Dietistic (Qualifying for the Health Profession of Dietician)

What is the objective of the course? What is it?
What does it train you for?

Graduates in Dietetics are, in accordance with Law No. 251 of August 10, 2000, (L. 251/2000), practitioners of the health professions in the technical-health area who carry out, with professional autonomy, activities directed toward the prevention, treatment and protection of individual and collective health.

The areas of competence of the dietitian are:

1. Organizes and coordinates specific activities related to nutrition in general and dietetics in particular;
2. Collaborates with the bodies in charge of the protection of the hygienic and sanitary aspect of the food service;
3. Elaborates, formulates and implements the diets prescribed by the doctor and monitors their acceptability by the patient;
4. Collaborates with other figures in the multidisciplinary treatment of eating disorders;
5. Studies and works out the composition of food rations suitable to meet the nutritional needs of population groups and plans the organization of community feeding services of healthy and sick people;
6. carries out didactic-educational and information activities aimed at the dissemination of principles of proper nutrition such as to enable the recovery and maintenance of a good state of health of the individual, communities and population groups;
7. carries out his or her professional activity in the public or private sphere

What do you learn?

The curriculum of the Degree Course, which can be downloaded here(https://offertaformativa.unipa.it/offweb/public/corso/visualizzaCurriculum.seam?cid=19060&oidCurriculum=22985) is organized in six semesters and includes theoretical-practical teachings through lectures, tutorials, teaching laboratories and seminar activities concerning basic and clinical disciplines; internships of the specific professional field, in the clinical field, in the field of catering for school canteens, nursing homes, etc.

The basic disciplines are essentially concentrated in the first year of the course and ensure the acquisition of the cognitive tools necessary to develop the training that will continue in the following years through the characterizing disciplines.

The latter are centered on the objectives of providing cultural elements aimed at understanding the different clinical settings in which nutritional intervention takes shape, to the understanding and organization of dietary treatment and prevention through nutritional intervention, including the description and understanding of the social and relational dynamics both with the patient and among the different professionals who contribute to the well-being of the individual patient or particular population groups.

The mandatory internship allows the student to explore specific and professionalizing techniques in a different context than classroom activities.

What can you do with it?

Graduates in Dietetics, referred to as Dietitians, are health professions professionals who carry out, with professional autonomy, activities directed toward the prevention, treatment and protection of individual and collective health, implementing the provisions of the regulations concerning the identification of the figure and the relevant professional profile defined by decree of the Ministry of Health.

They use scientific principles and methodology in the study of nutrition and apply these findings to their profession.

They are competent in all aspects of human nutrition with reference to the state of health and well-being.

Dietitians organize and coordinate specific activities related to nutrition in general and dietetics in particular; they cooperate with the bodies responsible for the protection of the hygienic and sanitary aspect of the nutrition service; they elaborate, formulate and implement the diets prescribed by the doctor and monitor their acceptability to the patient; collaborate with other figures in the multidisciplinary treatment of eating disorders; study and elaborate the composition of food rations to meet the nutritional needs of population groups and plan the organization of nutrition services of healthy and sick communities; carry out didactic-educational activities.