RD before or after med school?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

az1987

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2012
Messages
14
Reaction score
1
Hello! I am a dietetics senior, and am contemplating whether to do my dietetic internship before or after med school. An internship is usually under a year, and allows me to sit for an exam to earn the credentials R.D. I decided to post this in the DO thread, because I feel I relate more to osteopathic students/physicians. I want to go into family medicine, so benifits would include advertisement for my practice, future patients may Google me to find a physician who can offer a unique perspective, and I can expand my nutritional knowledge that I may not obtain in medical school. Side note, I have had more than one exam in my program that have asked, "should a physician give nutritional advice?" The answer has always been, "no." Of course that's a summed up version of what is asked, but you get the idea. If that is the attitude enforced with nutrition students, I want to be looked at as an expert in my field. Thanks so much!

Members don't see this ad.
 
First off, I think it's awesome that you want to incorporate nutrition into your practice. One of the core tenets of osteopathic medicine focuses on preventive treatment, and I think a lot of our "lifestyle" diseases could be eradicated starting at the root: how we look at food.
I can't give specifics on when would work best for you since I haven't even started med school yet, so I'd just go for whatever works best for you.
 
I'd do it before, if you have the time. That way, you'll be the most prepared to take your national exam. Plus, you are going to want to go to work paying back loans asap after your residency...I don't see you wanting/being able to take an unpaid? internship at that time.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Az, I went to Drexel for my degree in Nutrition but never did my internship to be qualified as an R.D. I was too much in a hurry to go to med school. Numerous times have I been asked 'how much nutrition is in medical training?'. It is very little. the most we get in med school is biochemistry and nutritional deficiencies for 2 weeks. I have forgotten much of my nutrition background but plan on catching up once my rotations lighten up. I have also considered in retrospect should I have done the internship, waited a couple years and then applied to med school. Who knows maybe things would have been different. I think it depends what dietetic field you do, will you do hospital nutrition or counseling? Either way many patients will expect you as a physician to know something about nutrition and will expect some advice from you. It is unfortunate how little nutritional counseling physicians provide to obese and diabetic pts. I had many patients during my rotations ask me about diet, weight loss, and foods that are appropriate for their specific condition. I am confident as a med student with a nutrition degree to answer these questions for them, which I find physicians and other residents may forward those requests to dietitians or provide simpler less detailed answers.

Its great you want to go DO with a nutrition background. Thats why i did it. Its a fuller approach to the human body. I am hoping to get into GI one day, what a perfect combo!

I think you need to ask yourself how quickly do you want to have your practice and take care of patients and would your credentials as an RD affect your ability to counsel patients regarding nutrition.
I never got my RD, i don't regret it. Sometimes I wish I gave my self that one year to do the internship so I wouldn't be the younger guy of my class, but oh well. I know when I'm thru i can help people more than a physician with out a solid foundation in nutrition.

I hope this helps you, I was surprised to see another nutrition major considering to go DO.
Best of luck, Cochan.
 
Its nice to have this as background knowledge but there isn't enough time in the day to counsel on nutrition properly. The standard "eat whole grains, eat green/leafy vegetables, eat raw fruits, avoid proteins high in fat, etc." is what you'll be able to fit in. There are RDs for a reason, and that is for us to refer patients to them.
 
Hello! I am a dietetics senior, and am contemplating whether to do my dietetic internship before or after med school. An internship is usually under a year, and allows me to sit for an exam to earn the credentials R.D. I decided to post this in the DO thread, because I feel I relate more to osteopathic students/physicians. I want to go into family medicine, so benifits would include advertisement for my practice, future patients may Google me to find a physician who can offer a unique perspective, and I can expand my nutritional knowledge that I may not obtain in medical school. Side note, I have had more than one exam in my program that have asked, "should a physician give nutritional advice?" The answer has always been, "no." Of course that's a summed up version of what is asked, but you get the idea. If that is the attitude enforced with nutrition students, I want to be looked at as an expert in my field. Thanks so much!

I would listen to my doctor before any RD. Just saying. Especially, since my doctor runs a weight loss clinic and is a bodybuilder.
 
When do would you graduate without the internship? Can you do your internship in the summer?
 
Top