Plan b: Become a rd (registered dietition)?

[moto_za]

So I was wondering what the best plan b for me would be. If I do not get into medical school should I spend that year working or should I go on to get my RD degree? Or maybe even take graduate level classes?? How should I know which is better? I will be graduating in May 09 with a BS in dietetics and have a very strong GPA, ECS, and Letters; but my MCAT score is low.

Thank you!

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[Pinkertinkle]

All the RD's are our hospital are hot women.

 

[miamibaby]

i suggest you seriously consider studying your end off during that yr so that you'll get into med school.

 

[miamibaby]

i mean, studyin for the mcat

 

[bcat85]

So I was wondering what the best plan b for me would be. If I do not get into medical school should I spend that year working or should I go on to get my RD degree? Or maybe even take graduate level classes?? How should I know which is better? I will be graduating in May 09 with a BS in dietetics and have a very strong GPA, ECS, and Letters; but my MCAT score is low.

Thank you!

Do whatever you want, but if all you need is a good MCAT, the obvious thing to do would be to retake and reapply if you don't get in. If you're interested in dietetics, then do that.

 

[moto_za]

Do whatever you want, but if all you need is a good MCAT, the obvious thing to do would be to retake and reapply if you don't get in. If you're interested in dietetics, then do that.

Well I have a hard time deciding if after retaking my MCAT during the summer and reapplying to medical school if it would be worth doing an internship to get my RD?? Going to medical school is still my number one choice and but not sure if the RD will be worth doing down the road? If I don't do the RD, I will just work as a diet tech at a hospital for the year I have off. Any advice would greatly be appreciated.

 

[soundbyte]

Well I have a hard time deciding if after retaking my MCAT during the summer and reapplying to medical school if it would be worth doing an internship to get my RD?? Going to medical school is still my number one choice and but not sure if the RD will be worth doing down the road? If I don't do the RD, I will just work as a diet tech at a hospital for the year I have off. Any advice would greatly be appreciated.

If you will be taking a year off to study for the MCATs, and can guarantee an RD internship (they are very competitive), then I would say go for it. However, many of the RD internships are completely unpaid and may require tuition/other fees. In addition, you will have to pass the RD exam.

That being said, an RD will look great to any adcom out there. Is it worth it? I guess that would depend on your situation (financial and otherwise)

Best of luck

 

[pianola]

Well I have a hard time deciding if after retaking my MCAT during the summer and reapplying to medical school if it would be worth doing an internship to get my RD?? Going to medical school is still my number one choice and but not sure if the RD will be worth doing down the road? If I don't do the RD, I will just work as a diet tech at a hospital for the year I have off. Any advice would greatly be appreciated.

Well you have to ask yourself several questions including:

(1) Can I handle the internship even if I do match? (I think matching for this coming semester is currently over). Not all people match. The internship is VERY long and requires a lot of hours. My friends in the dietetics program are doing 40-hour weeks from now (January) until July.

(2) Will I be ready to take the RD exam when it's given? Will that interfere with my plans to go to medical school?

There are a lot of things to think about. An RD is not something to pursue lightly. It takes a lot of hours of internship.

I have one friend who's doing the RD degree en route to pre-med, but I'm not convinced she thinks it's worth it. She's planning on taking at least a year off to work, though.

Not to discourage you. It might be perfectly worth it for you.

 

[236116]

work, study for the mcat, retake in the spring, keep up ecs.

 

[rabidpanda13]

I am going to be eligible to sit for the RD exam by the time I apply. Is that really something adcoms would look at? I've never given that any thought.

 

[MadEvans]

So I was wondering what the best plan b for me would be. If I do not get into medical school should I spend that year working or should I go on to get my RD degree? Or maybe even take graduate level classes?? How should I know which is better? I will be graduating in May 09 with a BS in dietetics and have a very strong GPA, ECS, and Letters; but my MCAT score is low.

Thank you!

My advice:

If your MCAT is low, study and retake. If your clinical exposure is deficient (and you'd like to make some money), work as a diet tech. If your scholarly activities (research, awards, etc.) could use some work, you may want to think about getting a master's degree... fix what's broke, you know? If you're unsure about medical school (and can see yourself happy working as a dietician), get your RD degree and start your career.

Best of luck! I think that working as a dietician would be very satisfying.

 

[diosa428]

Well you have to ask yourself several questions including:

(1) Can I handle the internship even if I do match? (I think matching for this coming semester is currently over). Not all people match. The internship is VERY long and requires a lot of hours. My friends in the dietetics program are doing 40-hour weeks from now (January) until July.

(2) Will I be ready to take the RD exam when it's given? Will that interfere with my plans to go to medical school?

There are a lot of things to think about. An RD is not something to pursue lightly. It takes a lot of hours of internship.

I have one friend who's doing the RD degree en route to pre-med, but I'm not convinced she thinks it's worth it. She's planning on taking at least a year off to work, though.

Not to discourage you. It might be perfectly worth it for you.

If you think a 40 hour week is a lot of hours, you are in for a rude awakening when you get to med school, not to mention residency. Try 80+ hour weeks while trying to study for a shelf exam.

 

[pianola]

If you think a 40 hour week is a lot of hours, you are in for a rude awakening when you get to med school, not to mention residency. Try 80+ hour weeks while trying to study for a shelf exam.

I think you managed to totally misinterpret what I was writing. I'm just saying 40 hours a week is a lot if you're trying to do anything else remotely significant. Like study for the MCAT and make a significant improvement and go on interviews and write secondaries and submit your AMCAS, etc. etc. etc. I think there's other training required as well as the internship period but I don't know exactly what it is.

