A sports dietitian is a licensed performance-health professional who has done undergraduate study in nutrition or dietetics, completed an accredited dietetic internship and successfully passed the national examination for dietitians. The need for sports dietitians has increased due to the public's awareness of the importance of nutrition and physical activity. A sports dietitian analyzes and counsels athletes in a variety of areas, including proper nutrition and weight management and their effect on performance.
Instructions
Step 1
Invest in a four-year university degree program in nutrition or dietetics. Make sure your curriculum or course of study meets the standards set by the American Dietetic Association's Commission on Accredited Dietetic Education. These courses will teach you about sciences and their applications in the maintenance of health and disease prevention. The courses include several levels of chemistry, microbiology, botany, physiology, normal and clinical nutrition, food sciences, food service and research. Before enrolling, decide if you want to take a coordinated internship program. This type of curriculum will allow you to take your internship and university education at the same time. However, these positions are limited. There are only 50 coordinated programs in the United States, as of January 2011, so make appropriate inquiries.
Step 2
Apply for a graduate dietetic internship program, if you chose an undergraduate curriculum without an internship and have a bachelor's degree. Once accepted into an internship program, you will be given details about your practicum including areas and hours of supervised work. This is a rigorous and demanding process because a registered dietitian credential demands a high level of knowledge, skill and analytical ability. A robust dietetic internship program is preferable.
Step 3
Take a national board examination for registered dietitians after you have completed your graduate dietetic internship or coordinated internship program. The examination is a standardized test on a computer. You will know your scores immediately after the test. If successful, your marks will be forwarded to the American Dietetic Association's Commission on Dietetic Registration. The commission will send you a registration card and you will be a registered dietitian.
Step 4
Join a sports dietitian's group in your state. It is not mandatory, but it may give you advantages such as support of colleagues and contacts in the same field.
Step 5
If you are looking for employment, the American Dietetic Association has a job board that lists vacant positions throughout the United States. Maintain your professional standing by keeping abreast with developments in the field of nutrition, dietetics and exercise physiology/kinesiology.
Tips and Warnings
- If you are a high school student, maintain high marks throughout your school years and participate in extracurricular work such as ensuring athletes are hydrated during games. Admission committees consider these activities when selecting prospective applicants for their programs.
- Inform your professor or internship director of any problems with courses or your internship program, so remedial action can be taken.
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