text: is there a difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist?   dietitians are licensed, the term "nutritionist" does not always indicate licensure or specific qualifications. see below for more detail.   "dietitians" (the preferred spelling in the united states) make up the majority of nutrition counselors who see patients in hospitals, clinics or other medical settings. in order to become a "registered dietitian" (r.d.), a person is usually licensed by a state government after passing the registration examination for dietitians. in order to qualify to take this examination, an aspiring dietitian needs to complete four years of college, including required coursework in food science, food safety, chemistry, biology, anatomy and several other course areas that are specified by the commission on the accreditation for dietetics education. they also need to complete 900 hours of apprentice work in a clinical setting. this clinical work can be built into a specially designed undergraduate program or can be completed separately, as an internship program in dietetics. with somewhat less training, a person can qualify for the title, "dietetic technician, registered" (dtr).  the term "nutritionist" does not always indicate licensure or specific qualifications. many dietitians casually call themselves "nutritionists," because they counsel people about nutrition. some people use the term "nutritionist" to describe people who are educated in the field of dietetics or nutrition, but are not licensed to provide care to medical patients. there are many people who design food plans for communities or cafeterias who are not licensed as providers, but who provide an invaluable service by highlighting healthy eating practices in our communities.  thank you for the question i learned something too.