I'm saying that the OP will have to do an internship for a significant period of time (probably about half of her year off) and so she'll have less than 6 months to 'practice' as an RD before she goes off to medical school.

That is what I mean by 'a lot'. A lot in comparison to the amount of time she has to get it done and what other goals she might have.

 

[diosa428]

I think you managed to totally misinterpret what I was writing. I'm just saying 40 hours a week is a lot if you're trying to do anything else remotely significant. Like study for the MCAT and make a significant improvement and go on interviews and write secondaries and submit your AMCAS, etc. etc. etc. I think there's other training required as well as the internship period but I don't know exactly what it is.

I'm saying that the OP will have to do an internship for a significant period of time (probably about half of her year off) and so she'll have less than 6 months to 'practice' as an RD before she goes off to medical school.

That is what I mean by 'a lot'. A lot in comparison to the amount of time she has to get it done and what other goals she might have.

Any other job is 40 hours/week as well. Plenty of people manage.

 

[afkari]

.

 

[afkari]

I am going to be eligible to sit for the RD exam by the time I apply. Is that really something adcoms would look at? I've never given that any thought.

Are you doing an internship right now? I think it certainly wouldn't hurt to take the exam and receive your RD before applying/starting med school.

 

[afkari]

...

 

[moto_za]

Well you have to ask yourself several questions including:

(1) Can I handle the internship even if I do match? (I think matching for this coming semester is currently over). Not all people match. The internship is VERY long and requires a lot of hours. My friends in the dietetics program are doing 40-hour weeks from now (January) until July.

(2) Will I be ready to take the RD exam when it's given? Will that interfere with my plans to go to medical school?

There are a lot of things to think about. An RD is not something to pursue lightly. It takes a lot of hours of internship.

I have one friend who's doing the RD degree en route to pre-med, but I'm not convinced she thinks it's worth it. She's planning on taking at least a year off to work, though.

Not to discourage you. It might be perfectly worth it for you.

Yea, I have heard people (mostly students) telling me it is not worth doing, but I think it really depends on what you are looking to do in the future.

 

[moto_za]

OK I think this is very good advice. My situation in particular is that the only thing holding me back is the MCAT score. I have plenty of clinical experience, but would not mind working as a diet tech the year I have off to make some money and pay off some loans and not to mention gain some more clinical experience. Also I think my scholarly activities are fine.

Lastly, I know 100% that I want to go to medical school. So there is no uncertainty about that, just was thinking about getting the RD degree to take advantage of my time and the RD has been something that I am just very interested in doing for my own interest and not as a replacement for medical school. Maybe it can help me down the road when I am all done with medical school /residency but I think that is probably a stretch and depends on what I do as a doctor.

My advice:

If your MCAT is low, study and retake. If your clinical exposure is deficient (and you'd like to make some money), work as a diet tech. If your scholarly activities (research, awards, etc.) could use some work, you may want to think about getting a master's degree... fix what's broke, you know? If you're unsure about medical school (and can see yourself happy working as a dietician), get your RD degree and start your career.

Best of luck! I think that working as a dietician would be very satisfying.

 

[Kaustikos]

work, study for the mcat, retake in the spring, keep up ecs.

Exactly. Rinse and repeat if desired results are not seen.

 

[MadEvans]

Lastly, I know 100% that I want to go to medical school. So there is no uncertainty about that, just was thinking about getting the RD degree to take advantage of my time and the RD has been something that I am just very interested in doing for my own interest and not as a replacement for medical school. Maybe it can help me down the road when I am all done with medical school /residency but I think that is probably a stretch and depends on what I do as a doctor.

I think I'm a lot like you... interested in so many things and disappointed that I can't just do them all. I'm focusing on getting into medical school right now. My consolation is that once you have your MD you will have plenty of opportunities for fellowships, additional Master's-type degree trainings (there's a cool nutrition program for physicians to take at Columbia University), and many other post-doc courses available to you.

 

[moto_za]

Thanks a lot for the advice guys! So now I have a better idea and think I am going to leave the RD out of my plans and just keep up what I have been doing, work, and of course retake the MCAT over the summer. I am taking a lot of classes this semester to graduate, so I won't have time to take the MCAT in the Spring, but hopefully July/early August won't be too late!

 

[diosa428]

Thanks a lot for the advice guys! So now I have a better idea and think I am going to leave the RD out of my plans and just keep up what I have been doing, work, and of course retake the MCAT over the summer. I am taking a lot of classes this semester to graduate, so I won't have time to take the MCAT in the Spring, but hopefully July/early August won't be too late!

FYI, if you're taking the MCAT after you've submitted your apps, you need to check the "retaking MCAT" box on AMCAS or schools will look at your first score and may reject you b/c of it (depending upon how low it is).

 

[cbrons]

My 0.75mg levonorgestrel is to go to a one year grad program, like MAAP at UPenn. Hell I'd love to do it regardless of whether I get in or not.

 

[Kaustikos]

My 0.75mg levonorgestrel is to go to a one year grad program, like MAAP at UPenn. Hell I'd love to do it regardless of whether I get in or not.

 

[afkari]

^ lol

 

[rabidpanda13]

Are you doing an internship right now? I think it certainly wouldn't hurt to take the exam and receive your RD before applying/starting med school.

My school has a Coordinated Program in Dietetics so I am completing the clinical requirement while I'm in school so I'll be done when I graduate.

 

[ATB Pre Med]

So I was wondering what the best plan b for me would be. If I do not get into medical school should I spend that year working or should I go on to get my RD degree? Or maybe even take graduate level classes?? How should I know which is better? I will be graduating in May 09 with a BS in dietetics and have a very strong GPA, ECS, and Letters; but my MCAT score is low.

Thank you!

G/L!