What is the difference between CNS & RD?
American Nutrition Association
What is the difference between a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) & a Registered Dietician (RD)?
I get asked this question frequently, by perspective students and my clients. It’s the question I asked myself as I was deciding my career path.
The CNS credential is the Gold Standard for Advanced Nutrition Professionals.
A CNS must:
Have an advanced degree (graduate or doctorate).
Complete 1,000 hours of clinical experience with a supervised internship.
Pass a CNS exam administered by the Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists.
Typically works in private practice or private consulting.
Study therapeutic nutrition, nutrition assessment, micronutrients/macronutrients, nutrient depletion & drug/herb interactions, dietary supplements, nutritional disorders, pharmacology, hormones, detox & biotransformation, gastrointestinal disorders, metabolic disorders, immune imbalances/autoimmune diseases, & epidemiology.
To learn more, visit The American Nutrition Association.
An RD is a food and dietary professional.
An RD must:
Have a 4-year bachelor's degree.
Complete 900-1200 hours in a dietetic internship.
Pass a dietetics registration exam.
Typically works in hospitals, clinics, or private practice.
Study calories (energy), micronutrients/macronutrients, pharmacology, meal planning, evaluation of standard measurements of foods, public health policy, specific diets for certain conditions, eating patterns based primarily on food groups, such as the food pyramid/my plate, and other guidelines based on daily food intake strictly outlined by governmental health organizations.
To learn more, visit the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics.