A major difference comes down to certification. Anyone can call themselves a nutritionist, regardless of their level of training. Clinical nutritionists can choose to become certified clinical nutritionists (CCN). You are not allowed to call yourself a dietitian unless you have met the requirements and passed an exam.
While there are many similarities between nutritionists and dietitians, some distinctive differences lead to two different career paths. The main difference is certification requirements. A nutritionist must pass a different certification exam to have a nutritionist degree. As a nutritionist or dietitian, you would also have a fuller range of specialties you can choose from, including sports nutrition, human performance, and pediatrics.
Clinical nutrition is the practice of analyzing whether a person is consuming an adequate amount of nutrients for good health. A clinical nutritionist is concerned about how the body processes, stores, and discards nutrients from food, along with how what you eat affects your overall well-being. Professionals in this field assess your nutritional needs based on your medical and family history, lifestyle, and laboratory tests to make recommendations about your diet and your individual nutritional needs. A clinical nutritionist can advise you on dietary changes that can help prevent diseases.
Clinical Nutrition students spend the first two years completing preparatory course work in the basic biological sciences, along with several of the social sciences. Dietitians are trained professionals who promote nutritional well-being and treat medical conditions through medical nutrition therapy. Clinic in this sense refers to the management of patients, including not only outpatients in clinics and in private practice, but also patients hospitalized in hospitals. At Applied, clinical nutrition can be completed in as little as two years and fully online when completed at Northeast College of Health Sciences.
Clinical nutrition involves studying what nutrients are needed for the body to function and how what you eat affects your health. To become a clinical nutritionist, you will generally need to have earned the Certified Nutrition Specialty (CNS) credential, which involves an exam and 1000 hours of supervised practice experience. In addition, clinical nutrition aims to maintain a healthy energy balance, while providing sufficient amounts of nutrients such as proteins, vitamins and minerals to patients. You can also open your own clinic and provide nutrition advice and analysis to patients of any age and health status.
In addition, they must complete a 56-hour online clinical nutrition training program offered through the board. In addition, 10 clinical nutrition graduates will pursue master's degrees this fall, two will enter doctoral programs, and one will enter medical school. Medical nutrition therapy (MNT) is the use of specific nutrition services to treat an illness, injury, or condition.
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