REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME A REGISTERED DIETITIAN NUTRITIONIST

To become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist there are specific academic and experiential requirements. Once these have been successfully fulfilled and interns have passed the credentialing examination, they may use the title of RDN.

ACEND provides an explanation of the educational and professional requirements to become a Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist on their website.

The following is quoted from the ACEND factsheet available at https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend. Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN’s) are food and nutrition experts who have met the following criteria to earn the RD credential.

ACEND CRITERIA - Completed a minimum of a bachelor’s degree at a U.S. regionally accredited university or college or foreign equivalent, and course work through an Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) accredited Didactic (DPD), Coordinated (CP), Future Graduate (FG) or Foreign (FDE) or International Dietitian Education (IDE) program. For a list of accredited programs see https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend. Effective 1/1/2024, a master’s degree will be required to take the Commission on Dietetic Registration RDN credentialing exam.

ACEND CRITERIA - Completed required supervised practice/experience through an ACEND accredited Dietetic Internship (DI), Coordinated (CP), Future Graduate (FG) or International Dietetic Education (IDE) program or an individualized Supervised Practice Pathway (ISPP) offered through an ACEND-accredited program. Information on ACEND accredited programs at www.eatrightpro.org/acend.

NYDDI REQUIREMENT - To graduate, interns will receive satisfactory or higher evaluations from their preceptors, pass periodic domain quizzes, pass a final exam, based on the RD exam, and timely completion of assignments during their rotations; thereby fulfilling the ACEND required competencies. Once an intern has successfully completed the requirements, they will receive a signed Verification Statement which is required by the Commission on Dietetic Registration to sit for the national credential exam.

ACEND CRITERIA – Passed a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). For more information regarding the examination, refer to CDR’s website at www.cdrnet.org. In order to maintain the credential, an RDN must complete continuing professional educational requirements.

NYDDI – Shortly after internship graduation our office sends the required paperwork to the Commission on Dietetic Registration. Upon receipt, usually within two weeks, interns are notified they can then sit for the exam.

ACEND CRITERIA – Some RD’s hold additional certifications in specialized areas of practice. These are awarded through CDR, the credentialing agency for the Academy, and/or other medical and nutrition organizations and are recognized within the profession but are not required.

ACEND CRITERIA – In addition to RDN credentialing, many states have regulatory laws for dietitians and nutrition practitioners. Frequently these state requirements are met through the same education and training required to become an RDN.

Once requirements are met, interns will be able to practice as Registered Dietitians-Nutritionists once they pass the registration exam. Interns may contact the state affiliate of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for more information.