Dietitians

High School

If you want to be a dietitian, take as many courses as possible in health, biology, chemistry, family and consumer science, and mathematics. If you are not sufficiently prepared in high school, you are likely to struggle with such college courses as mathematics and biochemistry. Communication skills are also important, since dietitians must interact effectively with clients, employers, and colleagues. Even researchers who spend most of their time in the lab must cooperate with colleagues and write clear, accurate reports on the results of their work. For this reason, dietitians and nutritionists must be well versed in spoken and written English. Psychology, which generally is taught in college nutrition programs, is an important aspect of the work of many dietitians and nutritionists. Dietitians also use computers to conduct research, store information, and perform other tasks, so be sure to take computer science classes.