Becoming a Dietitian
On this page:
Would I enjoy a career as a dietitian?
What do dietitians do?
What is the difference between a 'dietitian' and a 'nutritionist'?
What are my career options?
What are the salaries?
What tertiary course do I select?
Can I do work experience at school/college?
How will my expertise be recognised?
Would I enjoy a career as a dietitian?
If you are interested in food, nutrition and health, enjoy communicating with people and have an aptitude for science - an exciting future lies ahead of you when you become an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD).
Dietitians need to have a critical and enquiring mind, good organisational skills and initiative, good written and verbal communication skills, and be able to work effectively with people.
Dietitians apply the art and science of human nutrition to help people understand food and health relationships and make dietary choices to get the most out of their lifestyle.
Dietitians are trained to:
- understand food science;
- interpret nutrition science;
- assess people's nutritional needs;
- advise on nutrition and diet for general good health or for special needs such as sport or medical conditions;
- implement and manage nutrition services and programs;
- teach others;
- undertake research; and
- develop nutrition communications, nutrition programs and policies.
What is the difference between a 'dietitian' and a 'nutritionist'?
In Australia, all dietitians are considered to be nutritionists however, nutritionists without a dietetics qualification cannot take on the specialised role of a dietitian. Please see
'Distinction between Dietitian and Nutritionist' for further information.
What are the career options for dietitians?
The diverse range of job opportunities and working conditions for dietitians will enable you to develop a wide variety of interests and skills and use them in many different situations.
- Patient care Working as part of a health care team in hospitals and nursing homes, dietitians are responsible for assessing the nutritional needs of patients, planning appropriate diets and educating patients and their families.
- Community nutrition and public health Dietitians are involved in nutrition and health education programs. This can be at the local community level or for the population at a national level. Dietitians working in public health also assist with health planning, setting nutritional standards, and developing and implementing nutrition policies.
- Food service and management Dietitians combine management skills and nutrition expertise when delivering food services in hospitals, nursing homes, meals on wheels, hospitality and catering. Dietitians also manage nutrition services and health programs.
- Consultancy/private practice Dietitians provide consultancy services to individuals, groups and organisations which include individual counselling, group programs, preventive health programs and nutrition education. Dietitians also prepare nutritional information for publication, work with the media and in public relations.
- Food industry Dietitians working in the food industry are involved in food regulatory issues (food law), food safety and quality systems, consumer and health professional education, nutrition research, product development, nutrition-related marketing and public relations.
- Research and teaching Dietitians work as part of research teams investigating nutrition and health issues and developing practical nutrition recommendations. Dietitians are also involved in training student dietitians, doctors and other health professionals.
- Other fields Dietitians are able to transfer their skills to other fields such as management, public relations, marketing, program management, communications, media, health promotion, policy development and information technology.
What are the salaries - public sector and private practice fees?
In the public healthcare sector dietitians' salaries are similar to other allied health professionals, nurses and teachers. To find out about salaries you should visit the website of the relevant State/Territory Departments of Health or obtain the relevant awards (eg Health Professionals), collective agreements or enterprise agreements in your State or Territory.
In other work areas dietitians' salaries reflect salaries for that industry, e.g. university lecturers. It is against the Trade Practices Act for DAA to set or recommend fees therefore dietitians in private practice or consulting do set their own fees. DAA does survey members on what fees are being charged and the survey results are provided as a guide to what you may expect to pay if consulting a dietitian.
What tertiary course do I select?
To become a dietitian you need to complete a tertiary level course accredited by DAA. Currently there are courses in ACT, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia. Courses vary depending on the university. Some examples of current courses include: a one to two year post-graduate diploma or master degree following a bachelor of science degree (including physiology and biochemistry), or a four year integrated undergraduate course. Courses cover food, nutrition, health and diet-related medical conditions, and skills in communication, counselling, education, health promotion, management, research and critical analysis of literature.
Can I do work experience at school/college?
Opportunities for dietetic work experience at secondary education level are usually very limited for a number of reasons, including client privacy and confidentiality and both student and client safety. A certain amount of knowledge and experience is required before a student can be placed into a situation, with members of the public, even if this is supervised. Dietitians in the majority of settings may only be able to accept applications for practical placements from students of Australian accredited dietetic courses who have completed a minimum of 3 - 3.5 years of tertiary study.
How will my expertise be recognised?
Accredited Practising Dietitians (APD) are recognised professionals who have the qualifications and expertise to provide expert nutrition and dietary advice. APDs need to meet detailed criteria developed by DAA. These include ongoing education to keep up to date with advances in health and food sciences and a commitment to a Code of Professional Conduct. All APDs can be identified by the APD title and logo, and are listed on a national APD register.
