What does a Dietetic Technician do?
Dietetic technicians help assess, plan, implement and evaluate nutrition services and programs for hospitals, schools, businesses and others. They usually work as members of health care teams and are supervised by a registered dietitian and/or administrator.
What might a Dietetic Technician do in a workday?
Depending on their work setting, dietetic technicians:
- obtain patients’ diet histories.
- help patients plan meals within their food budgets and prescribed diets.
- counsel individuals or groups at risk for poor nutrition.
- assist with food service operations.
- develop and/or test nutritional products.
- arrange for the purchase and storage of food, supplies and equipment.
- supervise food production and service, including quality control, sanitation and safety.
- use computers to calculate payroll, record laboratory data and verify diet orders.
How much salary do Dietetic Technicians make?
Annual Mean Wage
$27,350
How do I become a Dietetic Technician?
Students interested in becoming dietetic technicians should take well-rounded course work in high school, including science, English and business.
Most employers prefer applicants who are graduates of a two-year associate degree program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of the American Dietetic Association. To be registered, graduates also must pass an exam given by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
Where else can I learn about becoming a Dietetic Technician?
Professional Associations:
Virginia Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
P.O. Box 7061
Fairfax, VA 22039
(703) 815-8293
www.eatrightvirginia.org
American Dietetic Association
120 S. Riverside Plaza
Suite 2000
Chicago, IL 60606-6995
(312) 899-0040
(800) 877-1600
www.eatright.org
American Society for Nutrition
9211 Corporate Blvd
Suite 300
Rockville, MD 20850
(240) 428-3650
www.nutrition.org
