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As I have some fairly serious auto-immune conditions that have slowed down my progress in school, I may be qualifying for some benefits soon. I may also qualify for a program that will pay for my education and I am thinking about doing some online college to become a registered dietitian. I have already taken some classes in nutrition and took a nutritionist program through the global college for natural medicine. However, I want to take my practice to the next level and go for a regionally accredited college degree, the kind where I could actually work in a hospital or medical clinic.
Has anyone ever looked into online colleges that offer a Bachelors degree in Dietetics?
Has anyone ever looked into online colleges that offer a Bachelors degree in Dietetics?
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Re: Online Dietician colleges?
Sat, November 7, 2009 - 1:44 PMI'm doing distance learning at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition right now. However, it's not to become a registered dietician, as it embraces modalities from around the world. I think it's well worth it, however, and recommend it highly. It's one of those all-encompassing programs with a lot of support. Also, others in other parts of the world readily embrace their philosophy, and in this field, that's a telling thing. You use an iPod to listen to your classes...very convenient. -
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Re: Online Dietician colleges?
Sat, November 7, 2009 - 7:04 PMIf I become a registered dietitian I could bring holistic medicine into the hospital setting. I was planning on becoming an acupuncturist or nurse practitioner, but with the MS my educational plans are taking way too long and I might not be able to accomplish that on the time schedule that I wanted.
I was also looking at Clayton. They have a pretty respected program as far as traditional naturopathy and holistic care.
I might get my tuition paid for by vocational rehabilitation if I create a comprehensive plan for my educational goals. I need to choose the program wisely. -
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Re: Online Dietician colleges?
Sun, November 8, 2009 - 5:55 AMGiven what I've witnessed about you thus far, I think you would be happier as a naturopath. I say this because you evidently embrace holistic trends. Dieticians are far more bound by those federal agencies bought and sold by the FDA, among other agencies. I'm not saying anything adverse about dieticians, but rather, the politics they must tend to aren't as pretty. Just a thought... Bastyr University in Washington state has a reputable program for aspiring naturopaths. I know a few graduates from it myself. -
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Re: Online Dietician colleges?
Sun, November 8, 2009 - 7:32 AMwe have a naturopathic college in Tempe, AZ. I have known several who have attended. A sad discovery after graduating is that there is a lot of debt and it's not that easy to just start making a good living right away after graduating.
when we talk about health care in this country, the problems run a lot deeper than just providing low cost services to everyone. the whole system should be looked at so that new physicians and healers are welcomed and helped to get established. .
this country is insanely disorganized. . -
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Re: Online Dietician colleges?
Sun, November 8, 2009 - 6:18 PMThe thing is, I already have a strong background in naturopathic medicine and herbology and nutrition. If I can become a registered dietician, I can get my foot in the door inside the hospitals and instead of being like every other dietician I can be the one who practices as a holistic health practitioner. I have already taken my fair share of holistic health care courses.
If I could become registered as a dietician with a degree from Clayton, I would go for it. I dont think they will accept that though.
I have MS (Mild early stages, but still a challenge), and Crohns (Severe right now). I dont think I am up to attending traditional college at the moment. Right now both holistic and western medicine are both failing me. Crohns is a difficult condition to treat. Considering my limitations, online college sounds like the best bet for me and I might get my tuition paid for (30k) by the department of rehabilitation. Im looking forward to it.
I just need to choose the right school. -
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Re: Online Dietician colleges?
Sun, November 8, 2009 - 6:25 PMgood luck, i hope it works out. . .if you can stabilize your health issues that is a real plus for a future career as well. . .the more you know about remedies AND nutrition that can provide relief the more you will be able to help people. . .which is very much needed. . -
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Re: Online Dietician colleges?
Sun, November 8, 2009 - 6:39 PMI need to make up my mind on a college though. I have to present this as a proposal. It will probably have to be a regionally accredited college of some kind, though it can be a holistic program but only if its regionally accredited.
Any suggestions are welcome.
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Re: Online Dietician colleges?
Sun, November 8, 2009 - 6:41 PMI don;t think Clayton is accredited, but Bastyr is, and they have a dietetics program as well as a naturopathy degree. I don;t know what you can do as distance learning with them, though.
my understanding is that to be a legally certified Registered Dietitian, you need some appropriate coursework AND to sit for a standardized exam, so it might be possible to take many the classes online or through other distance learning. problem is, I suspect that if there are lab courses required, those might be the hardest to waive (they are also the hardest, in terms of hours and chemical exposure, if you are sick. but some people love lab work and dread lectures' i've always been the other way around.)
I don;t remember whether you are vegetarian, but there is a woman who is a vegan RD on one of the vegan info sites and she is a great resource on dietetics programs and on really up to date information. sorry, I've temporarily forgotten her name and the site, but i can retriecve them when i have a moment.
some of the Seventh Day Adventist colleges also have vegetarian-oriented dietetics degrees; again I don;t know whether they are available for distance learning.
I'm studying environmental and biological sciences now myself and preparing to go to naturopathy school, probably eithe at Bastyr or in National College in Portland 9though I;d consider the Southwest too) but it;ll have to wait until my daughter is out of high school - she doesn't want to move until she graduates. I'm interested in vegetarian dietetics too and if I go to Bastyr might do a dual program.
where are you geographically, Sentient one?
best of luck and health to you! -
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Re: Online Dietician colleges?
Sun, November 8, 2009 - 6:56 PMThanks. Yes, I am a vegetarian and I live in Santa Cruz California. I do however take fish oils for health reasons, so some purists might judge me for that. I was very reluctant to make that decision but discovered that I was unwilling to let my health suffer due to special needs.
