RD Exam Made Easy Podcast

Wow. What can I say! This has been such an incredible journey. When I started the podcast, I had no idea where it would go, how many episodes I'd release, or what the next steps were. I only had one goal:

To help RDs2Be get across the finish line and pass the RD Exam

I wanted to teach through stories. I love stories. Stories are relatable and they build bridges and connection. It's so much more fun remembering something through a story than it is to remember facts. So that was my primary focus when creating episodes for this podcast. 

Over time, the podcast evolved. I never planned to give shout outs at first but as listeners sent me messages sharing their wins with me, I wanted to celebreat that on a much bigger scale. So I incorporated that into the podcast and I'm so glad I did. Because celebrating your wins has truly inspired me and reminded me why I'm so proud to be part of this incredible dietitian community. 

In this episode, I share my final thoughts, words of advice, and how you can find me going foward. While this is the end of this podcast, I'm moving on to other projects and opportunities. You can continue to find me on instagram @jananichollrd or at my website www.jananicholl.com. 

Tune in for my final thoughts, words of encouragement, sincere appreciation, and motivational message to keep you going for your dreams. Thank you for such an incredible journey. You've got this my friend. 

I get asked a lot from RDs2Be what study material they should choose. There used to be very few options but now, there are more options which is great. But with more options, it means you have to make more decisions. And that can be exhausting when you're this close to wrapping up this chapter of your educational career. 

So I wanted to do a review of the study materials available and give a little advice that I hope will help you with this question. 

And remember, the goal is to simply pass. Even if you JUST pass. Even if you just squeeze by. No one cares. Once you're a dietitian, the score you got on the exam is completely irrelevant. A pass is a pass! So just keep focused on squeezing past the finish line. 

This is what you'll learn in this episode:

• The different study materials available on the market. 
• My personal advice on how to go about choosing study material that works best for you and why I recommend you pick ONE study resource to study from
• The importance of getting a hold of your perfectionism and imposture syndrome - speaking from experience

And I give 5 shout outs to new RD's who joined the RD community.

Here's a glance at this episode:

[03:40] A discussion of Jean Inman which has been around for many years including the format of the study material and options for RDs2Be

[05:00] A review of Breeding and Associates and the options that are now available

[05:57] The study material offered by the Commissio on Dietetic Registration (CDR)

[07:03] The resource available to RDs2Be who learn best by studying from flash cards

[07:34] An online option called Visual Veggies which also has many add-on options

[08:08] Book options called Dietitian Exam Secrets Study Guide and Review of Dietetics 

[11:14] A reminder that the score on the exam does NOT define your worth or value as a dietitian 

[12:02] Personal advice about the importance of studying the way that works best for you

[15:41] I get vulnerable about perfectionism and Imposture Syndrome

[18:02] Why I think it's so important to pick one resource to study from

Here are the links to different RD Exam study materials:

Jean Inman

Breeding and Associates

eatrightPREP from CDR

Dietitian in a Flash

Visual Veggies

Dietitian Exam Secrets Study Guide

Review of Dietetics

And as promised, here's the link to the free resource I created for Episode 2 on how to create a study schedule as well as the 4 domain exam breakdown from CDR. 

Keep going. You've got this. 

No matter what happens in life, things will change. It's inevitable. Often times, things change without you having any control over it. When that happens, you have to be resilient, adapt, and move on. 

But not all change is forced. Lots of change happens because people realize they have to make a change and can't continue things status quo. You've likely gone through the stages of change at some point in your own life too.

As dietitians, your job is often to help people through the stages of change and to meet them where they're at. It's also important and helpful to be able to identify what stage of change someones at.

This episode goes into the different stages of change. I incorporate some examples of each and stories to show what these stages of change look like when working with clients. 

This is what you'll learn in this episode:

• What is meant by the stages of change
• How many stages there are and the characteristics in each stage of change
• How to determine the stage of change someone's at through examples

Here's a glance at this episode:

[06:10] The first stage of change - Precontemplation

[06:52] The second stage of change - Contemplation

[07:40] The third stage of change - Preparation

[08:25] The fourth stage of change - Action 

[09:25] The fifth stage of change - Maintenance

[11:13] Some real life examples to help you identify the stage of change someone is at so you can help them move through the stages of change and achieve their goals.

"Change is the only constant" ~ Heraclitus

Community nutrition is a rotation in every dietetic internship. It may look different for each intern but you need to have exposure and a basic understanding of programs and resources available in our communities that promote and support good nutrition. 

As a dietitian, you need to know how to help people who don't have access to good nutrition. Even if you don't work in public health, having knowledge of these programs will help your clients and patients.

Plus...they might show up on the RD Exam. 

