Position of the dietitian

 

Thai people have to study at a university before they can work as a dietician. Here they can study the Bachelor of Science in Food (or Nutrition) and Dietetics. This study is a requirement to work as a dietician or nutritionist at the most places. But there are also Thai people who work at their own business as a dietician without any requirements. So, it is important to ask a dietician about their diplomas before co-operating with them.

Before going to University, Thai people have to go to high school. There they have to graduate with a minimum GPAX of 2.75 where GPAX stands for grade point average. If you are from a foreign country, the best thing to do is to contact the university directly. Procedures and requirements differ slightly and are subject to change. It is also that you have one of the following English proficiency test scores: TOEFL (paper -based) with a minimum score of 550, TOEFL (internet-based) with a minimum score of 79, IELTS with a minimum score of 6.0, SAT I with a minimum score of 400, CU-AAT with a minimum score of 400 or CU-TEP with a minimum score of 80.

The Bachelor of Food and Dietetics takes four years of study. This can be a full-time or a part-time study. The content of the bachelor is very comparable to the Dutch Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics. The two largest universities in Thailand who provide this study are the Mahidol University and the Chulalongkorn University, both located in Bangkok.

After the Bachelor’s degree Food and Dietetics, students can continue their study by following a Master’s degree. The most relevant Master program is the Master program in Food and Nutrition. This Master’s degree will take two years and can be followed after succeeding for example a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics, Biology, Public Health, Health Science, Nursing, Pharmacy or Food Science. The abovementioned Bachelor’s degrees are required for the master at Mahidol University.

(Thai Dietetic Association) (Thai Dietetic Association) (Mahidol University, 2011) (Chulalongkorn University, 2009) (Chulalongkorn University, 2009) (Study in Thailand, 2008)

 

The roles of the dietician

After graduating, a dietician in Thailand can work as a

• Practitioner in a hospital, health institute, food service industry, health and fitness centres or food and nutrition industries.

• Advisor to public and private agencies, international agencies, research projects, health promotion units, food and nutrition related industries or relevant government ministries.

• Entrepreneur as a freelance dietician with an independent practice, or a food and nutrition- related business owner.

• Nutrition manager at a food and nutrition related business.

• Researcher in an academic institution, research facility or hospital.

When looking at employment and the education and the subsequent experience needed to fill any of the positions mentioned in the chapter ‘Work field of the dietician’ it can be said that the status of the dietician is the same as that of other health professionals such as doctors, specialists of nurses.

(Mahidol University, 2011) (Chulalongkorn University, 2009)