I already have some of my lab required science courses from the local college. Anatomy and Physiology and all that. If I am missing any I can probably take them right at the community college.
I was looking at this degree from Kaplan, but I dont really know much about them...I am also looking at regionally accredited schools that have a more holistic focus.
www.866mymajor.com/Kaplan_U...2608.html -
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Re: Online Dietician colleges?
Sun, November 8, 2009 - 7:03 PMIdeally you could get advice from someone in the business who is in a position to evaluate the credentials of the various online nutrition programs so that you can have an idea of what institution will be instantly recognized as good by any future employer or other advanced program. Is there a state board that you can call or email that can give you some assessment? That would be a good place to go after you have found something that sounds good to you.
It would be awfully nice if the whole world was set up sort of like consumer reports April auto issue where car owners report the quality of the cars they own. . .or like Harmony Central has user reviews so that you can find out if a potential amp or guitar or effect pedal is a dog or not.
Maybe it should be required that all institutions get reviewed by those who have participated, so that people can go online and get info from people who have no bias, such as owners or employees. . -
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Re: Online Dietician colleges?
Sun, November 8, 2009 - 7:19 PMI am sure Kaplan fulfills the requirements to become a dietician, at least the Bachelors degree part. After that I need to do an internship and also pass a board exam.
I am still interested in becoming a holistic nurse practitioner, but it might take a while. -
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Re: Online Dietician colleges?
Sun, November 8, 2009 - 8:42 PMa worthy goal. . .would that there was a college that focused on that, until all np's are holistically trained. . -
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Re: Online Dietician colleges?
Sun, November 8, 2009 - 9:41 PMActually, there is a masters in nursing called Holistic Nurse Practitioner. I think its offered in New York.
However, I think I already have a strong background in holistic medicine, though I could always learn more. Im not really interested in nursing though....I kind of see it as a shortcut to practicing medicine in a clinical setting. With an advanced degree nurses can become like family doctors, so if I can get there I wont mind taking the nursing coursework along the way. Thats what I really want to do, diagnose and prescribe. The dietician also has a similar relationship with their patients, though they cant diagnose illness or prescribe drugs. They can however recommend supplements and prescribe dietary suggestions which is a great opening for holistic and complementary medicine. -
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Re: Online Dietician colleges?
Sun, November 8, 2009 - 10:37 PMthere's also the possibility of going to physician assistant (PA) training - it's midlevel practice, very similar to nurse practitioner - in fact some porgrams, like one at UC Davis recently, are exactly the same coursework xcept that people who already have the RN enter the NP 'track" and those with a bachelors degree in another subject enter the PA track.
neither has a dietetics track, and you need biochemistry, after two science major courses in organic chem (and two in general chem), to be a RD..plus specific nutrition classes. nursing school doesn't require any of that. the basic prereqs for PA school are the same as nursing school - at least one semester each of anatomy and physiology, or a two-semester course of combined anat and physio, and a one semester class in microbiology. the nursing school and Pa school requirements for biology (college PREP biology will do, not necessarily the premed/bio mmajor level two semester class), same for chemistry, and I don;t think you need physics at all, maybe a class in statistics.
there;s a good PA program attached to the college of osteopathic medicine in Pomona (southern California, the smog belt but near a lot fo good schools nonetheless.)
both PA and BP rtaining are now career paths people embark on - they were originally add-on certificates to deal with a shortage of priamry care physicians. the usual pathways were a) RNs could take classes and get certified as NPs and b) returning medic who;d been in the military could take the same classes and become PAs. certified nurse midwives are also considered mid level practitioners, and someone who nver got an RN bt is a PA can challenge the exam...I know several like that. there are a few other add-on nurse-specialist opractitioners, such as nurse anesthetist, and there are special surgical assistant PAs and such. dn;t know 'em all...
so I'm not sure, al other things being equal, if you couldn't find a dual degree program, wold you rather be an RD or an NP/PA? -
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Re: Online Dietician colleges?
Mon, November 9, 2009 - 6:36 AMI am not really interested in becoming a PA because they only work directly under doctors in the office or clinic and can never open their own private practice. Nurse Practitioners have more autonomy. Even though I dont really want to be the one who changes peoples bed pans and takes their blood pressure and administer the meds that other people prescribe, Id be willing to go through all that to have the right to prescribe and diagnose.
Becoming an Osteopath would also be very cool, but that requires a doctorate and I already am behind schedule in my education. Not only that, but I can get an RN from the local community college by certificate then use the bachelors in dietetics for the basic educational requirements to enter a bridge program for a masters of nursing that can largely be done online. The dietetics program also requires Anatomy and Physiology and Biochemistry, much of which I already have.
Its an issue of cost and convenience. I cant really afford to take out any loans with the lack of certainty as to whether I will have to drop my classes to deal with an auto-immune flare up. I also doubt they will pay for me to go to Nursing School since regular nursing (Not NP) requires too much manual labor and I might not be able to fufill that role. I have to make a case to the department of rehabilitation for why paying for college will help me become productive, and being a Dietician is something you can do that requires very little manual labor but still has that doctor/patent type relationship while nursing requires a lot of physical labor....of course I dont actually intend to practice nursing, just using it to take the advanced training in pharmacology and pathology.
The Nursing program is provided at the local community college but its a 2 to 5 year wait to get in....so I might as well earn a bachelors since I am in no position to move or take out loans for a University.
I hope that adds some insight into the factors that are going into choosing an online program.
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