This is what you'll learn in this episode:

• An overview of different programs available to the public that provides nutrition including access to food as well as education on healthy eating
• A review of programs for children and older Americans

Here's a glance at this episode:

[02:10] A review of WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) and the services this organization provides

[05:19] An overview of the National School Lunch Program and why it's such an important program to promote learning for children in school

[07:30] National School Breakfast Program and the nutrient criteria it must meet in order to be in compliance with regulations 

[08:05] National Snack Program and who is eligible for this program

[09:00] The Summer Food Service Program for children during the summer months and how this helps promote increased nutrient intake

[09:42] An overview of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program

[11:20] A discussion of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program and some examples to help you correctly answer questions pertaining to this program on the exam

[12:36] What is provided through the Headstart program

[14:55] A review of SNAP or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and why this program is so helpful to millions of Americans

[16:40] Services provided by the Seniors Farmers Market Program

[17:13] Congregate Meal Program which is under the Older Americans Act and who can benefit from this program

[13:55] A brief overview of Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS)

It's a lot to balance everything in life. And sometimes things can feel heavy and overwhelming. This is especially true when studying for a big exam, like the RD exam.

That's why I felt it was important to be open about how I ended up with mental fatigue and worked through it. And share some strategies you can do to avoid it while juggling so many things at once. 

This is what you'll learn in this episode: 

• Tips and strategies to avoid mental fatigue
• How to use these tips when studying for the exam 

Here's a glance at this episode:

[05:50] Why creating a study plan helps keep you focused

[07:05] The importance of good quality sleep for studying and when needing to mentally perform such as when taking the RD Exam

[07:55] Why a healthy lifestyle including emphasizing physical and mental health should be prioritized

[08:30] Strategies for focusing on relaxation, something not enough of us do which includes breathing techniques and meditation

[10:55] Why you have to get your mindset right

[12:00] The importance of staying organized - your study notes, your life, and your obligations. This also includes scheduling the exam if you haven't done so already. Just do it.

[13:15] Reminder to pay attention to yourself - how to be intuned with your needs and be aware of your breaking point

I've been doing TM (Transcendental Meditation) for many years. If you're interested in learning more or would like to find someone in your area who can teach you, check out tm.org. If I can meditate with my nonstop thinking, anyone can. 

If you'd like to download your free study schedule, you can do so here: Study Schedule

As of 2024, the field of dietetics requires Registered Dietitians to have a Master degree which means a bigger emphasis on research. 

Research methods is also part of the study guide for the RD Exam.

This is what you'll learn in this episode:

• A closer look at qualitative and quantitative research studies
• A breakdown of independent and dependent variables 
• A review of different types of research studies and designs as well as the pros and cons of each type of research study

Here's a glance at this episode:

[00:33] An overview of qualitative and quantitative research studies

[04:50] A review of the steps involved in a research study from identifying a problem, creating a hypothesis, to methods, discussion, and conclusion

[07:30] An important approval needed when doing a research study involving human subjects

[09:43] A review of control and experimental groups 

[11:40] What a randomized controlled trial is and why this is considered the gold standard when it comes to research. You'll also learn about the benefits of a double blind research design

[13:00] A discussion of independent and dependent variables 

[15:10] A breakdown of cohort studies including longitudinal, retrospective, and prospective cohort studies

[22:25] A closer look at cross-sectional research studies and the pros and cons of this type of research design

[23:35] A review of case controlled studies 

[25:55] Survey research and how companies use this type of research to get immediate customer feedback

[28:10] An overview of quasi experimental design and when this type of research is used

I also give a couple shout outs to new dietitians who passed the RD Exam and joined the RD community. 

Regardless of where you work, it's a good idea to have a basic understanding of developmental stages. Plus this is something that could be asked on the RD exam.

This episode of the RD Exam Made Easy Podcast covers developmental stages. 

This is what you'll learn in this episode:

• What to keep in mind of with each developmental stage and how it influences that individuals nutrition and well-being. 
• A review of each developmental stage from infancy through geriatrics
• How you, the dietitian, can help individuals through the life cycle 

Here's a glance at this episode:

[04:00] A review of infancy, when breastfeeding should be initiated and how nutrition is advanced throughout this stage of life. 

[09:57] I explain why I loved pediatrics so much and how it made me a much better clinician

[11:00] An overview of toddlerhood and how meals are impacted by textures, smells as well as the steep learning and growth curve that happens at this age

[14:35] A review of preschool age, the developmental changes and how peers start to have an influence at this age

[16:38] Moving on to school aged kids where social influence is huge and how media also impacts the nutrition of individuals at this age

[20:25] Adolescence from growth spurts and the big impact of social validation. I also review growth charts and why we still plot adolescents on the growth curve.

[25:30] The main goals of nutrition in adulthood

[26:40] An overview of geriatrics from how the elderly are defined, to the importance of monitoring for malnutrition, assessing ADL's, and modifications to meals to ensure adequate intake. You'll also get an overview of the Blue Zones. 

And I give a couple shout outs to some incredible new RD's that have joined the RD community! 

