Q and A with Lindsey: What area of dietetics are you the most passionate about?

To contact us Click HERE
Q: What area of dietetics do you want to get a job in when you become an RD?  What actions/events helped form this goal during your undergraduate years? 

A: I am currently getting my master’s degree specifically in Sports Nutrition, and my internship has a sports nutrition emphasis.
Although I have always loved sports, and participated in them my entire life, I was not always sure that I wanted a career in sports. In fact, I majored in nutrition because I did not want to be a coach or athletic trainer. Although I loved the connection between nutrition and fitness, I used my undergraduate career to broaden my horizons.  I consistently volunteered at a local food bank; I did laboratory research under one of my professors, as well as community research and nutrition education under another professor. I fully enjoyed all areas of nutrition.
My true passion was still revolving around the connection between exercise and nutrition. As a personal trainer, I wanted to always promote exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle.  I decided to specialize in sports nutrition mainly because specializing does not limit me; instead, it gives me more opportunities. My master’s degree in sports nutrition is the same as a normal Masters of Science in nutrition, except it includes extra courses in exercise. Additionally, my internship rotation still gets the same amount of hours in food service, community, and clinical, and I get extra hours in sports.
When I graduate with a masters and become an RD, I don’t have to get a job in sports nutrition only.  I can do anything that a normal RD could, but now I have more options because I can also do sports nutrition.
Take home message:If you have the slightest inclination that you like one specific area of nutrition, look for an internship or masters program with that specific emphasis. If you find you don’t like it as much as you thought, you don’t have continue your career in it, as you will get all the necessary experience in the other areas of nutrition as well. And if you do love it, then you will be glad you took the opportunity to specialize!