Combo

The first question I had about being a nutritionist was what the typical salary i would be earning in the job field. I found alot of useful information about being a nutritionist in the Occupational Outlook Handbook. According to this source, annual earnings of dietitians and nutritionists were $43,630 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $35,940 and $53,370. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $27,500, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $63,760. Upon viewing this, this seemed reasonable but i know the numbers change from city to city (Earnings 1).

The second question, that the Occupational Outlook Handbook provided me, was where I would be typically working. According to my source, Most jobs are in hospitals, nursing care facilities, and offices of physicians or other health practitioners("Significant Points" 1). I found this to be generally true. I know some work at gyms or online with customers as well.

Another question that the Occupational Outlook Handbook answered for me was what classes I should take to prepare myself for this career. I found out that high school students interested in becoming a dietitian or nutritionist should take courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, health, and communications. Dietitians and nutritionists also need at least a bachelor's degree in dietetics, foods and nutrition, food service systems management, or a related area. College students in these majors take courses in foods, nutrition, institution management, chemistry, biochemistry, biology, microbiology, and physiology. I found this very interesting. Im going to be using this info to my advantage and switch some of my classes ("Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement" 1).

Question four stated what exactly nutristionist do. I found alot of useful info on Princeton Career Review. It very cleary stated that they were primarily concerned with the prevention and treatment of illnesses through proper dietary care. They also evaluated the diets of patients and clients suffering from medical disorders and suggest ways of fighting various health problems by modifying the patient's intake of certain food items ("A Day in the Life" 1). This seemed reasonable and what I wanted to do with my life.

Anoter great question I asked was what type of dietitions there were. Princeton Career Review gave me great answers such as clinical dietitians, community dietitians, management dietitians, and consultant dietitians. I didnt know that there were certain types of dietitions so that was definantly some new news. ("A Day in the Life" 1).

I then asked what a clinical dietician was. Career Planning told me that they provide nutritional services for patients in institutions such as hospitals and nursing homes. On a typical day, a clinical dietitian will assess patients nutritional needs, develop and implement nutrition programs, and evaluate and report the results; and confer with doctors and other healthcare professionals in order to coordinate medical and nutritional needs ("A Day in a Dietitian's Life" 1).

I also asked what exactly a community dietian did. I found out that they counsel individuals and groups on nutritional practices designed to prevent disease and promote good health. On a typical day a community dietitian will evaluate individual needs, develop nutritional care plans and instruct individuals and their families ("A Day in a Dietitian's Life" 1).

Afterwards, I looked up what a Management dietitian was and found out they oversee large-scale meal planning and preparation in healthcare facilities, company cafeterias, prisons, and schools. On a typical day a management dietitian will hire, train, and direct other dietitians and food service workers, enforce sanitary and safety regulations, and prepare records and reports Budget for and purchase food, equipment, and supplies. Enforce sanitary and safety regulations and prepare records and reports ("A Day in a Dietitian's Life" 1).

Then I scanned around for what exactly consultant dietician was. I found out that a consultant dietitians work under contract with healthcare facilities or in their own private practice. On a typical day a consultant dietitian will perform nutrition screenings for their clients and offer advice on diet-related concerns such as weight loss or cholesterol reduction ("A Day in a Dietitians Life" 1).

Another question that was troubling my mind was how the food pyramid was setup. I learned from Georgia Southern that the food pyramid is set up into six sections according to food groups. The top section is the fats, oils and sweets. The 2nd row, left hand side consists of milk, yogurt, and cheese. The 2nd row, right hand side is the meat, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts section. The third row is the vegtables and fruits sections. The bottom of the pyramid has the bread, cereals, rice, and