If you’re looking for a quick review of DRI’s (Dietary Reference Intakes), the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and Healthy People 2030, this episode’s for you. 

It's a short and sweet episode to review these concepts that are fair game on the exam. So grab your walking shoes, or plug in your phone for your commute to your next internship site.

A little studying note. Reminder that studying includes listening, reading, restating, and writing. So don't be afraid to take notes, re-write things over and over if you need to, and paraphrase what you learned.  

This is what you’ll learn in this episode:

• The Dietary Reference Intakes (EAR, UL, AI, RDA, AMDR)
• Nutrition Guidelines 2020-2025
• Healthy People 2030

Here's a glance at this episode: 

[3:30] A review of the DRI’s and when we use the DRI’s.

[4:22] What we use when there’s not enough data or research to determine the daily intake needs

[4:55] What we use for populations and not individuals

[6:25] Tolerable upper intake level – the amount you can safely take without developing toxicity

[7:07] A review of MyPlate and

[8:30] A review of the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans which are updated every 5 years

[13:30] A quick discussion of Healthy People 2030.

Eating Disorders are something all dietitians should have baseline knowledge of because you never know when you'll meet someone who needs your help. 

In this episode, I have a conversation with Kate Machado, MS, RDN, CSSD, CEDS, from SD Nutrition Group (www.sdnutritiongroup.com), who's an expert in Eating Disorders. She knew from day one that working with eating disorders was her passion and she's been working with that population ever since she became a Registered Dietitian. 

She shares a lot of wisdom. Two things she said really stood out:

"Everybody who has an eating disorder dieted at some point, but not everyone who has dieted has an eating disorder." 

AND

"Eating disorders exist because of the rules." 

This is what you'll learn in this episode: 

• An overview of the different types of Eating Disorders (ED): Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder), Night Eating Disorder, and OSFED (Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder)
• Treatment plans for the different eating disorders 
• The progression of eating disorders
• How to screen and identify athletes with eating disorders

Here's a glance at this episode: 

[08:00] The criteria for diagnosing Anorexia Nervosa and the different types such as restricting type and bingeing/purging within Anorexia Nervosa

[10:40] The criteria for diagnosing Bulimia Nervosa and the compensatory behavior 

[12:30] An overview of Binge Eating Disorder

[14:40] A discussion of ARFID

[17:40] An overview of eating disorders that don't meet other criteria, which are referred to as OSFED

[20:00] Our role as dietitians when assessing someone who is showing signs of an eating disorder and why dietitians shouldn't be afraid of working with people with eating disorders

[26:00] A review of outpatient screening and what treatment typically looks like

[32:10] The different treatment plans for people with eating disorders and what a meal plan might look like for someone with Anorexia Nervosa versus Bulimia Nervosa versus ARFID

[43:50] What a treatment plan for someone with night eating disorder would look like

[49:10] What to do when helping someone who doesn't want to be in treatment in the outpatient setting

[52:04] An overview of Family Based Treatment (FBT)

[55:27] The screening process for athletes suspected of having eating disorders and the importance of having a treatment protocol in place

I also give a shout out to 3 incredible new RD's. 

Summary of terms:

PHP = Partial Hospitalization Program

IOP = Intensive Outpatient Program

Remember learning about vitamins and minerals for the first time? Maybe it was fun and exciting or maybe it was overwhelming - or possibly both. Regardless of how you felt, there's a lot of them. And remembering all them isn't easy. 

So I broke them up into two episodes - one on vitamins and one on minerals. In this episode, I cover the minerals - both the major and trace minerals. 

Normally, you'd have a whole semester on micronutrients so this episode is a summary - a review. 

This is what you'll learn in this episode:

• A review of the major minerals, electrolytes, and complications that happen when the levels are elevated or depleted
• A breakdown of the trace minerals - the role, food sources, deficiency, and toxicity symptoms

Here's a glance at this episode: 

[08:30] – Why elevated potassium levels need to be addressed and the dangers of elevated potassium levels

[10:30] – Symptoms of hyponatremia and what I used to see in my patients when I worked in pediatrics

[11:45] – A review of the symptoms of hypernatremia

[13:35] – An overview of magnesium including hypomagnesemia and hypermagnesemia.

[16:59] – Phosphorous, what it is, why it’s important, and where it likes to hang out in the body

[20:17] – The role of calcium and phosphorous in the body and why these two go together – like buddies

[22:37] – A quick review of refeeding syndrome and how the electrolytes reviewed in this episode are connected to refeeding syndrome

[24:48] – What foods interfere with iron absorption

[34:20] – The role of zinc especially for people in the clinical setting

[38:38] – Why copper is monitored in people with cholestasis

[47:29] – What’s up with Chromium?

[48:39] – Fluoride, the tooth mineral

[50:01] – Molybdenum - not only fun to say. You'll hear about a case study of a rare genetic condition involving molybdenum