Dietitian officers in the Commissioned Corps have the flexibility and freedom to pursue a diverse and fulfilling career. Day-to-day responsibilities of dietitian officers may include:

• Providing medical nutritional therapy as part of a team providing state-of-the-art health care
• Planning and implementing educational programs for patients, staffs of hospitals, specialty clinics, and community health centers
• Developing and evaluating national health and nutrition programs and national dietary guidelines
• Coordinating nutrition programs and establishing standards for nutrition service in settings such as Federal and tribal health care facilities
• Ensuring the safety of our Nation’s food and food products through research, testing, and inspection of food production facilities
• Conducting research to improve the health and nutritional status of people throughout the country and the world

In addition, dietitian officers may have the opportunity to assist in public health responses to man-made and natural disasters and participate in rural health missions helping some of the neediest populations in the Nation.

Dietitian officers join the Commissioned Corps at various points in their careers. Some join as beginning clinicians while others are experienced dietitians and nutritionists who also may have had training in public health, management, or research methodology.

The focus of dietitian officers is on improving physical health for entire populations. While there are plenty of opportunities to provide direct patient care, the Commissioned Corps offers the chance to become involved in organized disease prevention and health promotion programs that can positively impact national and community disease rates and individual patients’ lives.

As a dietitian officer in the Commissioned Corps, you can work throughout the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and in other Federal agencies and programs. Below is a list of the Federal agencies and programs where dietitians have the greatest likelihood of finding an assignment – the order is based on the number of dietitian officers presently assigned. See duty station map for more details.

• Indian Health Service (IHS)
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)