Celebrities vs. The Elderly: Where Can a Career as a Nutritionist Take You?

“Are you sure about this? You are going to end up working in a nursing home” – my mother’s words just moments before I began making calls to change my major  the summer after freshman year.

“Yes, mom. And no, I won’t. I’m moving to California when I graduate, and I will be a celebrity nutritionist. Just watch.” – my (half sarcastic, half hopeful) response.

Upon the close of my first two college semesters, I decided I wasn’t going to be the next Katie Couric, I hated being front of the camera, and broadcast journalism was not what I should spend the next three years at Penn State studying. I missed science, and was ready to pursue a career in one of its many commoving fields. Pairing my almost life-long passion of eating healthy and being active with a burning desire to get back into the sciences, I resolved nutritional science as being the perfect major for me.

Today, well into my fourth semester as a nutrition/dietetics major, I realize the blatant narrow minded-ness of both my mother’s and my own comments that day. In the past 2 years, I have been exposed to the vast range of opportunities offered to one who graduates with a degree in nutrition. There’s clinical nutrition, community nutrition, foodservice, research, and so many more.

celebrity nutritionist

My initial vision of my life as a nutritionist (telling Jennifer Aniston what she can and can’t eat). Image from: examiner.com, by Francois Harnard

nursing home nutritionist

My mom’s initial vision of my life as a nutritionist. Image from: wiseGEEK.com.

Penn State’s Career Services website page, “What Can I Do with this Major?”, specifically, the nutrition page, is a great back-up to my claim. It has divided career paths into seven differing areas, with a variety of information regarding practices involved, employers, and strategies to be successful for each.

If you are like me, passionate about the field you’re studying, and perhaps a little too passionate about each of the areas, the resource I linked to is a great delineation of each career choice available to you.

Although I am not totally sure yet, I have recently been swaying toward pursuing a career in clinical dietetics, and, after reading through the resource, I feel as if I am headed in the right direction. Each of the other six areas listed includes one or more strategies that I don’t feel are befitting to me. For example:

“Community and Public Health Nutrition” – “Develop strong presentation and public speaking skills.” – I HATE public speaking. Call to mind that I dropped broadcasting as a major – that was a public speaking OVERLOAD.

“Food Service Management” – “Take business courses and develop strong computer skills.” – Econ 102 and LER 100 were my worst enemies.

“Federal Government” – “Pursue internships in government agencies.” – I’m not, and may never be, well educated on the structure of government agencies.

Now, the “Information/Strategies” section for “Clinical Dietetics” contains no phrases that alarm me.

  • “Volunteer in hospitals or nursing homes to gain experience working with patients or the elderly.” – There’s that “nursing home” my mother was talking about. At this point, I view the word with anything but a negative connotation. In fact, I am in the process of securing an internship working with the elderly this summer.
  • “Develop excellent communication skills and learn to work well on a team.” – Okay, so I’m not the best public speaker, but I’m good on communication skills. I did start as a communications major for a reason.
  • “Plan to earn the Registered Dietitian credential.” – I’m right on track.
  • “Several years experience and a graduate degree are required for specialties such as pediatrics, renal nutrition, or oncology.” – My potential internship at a dialysis unit this summer would be a great start.

This resource is a great guide for anyone who can’t put a finger on exactly what they want to do, or needs tips on how to prepare as an undergraduate for the area they want to work in. It gave me reassurance that the summer field experience I am pursuing is a good choice, and also brought to my attention the areas of nutrition that may not suit me best. Check it out!

So maybe I won’t be planning meals for Brad and Angelina (or, hey, maybe I will be), but a “nursing home” certainly isn’t my only option either!

Below is revered Penn State Nutrition alum, Jill Jayne. Speaking of the wide outlet of career options in nutrition – watch how Jill combined her passions of music and nutrition to start a nationwide campaign to combat childhood obesity!

You can see all of Jill’s nutrition rock-out sessions on her YouTube channel.

 

One thought on “Celebrities vs. The Elderly: Where Can a Career as a Nutritionist Take You?

  1. Alison Jaenicke

    Like your other blog posts, this one does a great job of combining your own experiences with outside sources, images with words, information with humor. I like the way you move through the various options on “What Can I Do with this Major” to arrive at: “Now, the “Information/Strategies” section for “Clinical Dietetics” contains no phrases that alarm me.” Well done–I enjoyed reading!

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