When I tell people I’m a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) many people don’t exactly know what that means, how that differs from a “nutritionist”, and what my path to become a dietitian entailed.
Growing up I played very competitive soccer. I did well in school, but soccer was my life and my passion. I took a handful of soccer recruiting trips to colleges out of state, but then last minute realized I did not want to leave California and go too far from home. I ended up at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo where you have to declare a major when applying. To be honest my GPA was good, but my SAT scores were not! I had to pick a random major (Recreation Administration) which athletes could more easily get into the school with. I spent my first 2 years adjusting to college life, having fun, and playing soccer. I took the classes my adviser told me to, but knew in the back of my mind this major was not for me. I did what I needed to to get by in school those first two years, but soccer was the priority.
The end of my 2nd year I tore my ACL and meniscus. I was devastated. I finished the school year then went home for the summer for surgery and rehab. When I went back to school in the fall and had to red shirt my 3rd season I realized I needed to prioritize school at this point. I looked into changing my major first to Kinesiology, but then learned about the amazing Food Science and Nutrition department Cal Poly had. I went through the process of changing my major and threw myself into school. I was going through a lot of other health and identity issues related to my injury that I wrote about here.
I ended up taking 5 years to graduate with the major change, and also just wanting to have one fun last year of school since I was not able to play soccer that last year due to lingering knee and health issues. I graduated with a BS in Food Science and Nutrition. I absolutely loved the classes I took and the material I was learning. It wasn’t an easy major though. This major is VERY science heavy…it wasn’t just learning the food guide pyramid (insert eye roll).
The next step in becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist is to apply for a dietetic internship. Internship programs are insanely competitive to get into as they only accept a handful of candidates a year. You’re also not guaranteed acceptance. I knew a lot of students my year that did not match with a program their first try. While applying for internships my last year of college I realized I did not have much actual work experience as I had spent my life playing soccer. I never really had a real job. I considered soccer a job, but not everyone views sports that way. I decided to pause applying for internships and move back home to Orange County for a year.
I worked in the food service department at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, and the following year I applied to 5 internships and was matched with Central Washington University. This was a 13 month internship that popped my OC bubble and moved me to the middle of no where Washington (Ellensburg, WA to be exact). It was a rough transition for me to say the least, but I was lucky enough to meet some amazing people along the way that are still close friends. If your curious what exactly a dietetic internship consists of check this page out. It ended up being a big year of growth that I really needed to help toughen me up for the real world.
After my internship I moved to San Francisco to live with my sister and her husband while I studied to take my Commission of Dietetic Registration (CDR) exam. I worked at a little organic cafe in the Marina District, studied A LOT, and had some in the city too. After passing my exam and getting licensed in the state of CA I was officially a Registered Dietitian.
As you can see this process is a lot more extensive than taking some online 5 hour course and becoming a “nutritionist”. I spent years studying, working in the field, and passing state tests to get this title. When I started out my career, Instagram and social media was not really thing yet. It’s now a frustrating field because of social media and everyone online thinking they are experts in nutrition. People turn to their favorite blogger to see what supplements they are taking and what they are eating and believe they should do the same instead of working with a professional.
I’ve now been an RDN for over 12 years and the field has changed so much! Being a Registered Dietitian is exciting because you can go in so many different directions within the field; however, I was always drawn to nutrition and mental health because of my past. Before kids, I worked in a psychiatric hospital with adolescence suffering from acute eating disorder. I also had a private practice working with a variety of clients; including college athletes, which I really enjoyed. As I have gotten older, I have also become very interested in women’s health, hormones, fertility, and the role nutrition plays in it all.
I’m not sure what the future holds for me professionally, but this year I have committed to getting back into the nutrition game on some level. I’m always trying to stay up to date with the emerging science as this field is always evolving and changing and I love sharing that with you all via our Instagram 😉
xx, A
