If you’re passionate about food and nutrition and want to make a meaningful impact in people's lives, a career in dietetics could be a fulfilling path to pursue. Dietitians help both individuals and groups develop healthy eating habits and address nutrition-related issues.
In Australia, the need for qualified and motivated dietitians is on the rise, with the expected job growth projected to increase by 7.2 per cent over the next five years. To enter this industry, you'll need to complete a bachelor’s or master’s degree in nutrition or nutrition and dietetics. These dietetic courses are offered at several Australian universities, such as the University of Canberra and Edith Cowan University. Then, you'll need to acquire accreditation with Dietitians Australia (DA) to become an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD).
If you're wondering how to become a dietitian, including pathways to this exciting career, this article covers the necessary steps to get you started.
What is a dietitian?
A dietitian is a health professional whose expertise is in food and nutrition. They assess different dietary needs and create personalised nutrition plans for optimal health. A dietitian can work within specific groups, including paediatrics, sports nutrition, antenatal health and aged care. Similarly, dietitians can help people with chronic health conditions, including obesity and diabetes management. Dietitians can work in a range of healthcare settings. Clinically, these may include private practice, hospitals and community centres. Dietitians can also work in academia, education and research.
Is a dietitian the same as a nutritionist?
If you’ve ever wondered about the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist, you’re not alone. In Australia, all dietitians are nutritionists, but not all nutritionists are dietitians. The main difference is that nutritionists are not qualified to provide medical advice or undertake work in hospitals or medical centres. Nutritionists generally work in private practice, community settings and education. Read how to become a nutritionist in Australia for more information.
The nutrition industry isn’t regulated in Australia, which is why regulating bodies such as Dietitians Australia exist. To become a dietitian, you must hold a DA-approved dietetics qualification. This ensures a high standard in the dietetics industry and provides public reassurance that the practitioner they’re working with is adequately credentialed.
What does a dietitian do?
Dietitians use evidence-based nutrition tools, treatment plans and dietary interventions, which help optimise the health of their patients. As part of their duties, dietitians may also collaborate with doctors, allied health professionals and community members to help achieve this outcome.
Roles and responsibilities of a dietitian
A dietitian's typical workday may look different depending on the setting in which they work. For example, in a hospital setting, dietitians may help patients manage health conditions such as diabetes through specific dietary interventions. In the community, dietitians may identify areas of improvement in nutritional standards for vulnerable people or those in aged care.
The main roles and responsibilities of a dietitian include:
- Conducting dietary assessments: Dietitians can evaluate patients' dietary habits and perform anthropometric assessments combined with other health data to understand their nutritional needs best.
- Designing meal plans: Dietitians are experts in developing tailored meal plans for patients to help address their nutritional goals.
- Nutritional education: Teaching patients in a clinical setting or groups is essential to help empower people to make healthy food choices.
- Monitoring patient progress: Using health tracking tools, patient self-reports and other resources, dietitians can assess what dietary protocols are working well for their patients and what may need changing to achieve their health goals.
- Liaising with health providers: Dietitians collaborate with other health professionals to optimise patient care. Some of these providers may include doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, speech therapists and psychologists.
- Engaging in community initiatives: Dietitians may be involved in community initiatives to bridge knowledge gaps between the impact of nutrition and health.
- Continue professional development: Dietitians commit to continuing their professional knowledge in nutrition science. This ensures that they stay up-to-date with current research and provide evidence-based care to their patients.
How much do dietitians earn in Australia?
If you're thinking about a career as a dietitian in Australia, understanding your earning potential is important. According to data from SEEK, the average dietitian salary is around $95,000 annually. However, your experience level and location in Australia may influence your income.
The average salary for dietitians in each state and territory is as follows:
- Northern Territory: $91,741
- Australian Capital Territory: $86,838
- Western Australia: $86,573
- Queensland: $83,603
- South Australia: $80,222
- New South Wales: $79,821
- Victoria: $79,651
- Tasmania: $68,216
4 steps to becoming a dietitian in Australia
- Consider if this is the right career path for you
Before you gain the skills and knowledge to become a dietitian, it's important to consider whether or not this career path is right for you. If you love food and nutrition and want to help people make positive changes toward better health, then dietetics could be ideal for you. Remember, it may take at least six years of study to be fully qualified to work in the industry. So, it's vital to factor in the study commitment required to become a dietitian.
