Dietetics
Health & Fitness Club
Characteristics of a Dietitian
by June Kozak Kans, MS, RD
1. Do you have a deep desire to help people or to help improve the human condition?
2. Do you maintain your own health and good eating habits?
3. Are you tactful and discreet?
4. Are you dependable?
5. Are you responsible and conscientious?
6. Do you have a real interest in food, health and medical care?
7. Do you have intellectual curiosity? Are you interested in the scientific reasons for things?
8. Can you maintain your equanimity even when things are going wrong?
9. Do you generally show good judgment?
10. Are you adaptable and flexible?
11. Can you put aside your prejudices and accept and deal with people as they are?
OTHER QUALITIES THAT MAY BE IMPORTANT IN A NUTRITION & DIETETICS CAREER:
* Warm and objective attitude toward illness and disability
* Well organized and able to organize other without creating resentment
* Able to aggressively pursue grant money and promote your own programs
SPECIAL TALENTS AND OTHER TRAITS:
* Working well with people in a cooperative group setting
* Speaking before a group
* Working one-to-one with people discussing delicate or intimate problems
* Writing feature articles
* Writing scientific papers
* Being a self-starter
* Making complex scientific facts sound simple and interesting
* Lecturing or performing on radio or television
* Working comfortably within the rules and constrictions of a group situation or a large organization
GOALS THAT CAN BE MET IN DIETETIC AND NUTRITION CAREERS
* Having an article published in a magazine
* Publishing scientific research
* Lecturing before the public
* Lecturing before professionals
* Working as a member of a medical team
* Running your own business
* Creating educational games, computer games or educational toys
* Working with a professional or semi-pro sports community
* Working with poor or disadvantaged persons
INTELLECTUAL SKILLS IMPORTANT TO DIETETICS:
* Understand volume & metric measurements.
* Complete calculations with speed and accuracy.
* Studying basic sciences
* Strong interest in anatomy
* Maintaining accurate records; good written communication skills
* Solving “people problems”
* Good listener
* Ability to handle complex details with ease
* Ability to retain knowledge and recall it easily
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