession with other healthcare professions, and produce more well-prepared graduates for the workforce. For our colleagues and future dietitians, we are hopeful that it will drive up wages and compensation.

We use the word hope a lot because dietitians are so important. Our profession is an integral part of the healthcare system, we are specialists with an incredible passion and knowledge for nutrition, and we got into this to help. 

Happy New Year! May 2024 bring you blessings, good health, and new possibilities.  

Laura