A career in clinical nutrition

A dietitian needs knowledge of how the body works in disease, how nutrient needs change, how to modify diets, and different cuisines. They also need skills: nutritional assessment, customised diet planning, counselling, and dealing with food taboos, fads and myths.

Foundation subjects: nutrition, food science, chemistry, biology, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology and food safety, food laws, food service management, accounts and personnel management, and psychology and counselling (to counsel patients). Clinical nutritionists also need epidemiology and research skills.

Route: Class 12; a B.Sc. in Home Science or Nutrition/Food Technology; a Postgraduate Diploma in Dietetics with an internship; the Registered Dietitian credential; an M.Sc. to specialise; and NET/SLET and a Ph.D. for teaching in colleges and research.

Scope: dietitian, diet counsellor, teacher, researcher, consultant; work in the food industry (research on medical foods, nutraceuticals and tube feeds); and public policy and nutrition programmes.

Career avenues: hospitals, clinics, gyms and wellness centres, catering for hospitals, schools and industry, freelance practice, running a speciality-food enterprise, academics, clinical research, nutrition marketing and technical writing. Science plus counselling plus care.