Training for a nutrition specialist may include a combination of higher education, field experience or case studies depending on your existing professional and academic credentials. The Certification Board for Nutrition Specialists offers national certification for nutrition specialists. Training to become a nutrition specialist helps you pass the Board's certifying examination and meet educational or experience requirements.
Licensed Doctoral Healthcare Professionals
Licensed doctoral healthcare professionals must complete 50 additional hours of continuing education in nutrition or 10 detailed nutrition case studies. Case study data must include standard medical and nutrition history, nutrition assessments and anthropometry for case subjects. Study data must identify nutrition concerns, management plans and outcomes for case subjects. Doctoral healthcare professionals include Doctors of medicine, osteopathic medicine, dental surgery or podiatric medicine. These requirements also extend to doctors of optometry, chiropractory, pharmacy, physical therapy and nursing. Training and education for these professionals typically includes internships or supervised clinical hours in corresponding fields.
Other Healthcare Professionals
Physician's assistants and registered nurses must hold a master's or doctoral degree in nutrition or similar field. Nurse practitioners and registered dieticians must meet the same educational requirements as these professionals. You typically complete internships or supervised clinical rotations while training for these professions. These healthcare professionals must pass the CBNS certifying exam and complete 1000 hours of postgraduate, supervised experience in nutrition. You may complete these hours before or after the examination. Working for certified nutritionists may accommodate the required hours.
Associated Education
Qualifying healthcare professionals with a master's or doctoral degree in fields that are relevant to practicing nutrition may become certified nutrition specialists. Masters and doctoral fields that are relevant to practicing nutrition may include public health, dietetics, food science and disease prevention. Chemistry, biochemistry, biology, microbiology and physiology are academic tracks that are also relevant to practicing nutrition. Masters or doctoral programs may require a bachelor's degree in the same or similar field for enrollment.
CBNS Test Subjects
The CBNS certifying examination assesses your proficiency with concepts that you must apply while practicing nutrition. You may be tested on alimentary and digestive anatomy and physiology as well as metabolic processes that support individual systems and organs in the body. Questions may cover the structure, function, distribution and taxonomy of individual nutrients. Test questions may also cover standardized food and nutrient guides set by regulatory agencies such as the United States Department of Agriculture. You may encounter questions about nutrient requirements and the aging process or nutritional metabolic disorders on the CBNS examination.
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