Dietetic technicians help develop nutrition programs for organizations such as medical facilities and schools.
Dietetic technicians may assist individuals, such as those recently diagnosed with diabetes, or they can assist larger organizations such as hospitals as food service managers to design appropriate menu programs. They work under the supervision of a registered dietitian, so positions don't often require advanced degrees. However, the Mississippi Hospital Association's Health Careers Center indicates that most employers require an associate degree from applicants.
Admission
Students must meet the college's general admissions requirements, such as completion of high school or GED program. To gain acceptance into a dietetic technician program, students need to have a solid math and science background. Colleges often require a year of high school algebra, biology and chemistry with a final grade of C or better. Colleges typically administer a basic skills placement exam that tests math, reading and writing skills. Students who score below the program's minimum requirement will need to take preparatory courses before being allowed to enroll in the program.
General Education
Associate degrees take about two years to complete. About half the required credits focus on general education such as composition, math, laboratory science, social studies and arts and humanities. Common required courses include college math or algebra, biology, chemistry, psychology, speech and college composition and research. Students who think they might want to later pursue a bachelor's degree should work closely with a campus adviser to choose classes that will transfer for a four-year degree.
Major Coursework
The remainder of the 60 to 72 credits necessary for an associate degree focus on the major. Such courses specific to the dietetic technician major teach food management and healthy eating. Class titles include nutrition, food service management, physiology, food sanitation and safety, human resource management for dietetics, medical terminology, physiology for dietetics, community health and counseling skills. Many programs require a practicum to allow students to apply the knowledge and skills from the classroom in real-life situations. The number of hours of field experience varies, but most programs require at least 450 total application hours through the program so that students may apply for certification.
Certification
Many dietetic technician degree programs prepare students for certification. While certification itself is not typically part of school programs, students may, upon graduation, apply for the exam from the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetic Education of the American Dietetic Association to become a Dietetic Technician Registered (DTR). Or they may test to become a certified dietary manager (CDM) through the Dietary Manager's Association. The more common DTR credential requires completion of an associate degree program that includes 450 supervised clinical hours.
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