How to Become a PCOS Dietitian: Your Complete Guide
Hey there RDs: thinking about zeroing in on a niche in PCOS? Amazing! This is your complete guide to how to become a PCOS dietitian.
In this blog post, you’ll learn what a PCOS dietitian does, resources to get started and grow as a practitioner, and hear from some real-life PCOS dietitians.
Let’s dive into working as a dietitian in the PCOS niche. First off: a quick overview of what PCOS is.
What is PCOS?
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder that affects women of reproductive age. It occurs when a woman's ovaries or adrenal glands produce more androgens (male hormones) than normal, leading to a range of symptoms such as irregular menstrual cycles, acne, weight gain, and fertility issues (1).
PCOS is the most common cause of female infertility and can also increase the risk of developing other health problems, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease (2). While there is no cure for PCOS, various treatments can help manage symptoms and improve overall health. This is where dietitians can shine!
What is a PCOS dietitian?
A PCOS dietitian is a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) who focuses their work on the treatment and management of PCOS.
This may include working to optimize fertility, minimize symptoms, and lower the risk of complications down the road.
Where do PCOS dietitians work?
A PCOS-only role is probably not a job posting you’ll see at your local hospital anytime soon, however, you may see PCOS counseling as one part of a role that covers more than one niche.
Most often, dietitians in this niche are working in private practice. However, you may also find opportunities in fertility clinics or PCOS-specific clinics.
If launching your own private practice, check out this post: How to Become A Private Practice Dietitian.
What about training?
There are no specific requirements to become a PCOS dietitian beyond the national and state regulations to become a registered dietitian in general, but there are several good courses and resources available so that you can learn cutting-edge information and be an effective resource for your clients.
A few options include:
- The Online PCOS Training Course for RDNs by Angela Grassi, MS, RDN, LDN
- Women's Health DPG of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
- Attend the annual conference of The American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)
- Become a member of the Androgen Excess & PCOS Society (and check out their conferences!)
- Listen to the Nourished with PCOS Podcast
- Join PCOS Challenge
The world of PCOS is changing and evolving - keep on top of the latest research by attending conferences, and watching as many webinars as you can.
Who are PCOS Dietitians?
Here are a few examples of registered dietitians working in the PCOS and reproductive health niche
- Sam Abbott, MSED, RD, LDN - The PCOS Nutritionist
- Laurie Dunham, LD, RD, CEDRD-S - RD at Dr. Daisy and Co. Nutrition Clinic
- Cory Ruth, MS, RDN - The Women’s Dietitian - here's her website
- Angela Grassi, MS, RDN, LDN - Founder of The PCOS Nutrition Center
We spoke with Angela Grassi, MS, RDN, LDN, founder of The PCOS Nutrition Center & Co-Author of The PCOS Workbook to gain insight into her work as a PCOS dietitian.
What makes an RD a good fit to work with women with PCOS?
Angela says, “Having lived experience as I do is helpful, but not necessary. Being a good listener is important.
With PCOS, a patient's history and past experiences with the medical community and treatments will ultimately help guide your recommendations. It's so important to meet a client where they are at.”
Thoughts for someone considering the PCOS niche?
“The field of women's health and specifically PCOS is a wonderful, rewarding opportunity for dietitians to work in. Even under the PCOS umbrella, you can niche down, whether it be fertility, metabolic health, adolescents with PCOS, or even PCOS in menopause.
In general, I find people with PCOS to be very knowledgeable and eager to learn all they can to improve their condition. Dietitians are the perfect partner to help them.”
Thank you for chatting with us, Angela!
Key takeaways
A PCOS dietitian is a nutritionist who specializes in providing guidance and advice to individuals with polycystic ovarian syndrome. These dietitians may work in hospitals, nutrition clinics, tech start-ups, or private practice settings.
If you’re looking to become a PCOS dietitian, there are multiple resources that can help you get the training you need to be effective and feel confident. PCOS dietitians should stay up-to-date on relevant scientific developments to provide accurate advice to their patients.
It’s important that they have strong research skills so they can quickly access the information necessary for proper nutritional counseling. For those of you thinking about becoming a PCOS dietitian or already working as one and want to update your knowledge on best practices, there’s still much to be gained from expanding your professional horizons by joining professional organizations or taking additional accredited courses related to PCOS nutrition therapy.
