RD Exam In The Car

Protein digestion is a favorite RD exam topic because it connects gastrointestinal physiology, enzymes, amino acid absorption, and nitrogen metabolism. In this episode, we follow protein from the stomach through the small intestine and explain what happens to amino acids after they enter the bloodstream. We’ll also focus on the enzymes, hormones, and metabolic pathways you’re most likely to encounter on the exam.

Carbohydrates are one of the body’s primary energy sources, but before they can produce energy, they must be digested, absorbed, transported, and metabolized. This episode follows carbohydrates from the mouth to the bloodstream and then into the cells, connecting digestive physiology with insulin, glucagon, glycogen, and glucose metabolism. For the RD exam, the key is understanding not just where each step occurs, but what happens to glucose after absorption.

When should nutrition go through the gastrointestinal tract, and when should it go directly into the bloodstream? This episode uses two fictional patients to make the difference between enteral nutrition and parenteral nutrition easy to remember. We examine gastrointestinal function, access, clinical appropriateness, and complications rather than relying on simplistic rules. Two original practice questions help reinforce the decision-making process you’ll need for the RD exam.

The Nutrition Care Process is one of the most important frameworks to understand for the RD exam. In this episode, we follow a fictional hospitalized patient from the first nutrition assessment through diagnosis, intervention, and follow-up. You’ll learn how to distinguish assessment data from a nutrition diagnosis and how the PES statement connects the problem to its cause and evidence. Then test yourself with two original exam-style questions.