You may also need to reflect on whether you enjoy working one-on-one with patients or whether a non-clinical role is better suited to your strengths. A dietetics career can open pathways into food service, recipe development, education, sports nutrition and public policy development. Either way, there are bountiful opportunities in this exciting career. - Complete your undergraduate and postgraduate degree
If you're ready to dive in, you'll need first to complete your undergraduate degree in health science or nutrition. As mentioned, you’ll need to ensure the degree you enrol in is DA-approved. There are several universities around Australia that offer dietetics courses that hold accreditation status with Dietetics Australia. These include:
Undergraduate courses
• Flinders University: Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics
• Griffith University: Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics, Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Honours)
• La Trobe University: Bachelor of Applied Science
• The University of Newcastle: Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Honours)
• University of the Sunshine Coast: Bachelor of Dietetics (Honours)
• University of Wollongong: Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Honours), Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Honours) (Dean’s Scholar)
Postgraduate courses
• Australian Catholic University: Master of Dietetic Practice
• Bond University: Master of Nutrition and Dietetic Practice
• Charles Darwin University: Master of Dietetics
• Curtin University: Master of Dietetics
• Deakin University: Master of Dietetics
• Edith Cowan University: Master of Nutrition and Dietetics
• Flinders University: Master of Nutrition and Dietetics
• La Trobe University: Master of Dietetic Practice
• Monash University: Master of Dietetics
• Queensland University of Technology: Master of Dietetics Studies
• Swinburne University of Technology: Master of Dietetics
• The University of Sydney: Master of Nutrition and Dietetics
• The University of Queensland: Master of Dietetics Studies
• University of Canberra: Master of Nutrition and Dietetics
• University of Wollongong: Master of Nutrition and Dietetics
It’s important to remember that before you enrol in a master’s degree, you first need to have completed a related bachelor’s degree as a prerequisite.
As a dietetics student, you’ll learn a range of foundational skills and knowledge that will equip you to work with patients and help them with dietary and lifestyle changes to improve their health. You’ll undertake units that cover human physiology, biochemistry, psychology, critical research skills, human diseases and pathology, nutrition across the lifespan, food systems, and biosocial perspectives of food. You’ll also typically complete a clinical placement.
The average time to complete one of the above bachelor’s degrees is about four years. While it takes between 1.5 to two years to complete the requisite master’s degree. In total, it could take up to 6 years to complete all your studies before you gain a dietitian qualification. - Obtain professional accreditation
This is a crucial step to becoming a dietitian in Australia. To practise as a dietitian either privately or in a hospital and community setting, you must obtain accreditation from Dietitians Australia to become an APD. This credential is nationally recognised and is a guarantee of your dietetic qualifications. Working as an accredited dietitian means you'll follow the professional standards, National Competency Standards, Code of Conduct and Scope of Practice as outlined by Dietitians Australia. - Start applying for jobs
Once qualified, you can begin to apply for dietitian jobs. Hospitals, private clinics, community health organisations, rural medical centres, and research and tertiary institutions are among the common places to start looking for work in your new career. Job boards and websites like SEEK or Indeed are also great places to look for job opportunities, especially if you're considering a new location to find work as a dietitian.
Make your career move into dietetics today
Whether you’re interested in learning how to become a dietitian as a new path or as a change from your current health career, dietetics is a fulfilling profession to pursue. You can make a big difference in patient’s lives by teaching people how to make healthy diet and lifestyle choices. As more Australians understand the importance of health and nutrition, dietitians are pivotal in guiding people towards healthier living.
If you're ready to help transform people's lives for the better, consider a career in dietetics today. Curious about other health professions? Explore Global Health Education’s growing range of healthcare courses, including social work, public health, counselling, nursing, psychology, leadership and mental health. Our Student Enrolment Advisors can advise you on courses and career pathways that best suit you and your study needs.
