Opinion Needed: PharmD plus certified nutritionist?

[Bubblewrap]

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Hello,

Well, I'm almost done w/ my PharmD 🙂 However, I'm also thinking about being a certified dietitian. I loved both nutrition and pharmacy in undergrad but now I want the best of both words. I'm 23 right now and my parents think that would just be wasting my time and that I should be trying to get married instead lol -_-

I'm hoping to be a hospital pharmacist after I graduate (I know that would be difficult). Do you think I could work as a pharmacist part time in a hospital and work on becoming a certified dietitian? Or is this just a waste of my time?

I know this is a wacky question 😛

 

[All4MyDaughter]

Are you in the US? We don't have certified nutritionists. At least not that anyone reputable recognizes. The nutrition professional in the US is a registered dietician and it requires a degree.

 

[Bubblewrap]

Oops I meant dietitian, sorry I'm tired right now

 

[tablet]

That is a great idea!

 

[fauxden]

I guess I don't understand how that would benefit you?

 

[lapharmacienne]

There's also the option of board certification in nutrition support; you can seat for the exam after 3 years of practice or completing a PGY2 residency in nutrition

 

[BidingMyTime]

As lapharmacienne mentions, I would go the board certification route. Unless you are maybe going into research, there really aren't any jobs that would require these 2 separate degrees (and research wouldn't require it either, just maybe that it might be helpful there, depending on what you were getting in to.) Given that, why waste the money paying for a 2nd college degree (especially when the first degree you already have will be the better paying degree?) Just buy yourself some nutrition textbooks and study on your own, to increase your own knowledge.

 

[Corytrade]

Are you talking about becoming a Registered Dietitian? That is the only true recognized "nutrition" position. Any other certificates don't really mean much. If this is what you want, it is not easy to get. You will need a B.S. degree with specific course work that makes you eligible for a dietetic internship. Internships are at least a year long, and usually you pay for them. After all that, then you can sit for the exam. If you pass, you are a Registered Dietitian. Absolutely pointless to do all that if you are already a pharmacist.

 

[SClENCE]

A dietitian is a 4 year degree, a nutritionist is just some bogus 2 year associates degree from what I understand.

It's not like picking up a few minors to add to your chemistry major, it's actually a lot of time/work/money for really nothing in my opinion considering you are already a pharmacist