How to become a dietician

Dietitians play a crucial role in guiding individuals toward healthier lifestyles. If you have a passion for food, health, and helping others achieve their wellness goals, then this might just be the career path for you. 

As a dietitian, you’ll provide personalised nutritional advice and help manage various health conditions through diet. 

Whether you’ve always been interested in nutrition or are exploring a new career path, this guide will teach you everything you need to know about how to become a dietitian. 

What does a dietitian do? 

Dietitians are healthcare professionals who specialise in nutrition and dietetics. They focus on how food and nutrition impact health and well-being. 

Their primary role is to assess the dietary needs of their clients or patients, develop customised meal plans, and provide education on healthy eating habits. 

Dietitians can work in various settings, including hospitals, schools, community health centres, sports organisations, and private practice. 

How to become a dietitian - the different routes to take

If you want to become a dietitian, you’ll need an approved degree in Dietetics, as well as being registered with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC). Whilst the most common degree is done at an undergraduate level, there are various routes you can take to get into this field. 

A degree in Dietetics will teach you the following: 

  • How to assess and treat people 
  • How to use scientific and medical research 
  • How to offer practical advice 
  • Nutrition, biochemistry, diet therapy, and physiology
  • Practical training is likely given in clinical environments 

Undergraduate degrees 

An undergraduate degree in Dietetics will typically last three, sometimes four years, if you’re studying full-time. If you choose part-time study, this will take longer. 

There are bursaries available from the NHS which go towards your tuition fees, the NHS Learning Support Fund. It’s worth researching to ensure that you can make use of this if you’re planning to study. 

Degree apprenticeships 

A degree apprenticeship will teach you how to be a dietitian whilst on the job, all the while studying for a degree at the same time. Doing it this way allows you to be paid for the work you’re doing, you’ll also spend less time at university than you would with a typical undergraduate degree. 

Degree apprenticeships are applied for through the healthcare provider you work with, and you’ll typically need Level 3 Qualifications to be eligible for the role and degree. 

Postgraduate degrees 

It’s also possible to complete a postgraduate degree in Dietetics if your undergraduate degree is in a subject that covers areas of biochemistry and human physiology. 

There are both postgraduate diplomas and master's degrees available, which typically last one or two years if studying full-time. 

Getting a job as a dietician 

Once you have successfully completed your Dietetics degree, before you can apply for jobs you’ll need to register with the HCPC. Once you’ve done this, you can apply for professional jobs. 

Not only do you need to register with the HCPC, to stay on this register you actively need to update your skills as well as paying an annual fee. 

There is also the opportunity to take on extra training, which may give you a broader opportunity for different roles. It’s also possible to take on specialist areas with proper training, you could focus on areas like: 

  • Diabetes
  • Cancer 
  • Sports nutrition 
  • Elderly patients 

What would I do as a dietitian? 

Working as a dietitian means you are contributing positively to the health and wellbeing of the patients you see. 

If you’re working for the NHS, you’ll likely be based in a hospital, clinic, or health centre. For those working in the community, you might be required to travel to clients’ homes or meet them locally. Working on research projects might mean that you’re working in a laboratory setting. 

You can also follow the path of being self-employed, as opposed to working for the NHS. Here you might work in sport settings or private health sectors, you could also find a job within the food industry. 

Day-to-day as a dietitian 

A typical day in the role of a dietitian, you might find yourself: 

  • Examining and assessing the dietary habits of individuals

  • Determining the dietary requirements of a patient

  • Establishing dietary care plans in collaboration with physicians and experts to support patients' treatments

  • Helping individuals who have specific feeding requirements

  • Assisting schools in providing healthy lunches

  • Giving hospital catering departments advice

What’s the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist?

The key difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist lies in their qualifications and regulatory status. Dietitians are legally regulated health professionals who must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and have completed a degree in dietetics.

They are qualified to diagnose and treat medical conditions related to nutrition. Nutritionists, on the other hand, are not legally regulated and may have varying levels of education.

They typically focus on advising on general nutrition and healthy eating but are not qualified to provide medical nutritional therapy.