6 Must-Do Professional Development Opportunities and Events for Dietitians

Furthering your training could also inspire new approaches to dietetics and patient management and potentially help you accrue continuing professional development (CPD) hours at the same time. If you’re returning to practice after a long break, these courses will refresh your knowledge and ensure you’re up to date on the latest developments in dietetics. And if you want to grow your professional network and collaborate in-person or online with other dietitians, check out our list of upcoming events and conferences.

1. Learn through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in the US offers a series of courses through its EatRight Pro platform that you may be able to attribute to your CPD hours. Courses include Integrative and Functional Nutrition, which consists of five unique modules covering topics like the whole-systems approach to digestive health, the impact of environmental toxins, and developing a critical thinking framework for dietary supplements. Another course on offer is Treating Gluten-Related Disorders, which is about the art and science of assessing a patient’s quality of life on a gluten-free diet, and evaluating and treating non-responsive celiac disease. All participants will receive a Certificate of Learning. The Academy also offers EatRight Pro TV on YouTube where you’ll find educational videos and a comprehensive range of interviews with other dietitians.  

2. GI OnDEMAND education platform

Mindset Health partner, GI OnDEMAND, is the American College of Gastroenterology’s (ACG) virtual care and support platform. It aims to make digestive health expertise, resources, and support accessible to all clinicians working in gut health, as well as your patients. GI OnDEMAND University offers free evidence-based webinars on a variety of gastrointestinal topics, including the brain-gut axis, the causes of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and managing diverticulosis or diverticulitis with nutrition.  

3. British Dietetic Association courses for all levels 

If you’re based in the UK, the British Dietetic Association (BDA) offers courses for entry-level dietitians who have just begun their professional practice, as well as advanced training opportunities for experienced practitioners. They also provide training opportunities suitable for those working as dietetic support workers and other health professionals. Advanced Dietetics in Mental Health explores topics like nutritional assessments and psychological approaches to mental health. Starting Out as a Freelance Dietitian offers guidance for those interested in establishing their own practice and promises to help you develop your business plan, better understand insurance considerations, and teach you how to tap into freelance dietitian networks.

4. Dietitians Australia’s courses for everyone

Dietitians Australia (DA) offers training courses that non-members are welcome to enroll in to advance their knowledge and skills. DA offers the two-hour webinar Effective Communication for Nutrition Presentations for those who want to improve how they talk and communicate about nutrition across all platforms. If you’re new to dietetics and have been practicing for just a few years or are returning to work and need a refresher, Gastrointestinal Nutrition for Dietitians will take you through four case studies on celiac disease, gastrectomy, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) ,and Crohn’s disease. 

5. Learn to facilitate gut-directed hypnotherapy with Nerva

Mindset Health’s Nerva for IBS Clinicians’ Course provides dietitians with three hours of on-demand content. The course is designed to help you become a confident facilitator of gut-directed hypnotherapy and show you how to refer and support your IBS patients through the Nerva program without having to deliver the hypnotherapy yourself. It’s also an opportunity to dive into the research, discover how the low FODMAP diet compares to gut-directed hypnotherapy as an IBS management tool.

Contact us at healthcare@mindsethealth.com for a course discount code for dietitians.

6. On-demand webinars at Dietitian Connection 

Dietitian Connection is a passionate community of nutrition professionals which aims to educate and inspire dietitians through its extensive webinar offerings. On their website you’ll find more than 100 free webinars covering a wide spectrum of nutrition-based content, including The Role of Fermented Foods, Ingredients and Nutrients on the Gut Microbiome, Gut, Brain, Diet: How Are They Connected?, and The Gut Microbiome and the Role of the Dietitian. However, if you’re after more comprehensive training and education, they have a series of paid webinars as well, including the Gut Health Online Symposium, which is a series of six webinars about the interaction between gut microbiome and food components in the management of IBS (this one counts towards your CPD hours if you’re an Australian- or New Zealand-based dietitian). Alternatively, the Clinical Nutrition Symposium is a webinar series covering gut health myths, nutrition for fertility, the Blue Zones, eating disorders, and adverse food reactions. 

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