Dear Cindy – Opportunities for a Dietician-MBA

I am a Registered Dietitian interested in doing my MBA. What kind of opportunities do you think this would open up?

Sincerely,

RD, MBA?

It depends on whether you want to stay in healthcare and/or nutrition or do something else. If you want to stay in healthcare/nutrition, this is to your advantage. Many companies want individuals with "industry experience." Some opportunities for you would be in management in a hospital, or in companies that produce foods, nutraceuticals, or pharmaceuticals.

As an example, a new MBA that we know has started with a pharmaceutical firm, and one of her training phases involves going through that which their new sales staff go through – learning about anatomy, physiology, medicines, etc. As a healthcare professional, you'd have a leg up on this learning.

But, over the course of their studies, many MBA students find that they enjoy or are good at another area – say, investment banking – or that they have a strong entrepreneurial sense and want to open their own companies. In this case, you'd be a fresh MBA with all the skills you brought with you out of your former career in dietetics, including teaching, counseling, "selling," and a knowledge of the healthcare industry.

Good luck!