Alabama is a very rural state,
containing many areas which are referred to as “food deserts” – places in which healthy food choices are difficult, if not impossible, to find. As a result, according to Alabama’s Department of Public Health, as of 2019, 36.1 percent of Alabama’s adult residents are obese. In addition, that same year, 16.1 percent of Alabama’s residents, and 20.8 percent of its children, reported feeling food insecurity, or a lack of access to enough nutritionally adequate foods to achieve an active, healthy life.
Those who live in the state of Alabama are in need of trained professionals who can educate others in the importance of nutrition and healthy food choices. If you reside in Alabama and are interested in promoting health and wellness through foods and nutrition, you might want to consider becoming a registered dietitian. Achieving registered dietitian credentials in Alabama is as simple as completing each of the following steps. Once you have done so, you may legally be referred to as a registered dietitian, registered dietitian/nutritionist, dietitian/nutritionist, or licensed dietitian.
Who Sets the Rules for Registered Dietitians in Alabama?
Registered dietitians in Alabama are regulated by the Alabama State Board of Examiners for Dietetics & Nutritionists. The Alabama Dietetics/Nutrition Practice Act of 1989 established licensing qualifications and rules and regulations which the state’s registered dietitians must follow. Contact information for the board is as follows:
Alabama Board of Examiners for Dietetics and Nutritionists
Executive Director: Elizabeth Sheehan
Phone: (334) 265-7125
Email: [email protected]
It may seem a bit confusing to laypersons, as the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics provides national registration of dietitians in the United States. The process of becoming a registered dietitian in Alabama involves meeting the requirements of both the CDR and of Alabama’s Board.
What Education and Experience Do Registered Dietitians Need in Alabama?
The CDR has mandated that all registered dietitians must have a master’s degree, at minimum, by January 1, 2024. Most educational programs for registered dietitians in Alabama and elsewhere are changing to reflect this requirement. You must select a program that has been accredited by ACEND, the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics. In Alabama (link to Registered Dietitian Schools list – Alabama section), the following types of programs are offered:
Coordinated Program in Dietetics (CP)– A CP offers students a degree in nutrition or a related field, combined with a supervised practice experience consisting of at least 1000 hours. As of 2022, there are 3 CPs offered in Alabama.
Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD)– This type of program offers a degree program consisting of solely coursework. It is followed by a Dietetic Internship (DI), which is also an approved program of ACEND, in which students accumulate hours of supervised practice over a specified period of time, often in one or more emphasized areas. As of 2022, there are 7 DPDs offered in Alabama, and 4 DIs.
Schools in Alabama offer nutrition and dietetics education in both in-person and distance/online formats.
Under the Alabama Nutrition/Dietetics Practice Act, registered dietitians must have an ACEND-approved degree in human nutrition, foods and nutrition, nutrition education, dietetics, or food systems management, plus at least 900 hours of supervised practice experience. These state Board requirements are easily met by fulfilling the CDR’s registered dietitian requirements.
Passing the Commission on Dietetic Registration Examination in Alabama
After completing your education and supervised experience, you must pass the CDR’s Examination for Registered Dietitians. Your program director will provide you with forms (online and hard-copy) to complete and return to them so that they can begin your eligibility process with CDR to take the exam. You will be instructed to read the Registration Examination for Dietitians Handbook for Candidates, which will provide details on the entire examination process.
Once you have been approved for registration eligibility, you will be issued an Authorization to Test, which is valid for one year from issuance date. This authorization will come from Pearson VUE, the company that runs the test centers for the exam. You will be instructed to go online to Pearson VUE and choose a test center convenient to you. In Alabama, test centers are located in Montgomery, Birmingham, Dothan, and Mobile.
You will also need to pay the $200 examination fee online via credit card when you register to take the examination.
On the day of the exam, you must bring a government-issued photo ID to the test center. In addition, you must wear a face mask and you may be asked to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination depending upon the local community or county’s current infection rates. Check with your test center before exam day to determine current requirements. If you wear eyeglasses, you must remove them and present them to the Testing Administrator for visual inspection, after which they will return your eyeglasses to you. Your palm will be scanned as well for biometric identification.
The examination is of varying length, as it is administered by computer. You will receive, at minimum, 125 questions, and may receive up to 145 questions. You must respond to at least 125 questions in order to pass the exam.
Test Specifications for the Registration Examination for Dietitians
As of January 1, 2022, the following content is tested on the CDR exam:
- Principles of Dietetics (21% of exam)
- Nutrition Care for Individuals and Groups (45% of exam)
- Management of Food and Nutrition Programs and Services (21% exam)
- Foodservice Systems (13% exam)
Once you have completed the exam, you will receive a printed score report. Your scaled score must be 25 or better to pass. Upon failure of the exam, you must receive a reauthorization to test again 46 days after failing the exam.
Applying for Licensure as a Dietitian in Alabama
After passing the Commission on Dietetic Registration exam for registered dietitians, you are now ready to apply for dietitian licensure in the state of Alabama. As long as you meet the Board’s minimum age requirement of 19, you may complete the Board’s Application for Licensure form. Copy your driver’s license or government-issued photo ID and attach that to it, along with verification of your registration with CDR, and submit the fee of $250 ($100 application fee and $150 license fee) in the form of check or money order, made payable to the Alabama Board of Dietitians. Mail to:
Alabama Board of Examiners for Dietetic/Nutrition Practice
P.O. Box 300500
Montgomery, AL 36130
Applications may take up to 30 days to process. If you have questions about your application’s status, email Executive Director Elizabeth Sheehan at [email protected], or call (334) 265-7125.
To maintain your license, the Board mandates that you accumulate 1.25 hours of continuing education for each month you have been licensed (average of 30 hours for every two years). Examples of acceptable continuing education may be found here. All renewals of licenses must be completed online, and a renewal fee of $200 must be paid. If you are late renewing your license, you will be charged $325.
What Will I Earn as a Registered Dietitian in Alabama?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that as of May 2021, there are 680 dietitians and nutritionists working in Alabama. Registered dietitians in Alabama earn an annual median wage of $59,280. Those earning in the top 25 percent make $64,840, while those in the top 10 percent earn $76,430.
Registered dietitians working in the Montgomery area earn the highest annual median wages, at $62,160. Other areas of Alabama in which registered dietitians earn higher wages than the state average include the Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area, at $61,220; Huntsville, at $59,370; and Mobile at $59,320.