Road to RDN Part II

How do I pass the RD exam?

How do I get my first job in this field?

As the year 2015 officially starts, I’ll finish my thoughts on my journey from the beginning of my program until my final interview with my new employer.

Source: The University of Texas System

Receiving my acceptance letter to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center was one of the best days of my life.  The small coordinated program was a great fit for me.  I loved the focus on clinical nutrition, the great amount of individual attention I received from my professors, and the wide variety of internships I experienced while attending the program. It was a busy two years.  If you enroll in a coordinated program, expect to be busy, usually too busy to hold more than a small part-time job.  Most of our program consumed our days, our nights, and even our weekends.  You are responsible for coursework, internships, and a master’s project.  Your organizational and time management skills will be put to the test.  Keep in mind that the people you meet, the projects you finish, and the internships that you complete can help you in your future job search.  Networking with all the professionals you meet and getting contact information can help you touch base with these people again once you are looking for a job.  Consider doing something special for your professors and your preceptors.  Show these dietitians that you appreciate them.  I felt an abundant amount of gratitude for my professors who always went above and beyond for me and my preceptors who volunteered both their time and vast amounts of experience.  A hand-written card, flowers, or even something delicious from your kitchen is just a little something that you can give to these experts to say thank you. 

When you graduate your program, stay in touch with your classmates and your professors. Classmates are  great resources for study ideas, feedback on your resume, and overall support as you take your test and start applying for jobs. My program sends out job leads to recent graduates.

Once your program ends, there will be a few weeks while you are waiting on the Commission on Dietetic Registration to send you an email allowing you to set a test date. This may be a great time to set a study schedule. I found that a four-week study timeline worked for me.  There are four domains to the exam, so I was able to spend a week reviewing each one.  I used the Inman RD Review.  It is one of the most popular study guides.  I used the discs.  Besides finding a good review, I would also recommend signing up for free weekly sample test questions from DietitianExam.com.  I signed up for this website early on in my program.  I would recommend signing up early, so you get as many questions as possible even if you just save them for later.  Here are my top study tips:

• Study the material the most effective way for you whether that is flashcards, diagrams, or detailed notes
• Focus on getting a set number of pages reviewed each day
• Supplement the study material with information you learned in your program
• Do all the practice questions
• Review the questions you got wrong to understand how to get them right

You may want to drive to the testing center the day before to be more relaxed on your test day.  I find that eliminating as many unknowns as possible is helpful.  The test is 100 questions and the test will never cover everything that you have learned in the last few years.  It may be a good idea to touch base with someone that has taken the test before you.  My program had their second-year students mentor their first-year students providing a great resource for information on the program, graduation, and the RD Exam.  The exam is mostly application questions and you will need to apply your knowledge to solve real-world problems.  The test changes and you will never be able to prepare for every question.  If you study the Inman and are passing the study questions, you’re building the right base of knowledge to pass the test.  When I took the test, a few of the questions felt random and I was a little nervous about the content.  I passed on my first try and all of my classmates passed too.  A little bit of test anxiety is normal.  If you've studied, you should do just fine.

Source: Freedigitalphotos.net

Finally, after all this work, you have the job search. I would recommend working on your resume early.  I updated my resume throughout my program to reflect the internships and volunteer opportunities I completed.  I also added information on the clubs and community organizations I joined during that time. Eat Right has a great career center for their members offering resume examples, a salary calculator, and an online marketing center.  Applying for jobs online is only one way you may secure your new job. Send your resume to your preceptors and other dietitians you've met.  Call local hospitals and ask for contact information for their nutrition managers.  Keep in mind that you can apply for jobs without registered dietitian in their title if you are interested in working in areas other than patient care. Be persistent, sometimes you have to fill out a lot of applications before you get the right job.  Getting your resume to the right person will hopefully lead to an interview. Here are my top interview tips:

• Treat a telephone interview as seriously as an in-person interview (The person interviewing you certainly will!) 
• Prepare a little summary of who you are and what you bring to the position
• Prepare for commonly asked questions like what is your greatest achievement, what is your biggest failure, and where do you see yourself in five years
• Dress professionally
• Bring the job description, extra copies of your resume, and something to write with.
• Have a salary range in mind
• Be polite to everyone you come in contact with
• Ask for next steps at the end of the interview 
• Ask for business cards from the people who interviewed you
• Use that contact information to send a thank you note to everyone who interviewed you

Let me know if you have any questions about the test or the job search, I’ll be happy to answer them!  If you want a few more interview tips, visit about careers!