Become a Leader in Nutrition
Thursday, September 29, 2016 | 12:00 AM
Leadership is the key to transforming a loose group of professionals into an efficient team capable of solving complex problems. A leader in nutrition is someone who is capable of directing a team of dietitians and nutritionists toward a common goal. These individuals often hold a master’s degree in nutrition and have years of experience managing a team.
Why Are Leaders Important in Nutrition?
A leader in nutrition can inspire a group of nutritionists to reach a complex goal. These groups often work at large facilities that require the coordination of multiple nutritionists. For example, a modern hospital system may need a team of nutritionists to develop personalized meal plans for their patients and make changes to counter deficiencies. Perhaps a large company wants to offer all its employees meals. To coordinate this, the team of nutritionists must create a diverse and healthy menu for the company’s offices across the world. A nutrition manager oversees the team and develops institutional plans that set certain standards for the hospital or company.
How Can I Become a Leader in Nutrition?
A master’s degree in nutrition is one of the first steps to becoming a leader in this field because many states have set the master’s degree as a prerequisite for nutritionists seeking state certification. Furthermore, the master’s degree is a way to demonstrate that you have developed a strong foundation in areas like healthcare communication, dietary research, nutritional changes, disease prevention and financing. Finally, to become a leader, you must gain experience by working with teams — starting small and working your way up.
Master’s Degree in Nutrition
A nutritionist education does not have to be complicated. Thanks to the proliferation of online courses, working nutritionists can complete an accelerated master’s degree in fewer than 12 months. These online degrees are flexible enough for working professionals to pursue them without abandoning their existing professional obligations. The online coursework includes classes like Prevention and Treatment of Obesity, Integrative Nutrition, and Perspectives and Treatment Modalities of Eating Disorders. These programs also offer classes in management like Health Care Policy, Organization and Financing.
Leadership in nutrition is more important than ever before. With millions of Americans suffering from obesity and many others suffering some nutritional deficiency, qualified nutritionists with vision and a workable plan are necessary if we are to find a solution. Earning a master’s degree in nutrition is one way to equip yourself to become a leader in the field.
Learn about University of Texas Rio Grande Valley MSHS in Health Sciences Concentration in Nutrition online program.
Source:
“Dietitians and Nutritionists.” (n.d.).
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Dietitians and Nutritionists
“29-1031 Dietitians and Nutritionists.” (n.d.).
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
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