Private Practice - Contemplation

So, you’re thinking about starting your own MNT private practice. Maybe, you’re weighing the pros and cons of being in the private practice world. Maybe, you’re not quite so sure about how to knock down some of those barriers that seem to loom over you as you consider starting a private practice. Whatever you’re thinking about, the first thing you need to do is to stop just dreaming and begin to make your dream a reality. If we were able to do it so can YOU! There are no magic bullets. You just need to make the commitment and be ready to prepare and take action. Today’s health care environment has set the stage for an opportunity of a lifetime. The timing is perfect with Medicare and other insurance organizations reimbursing for MNT. More and more people are getting involved in some sort of health enhancement strategy including employee wellness programs. Even the entertainment industry is promoting good nutrition and fitness more than ever. We are seeing more and more health segments in the news and reality shows for better health such as “The Biggest Loser” and “Work Out” including the many healthy cooking shows broadcast regularly. You are the expert, why not take advantage of all these wonderful opportunities?

Consider the benefits you’ll receive from running your own MNT private practice.

Compensation

The most common complaint among dietitians is how little they get paid after all their hard work and years of schooling. Unfortunately, the majority of dietitians end up working in clinical settings that many surveys show to be positions with the lowest pay. Many articles recommend that dietitians should negotiate their salary. However, this may be very difficult since most dietitians work in hospitals, where pay scales are set in stone so no matter how much they negotiate they will still only receive policy-approved compensation.

Stop negotiating with your employer and start negotiating with yourself about building your own MNT practice. It is depressing to note that in 2005 the ADA compensation and benefit survey of the dietetics profession indicates that the median annual wage for registered dietitians is $49,500. Fortunately, this has gone up 8.2% since 2002. Clearly, the money is in running your own MNT private practice. From published literature, private practice consultations in the West Coast, California, Oregon and Washington, are worth somewhere between $120 and $250 per hour. Even with the high cost of living in cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco running your own MNT private practice can be more financially rewarding.

Opportunities

Working as a dietitian in hospitals or corporations can offer career growth opportunities but are limited to opportunities within these organizations. However, in private practice the career growth opportunities are endless. In addition to private consultations, private practice dietitians can serve as consultants or representatives for private corporations, schools, mass media and other organizations. For example, since opening my private practice, I have been the spokesperson of Foster Farms, one of the largest poultry companies in the West Coast. I am the sports dietitian of the San Francisco AIDS Life Cycle and AIDS Marathon. I have been invited to present nutrition lectures in various corporate and organization meetings that include the annual WIC Conference, Comcast, Gap, Dorland, IDEO, and Charles Swab. I have taught nutrition classes at San Francisco University and have written articles for different health websites. I also have been invited to appear in nutrition and health segments in various local TV programs. Truly, the opportunities are endless in private practice.

Flexible hours

One of the many benefits of running your own MNT private practice is the flexibility of managing your own schedule. This is particularly important to working mothers. You determine your working hours and days and you can choose to have weekends and holidays off. However, let me emphasize that the harder you work in private practice the greater are your rewards. You are the one in control.

Working from home or home visiting

Many dietitians start their private practice by working from home because of their family, preference or financial constraints. MV Professional Nutrition Suite makes working from home or home visiting much more convenient. With the MV Professional Nutrition Suite you can do much of your counseling over the telephone or the internet. These two options provide low-cost overhead and have been proven effective in delivering nutrition education and counseling.

The telephone provides opportunities for individuals and counselors to interact without requiring travel to offices or clinics. Regular phone calls have been associated with increased adherence to diet and activity goals.1 The internet has been used successfully to provide counselor contact, self-monitoring, and behavioral training. MV Professional Nutrition Suite will help you work from home conveniently and effectively.

1. 1. Tyler, C, Johnston, CA, Foreyt, J. Lifestyle Management of Obesity. Lifestyle Medicine, Nov-Dec 2007; 423-29.

Resources

For more information about wages for registered dietitians visit Today’s Dietitian:

Salary Survey: Are Dietitians Bringing Home the Bacon?

Dietetics Salaries