If you’re a dietitian, perhaps you’re one of the few that is able to tell your family and friends, “I’m an RDN” and they know just what the heck you mean.
I am oftentimes called a nutritionist instead of a dietitian; I cringe inwardly at the misnomer and issue a polite correction. Do you do the same? I won’t go into the years of schooling that accounts for the vast difference between the two professions.
How did we get to this point? Why does our profession confuse people so? One large national healthcare organization refers to me as a “dietician” spelled with a “c.” Um, no. I’ve also been called a “dietitianist” by a client – that one made me giggle.
Granted, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recently decided to rebrand ourselves as dietitians. We expanded to “Registered Dietitian Nutritionist” in place of “Registered Dietitian.” The switch was optional, but I personally like the change, for the reason that the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics makes clear on its website: “The option was established to further enhance the RD brand and more accurately reflect to consumers who registered dietitians are and what they do. This will differentiate the rigorous credential requirements and highlight that all registered dietitians are nutritionists but not all nutritionists are registered dietitians.”
Does any other profession, whether in the healthcare field or not, have a similar identity crisis? I am coming up empty but I am likely overlooking countless examples.
It was interesting to poll my fellow Nutrition Entrepreneurs members to hear what they have been called while on (or off) the job. Many of us have been called nutritionists…or…nutritionalists. Groan and groan. My favorite goofs that are more clinical in nature include “dietary,”[1] “dietarian,”[2] “dietitianer”[3] and dietologist[4].
And many individuals think we work in “diabetics” rather than “dietetics.”
Humorous nicknames have been given to us by family, namely kiddos: “professional kale enthusiast”[5] or healthyologist,”[6] anyone?
And among those that tend to rub us the wrong way, many of my colleagues have been called “the food police” or “parole officer.” One dietitian was even called “waitress” in a clinical setting![7] #whatnottocalladietitian![8]
What I’ve taken away from my informal poll of fellow RDNs is the importance of continuing to brand ourselves as dietitians. By doing so, we’re furthering our cachet, value and credibility. Go forth and #PleaseCallMeADietitian!
Kudos to my friend and fellow RDN, Niki Strealy, for suggesting that I poll the Nutrition Entrepreneurs crew after seeing my comment about this topic on Facebook!
[1] Lauren Pendergast, RDN, CDN
[2] Monique M. Richard MS, RDN, LDN
[3] Karman Meyer, RD, LDN; Jamie M. Marchetti, MS, RDN, LD
[4] Shelley A. Rael, MS RD LD; David Orozco, MS, RDN
[5] Kim Kulp, RDN
[6] Julie Satterfeal, MS, RDN, LD
[7] Contributed by Meredith Harper, MS, RD, LDN
[8] Brilliant hashtag contributed by Rosanne Rust, MS, RDN, LDN