How To Become a Registered Dietitian in Egypt
If you are passionate about improving health through food and dieting, a career in nutrition and dietetics could be the destined one for you. This career path is suitable for those that have phobia for blood but are interested in contributing their quota to improve health.
There are many work settings for nutritionists and dietitians in Egypt. Most of them work in hospitals, nursing homes, cafeterias, clinics, research institutes, NGOs, etc.
Although these professionals have a common work, there are core areas of specialization within the occupation that you can delve into. These include, but not limited to clinical, community, management, neonatal, paediatric, research, business and gerontological dietitian.
Importantly, if you want to succeed in this career, there are important qualities you should possess. Among others, they include analytical and thinking skill, compassion, listening skills, organizational skills, problem-solving skills, communication skills, etc. Becoming a registered dietitian in Egypt requires that you obtain formal training, certification and licensing. Dietetics and nutrition is a science based discipline. So, you need to have a good science background to start with.
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In this article, I’ll navigate you through the steps you should follow to become a registered nutritionist and dietitian in Egypt. Also, I’ll tell you some of the accredited Egyptian universities where you can be trained.
Who a Nutritionist and Dietitian Is
A nutritionist and dietitian is a professional trained to help people stay healthy by offering professional advice about right eating in relation to their age, health condition and the individual body make. A dietitian provides guidance on how much and what a client should eat. Nutritionists explain the relationship between diet and health. Because nutrition is the best form of preventive medicine, a dietitian is an expert in the use of nutrition to promote health and manage disease conditions.
Dietitians interact with their clients and evaluate their health. Based on the evaluation, the professional recommends to the clients the foods they should eat and the ones they should avoid. Dietitians ensure that the clients eat the right food in the right proportion in order to maintain optimal health.
What a Dietitian Does
A registered and licensed dietitian is qualified to perform a number of activities with the sole aim of ensuring that the clients live a healthy lifestyle. Some of the activities typically include
- Assessing the clients’ nutritional and health needs
- Counseling patients on nutrition issues
- Developing meal plans based on the clients’ preference and budgets
- Producing educational materials about healthy food
- Conducting research and keeping up with the latest nutritional science.
Where Nutritionists and Dietitians Work
Nutritionists and dietitians work in the following establishments:
- Hospitals and long term health clinics
- Research centres
- Public health agencies
- Non-governmental organizations
- Academia
- Hotels and food service
- Private practice
- Nursing care facilities
How To Become a Registered and Licensed Dietitian in Egypt
To become a registered and licensed dietitian in Egypt, you need formal training and certification. Below is the stepwise guide on how to become a registered and dietitian in Egypt.
1. Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree From An Accredited Institution
This is the first thing to do in if you want to become a registered/ licensed dietitian in Egypt. Study programmes are also available in diploma and postgraduate studies. You can obtain a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics or food and nutrition. It takes four (4) years of training to obtain the degree in the field of nutrition.
During the four years of training, you will be given special studies in the field of anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathophysiology, biology, nutritional sciences, food sciences, etc.
Additionally, you can also become a registered nutritionist by enrolling for a postgraduate diploma or master’s degree in nutrition and dietetics. This option should be considered by those who studied nutrition related discipline.
2. Complete the One Year Compulsory Internship
You are also expected to undergo an internship in hospital or other related establishments. This internship will last for one (1) year. Students on internship are supervised by licensed professionals in the field.
3. Pass The Registration Examination
After the degree requirements and internship programme, you should write and pass the professional licensing examination by the regulatory body. You will only be registered and licensed after you have passed the registration examination.
Egyptian Universities Offering Nutrition and Dietetics
Below is the list of universities offering a degree and postgraduate courses in nutrition and dietetics in Egypt:
- Alexandria University
- Cairo University
- Future University in Egypt
- Al-Alzhar University
- Ain Shams University
- South Valley University
