anyone a Registered Dietitian??
Posted by weelittlebuddy on Jan 14, 2007 · Member since Oct 2006 · 304 posts
Is anyone here a registered dietitian? What school did you go to?....I'm looking all over for colleges to go to, but haven't chatted with anyone who has actually gone to these schools.
Any experience/advice would be grately appreciated!
the college i went to (way here on the other coast)--Middle Tennessee State University, offered a nutrition program, undergrad. there were even quiet a few veg*ns that went through it--this rocked, cause their final projects (making yummy/healtlhy stuff) were always open for the students taking classes in the building to taste....then, one of my friends, after graduating with her degree, went to a college in Memphis (Tennessee) for her grad. degree in clinical nutrition...
Tennessee isn't as scary as it sounds....and the music scene in Murfreesboro is the best (the university also has a renowned recording industry program).
hope this helps.
This is not necessarily an endorsement, but an FYI. The University of Georgia and The University of Florida both have very good programs (academically, esp Fla), however, the few folks I know personally who have come out of these programs, quite frankly, think we (veggies) are a bunch of nuts with eating disorders. While I can't necessarily argue with that ;) and I don't know for sure that it is from the curriculum, I know I have heard very similar "arguments" from each of them that lead me to believe that those concepts did not originate on their own.
I would do A LOT of research, but it seems to be a great field. I wish I had taken a few more classes on that track, myself.
...that's a great idea about UGA (university of georgia, at athens), the community itself, athens, is really supportive of a veg*n lifestyle; i live here, in athens, and it is one of the easiest places to live and have many options for eating out, shopping, etc. plus, there's a really good cooking school in atlanta, which is just an hour-ish (or if you're a speed racer like i am, 45 minutes) from here. as far as the pediagogical methods of the professors here, i can't be of assistance; but athens is an ecentric town, so, it may be a bit more veg*n friendly than florida...
Well, I don't know anything about the program at The University of Florida....But I felt like participating on this topic. I've lived in Miami for almost 2 years now (not by choice) and I really don't like it. Everything is mainstream and stuck up. Most people here I've run into are very superficial. There are some good veg*n restaurants and some great health food stores. Other than that and some sunshine there isn't much else I like about Miami. But you would be coming for the school, not the place I guess. Also, if you decide on Miami, you better brush up on your Spanish because there is just NO functioning down here without it....I learned the hard way.
As carmenmichelle said about Athens:
I'll have to say that Athens is a very friendly veg/vegan place to live as well. I don't live there. But I currently do live in Georgia, and I've played at the Georgia Theater in Athens a bunch of times over the years, with a bunch of different bands. I always have a great time when I'm there, and there are lots of options for vegan food. When I'm fortunate enough to be homefor a long stretch, I do make the drive out there every few weeks just to hang out. I know Athens is in the top 10 vege places to live in the country. If I had moved there when I first moved to Georgia, on a whole, I'd probably like Georgia as a place to live, more then I currently do.
Since I also Lived in South Florida, I'd say that Laurenmisplaced summed it up really well:
ummmm yeah...she's right.
If you get a chance goto http://www.pcrm.org
They always have dietitians and nutritionists that write columns about the benefits of a vegan diet in the magazines I get from them. Perhaps it would be best to contact one of them, and ask he or she for an opinion as to the best programs in the country....good luck!
I would like to explain my point a little better; upon reading the post, it appears that I am speaking from hearsay and gossip.
I am a UGA alumni and I loved Athens. It is a very veggie friendly town. It is also an awful lot of fun; I have never lived in a town that pulses music like that. As a matter of fact, it is where I made the decision to become a vegetarian and have never looked back. It was The Grit that inspired me to learn to cook tofu.
I shared a number of core classes with the dietitian students as our majors were in the same department (FACS) and I took a number of entry level dietetics courses and at that time was not only a new vegetarian, but was fairly "militant" about it. The concept of vegetarianism was taught as a fad, a religious pursuit, and an "exclusionary dietary choice." Not one time was corporate animal farming practices mentioned; not once was it noted that vegetarianism was healthy.
Understand that this was 10 years ago and I should have acknowledged that college campus' and departments evolve, often rapidly. Also, I was not a dietetics major and therefore never took any classes above the sophomore level in that program. I have no basis of knowledge for what is currently being taught in the program; I apologize if I spoke out without confirmation.
I have no basis of knowledge for University of Florida or Gainesville, other than several very good friends who are alumni of the dietetics program and I asked one of them last night if she thought I was crazy and she confirmed 8).
I do know one thing (just from reading the local paper). UGA's agriculture dept. is not very Farm Animal friendly (they teach how to mass produce, and develop cost cutting measures for factory farms, that downgrade the quality of life for farm animals). They are also into a lot of GMO production of crops (FrankenFood).
I go to Keene State College in New Hampshire. If you are looking for a community atmosphere it would be for you.
Sorry, I don't have any info about the initial dietitian question. I just wanted to cast another vote for Athens, GA as a veg-friendly and generally cool town. I really miss it. I lived just north of Athens for 10 years and worked at UGA for most of that time. Now that Dave mentions the Ag dept., I recall that I used to walk past their "Abattoir" (slaughterhouse) every day on my way to the parking lot.
Thanks so much for your replies everyone! I really appreciate it. :)