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BECOMING AN RDN

Process & requirements to become an RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionists are food and nutrition experts who have met the following criteria to earn the RDN credential - Quoted from Careers in Nutrition and Dietetics Factsheet available at  

https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend

Criterion -

  1. Completed a minimum of a bachelor's degree at a U.S. regionally accredited university or college or foreign equivalent, and possess a verification statement from an accredited didactic program in dietetics.

  2. Completed required supervised practice/experience through an ACEND accredited Dietetic Internship (DI), Coordinated (CP), Future Graduate (FG) or International Dietitian Education (IDE) Program or an Individualized Supervised Practice Pathway (ISPP) offered through an ACEND- accredited program. Information on ACEND accredited programs at www.eatrightpro.org/acend.

  3. Passed a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). For more information regarding the examination, refer to CDR's Website at www.cdrnet.org. In order to maintain the credential, an RDN must complete continuing professional educational requirements.

  4. Licensure may be required. Information for specific states is available at www.cdrnet.org.

How does KACAD fit into the Professional Pathway?

  • KACAD is a 15-month future graduate program that is a partnership with the University of Central Arkansas and Keith & Associates, Inc.   

  • Applicants to KACAD must have earned a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and a cumulative grade point average of ≥3.0 and grades of A or B is expected in all didactic coursework. 

  • A verification statement from a didactic program in dietetics is not required. 

  • Upon program completion, KACAD will issue the verification statement allowing the graduate to sit for the national registry exam to earn the credential for Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (Commission on Dietetic Registration).  

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