6 Must-Do Professional Development Opportunities for Dietitians in 2023

Furthering your training could also inspire new approaches to dietetics and patient management and potentially help you accrue continuing professional development (CPD) hours at the same time. If you’re returning to practice after a long break, these courses will refresh your knowledge and ensure you’re up to date on the latest developments in dietetics. And if you want to grow your professional network and collaborate in-person or online with other dietitians, check out our list of upcoming events and conferences.

1. Learn through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in the US offers a series of courses through its EatRight Pro platform that you may be able to attribute to your CPD hours. Courses include Integrative and Functional Nutrition, which consists of five unique modules covering topics like the whole-systems approach to digestive health, the impact of environmental toxins, and developing a critical thinking framework for dietary supplements. Another course on offer is Treating Gluten-Related Disorders, which is about the art and science of assessing a patient’s quality of life on a gluten-free diet, and evaluating and treating non-responsive celiac disease. All participants will receive a Certificate of Learning. The Academy also offers EatRight Pro TV on YouTube where you’ll find educational videos and a comprehensive range of interviews with other dietitians.  

2. GI OnDEMAND education platform

Mindset Health partner, GI OnDEMAND, is the American College of Gastroenterology’s (ACG) virtual care and support platform. It aims to make digestive health expertise, resources, and support accessible to all clinicians working in gut health, as well as your patients. GI OnDEMAND University offers free evidence-based webinars on a variety of gastrointestinal topics, including the brain-gut axis, the causes of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and managing diverticulosis or diverticulitis with nutrition.  

3. British Dietetic Association courses for all levels 

If you’re based in the UK, the British Dietetic Association (BDA) offers courses for entry-level dietitians who have just begun their professional practice, as well as advanced training opportunities for experienced practitioners. They also provide training opportunities suitable for those working as dietetic support workers and other health professionals. Advanced Dietetics in Mental Health explores topics like nutritional assessments and psychological approaches to mental health. Starting Out as a Freelance Dietitian offers guidance for those interested in establishing their own practice and promises to help you develop your business plan, better understand insurance considerations, and teach you how to tap into freelance dietitian networks.

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4. Dietitians Australia’s courses for everyone

Dietitians Australia (DA) offers training courses that non-members are welcome to enroll in to advance their knowledge and skills. DA offers the two-hour webinar Effective Communication for Nutrition Presentations for those who want to improve how they talk and communicate about nutrition across all platforms. If you’re new to dietetics and have been practicing for just a few years or are returning to work and need a refresher, Gastrointestinal Nutrition for Dietitians will take you through four case studies on celiac disease, gastrectomy, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) ,and Crohn’s disease. 

5. Learn to facilitate gut-directed hypnotherapy with Nerva

Mindset Health’s Nerva for IBS Clinicians’ Course provides dietitians with three hours of on-demand content. The course is designed to help you become a confident facilitator of gut-directed hypnotherapy and show you how to refer and support your IBS patients through the Nerva program without having to deliver the hypnotherapy yourself. It’s also an opportunity to dive into the research, discover how the low FODMAP diet compares to gut-directed hypnotherapy as an IBS management tool.

Contact us at healthcare@mindsethealth.com for a course discount code for dietitians.

6. On-demand webinars at Dietitian Connection 

Dietitian Connection is a passionate community of nutrition professionals which aims to educate and inspire dietitians through its extensive webinar offerings. On their website you’ll find more than 100 free webinars covering a wide spectrum of nutrition-based content, including The Role of Fermented Foods, Ingredients and Nutrients on the Gut Microbiome, Gut, Brain, Diet: How Are They Connected?, and The Gut Microbiome and the Role of the Dietitian. However, if you’re after more comprehensive training and education, they have a series of paid webinars as well, including the Gut Health Online Symposium, which is a series of six webinars about the interaction between gut microbiome and food components in the management of IBS (this one counts towards your CPD hours if you’re an Australian- or New Zealand-based dietitian). Alternatively, the Clinical Nutrition Symposium is a webinar series covering gut health myths, nutrition for fertility, the Blue Zones, eating disorders, and adverse food reactions. 

Upcoming events and conferences for dietitians 

If you’re looking to network either in-person or virtually with other dietitians and nutrition professionals, conferences and specialist events are an ideal way to meet like-minded practitioners and grow your knowledge about the latest in nutrition and dietetics research.  

2023 conferences and events

January

The Canadian Nutrition Society is hosting two conferences in 2023, and the first kicks off early in the year on 28 January 2023 in Toronto, Canada. Advances in Research and Practice: From Identification to Treatment of Disordered Eating Behaviors is a one-day specialty event designed to increase your understanding of providing care to patients with disordered eating behaviors or diagnosed eating disorders. Check out the society’s event in May too, which is a more all-encompassing conference for everyone working in nutrition and dietetics.

‍February

Doctors for Nutrition is hosting a conference in Melbourne, Australia from 17-19 February, 2023, and dietitians are invited to attend. The organization works to equip clinicians, institutions, and the general public with evidence-based information and education on optimum human nutrition, with an emphasis on plant-based eating.

March

London, UK is hosting the International Conference on Nutrition and Growth from 30 March to 1 April 2023 for dietitians and nutritionists working in pediatrics or interested in developing their knowledge about working with children. Topics covered include the role of nutrition in short bowel syndrome, microbiome in early life, and managing pediatric inflammatory bowel disease. American, Canadian, and European practitioners may be able to accrue CPD and CME hours by attending.

From 9–11 March practitioners interested in digital health will be heading to Dubai for the 6th International Conference on Healthcare and Digital Health. This year’s theme is ‘Reimagining the future of healthcare through digital health’, and it aims to provide health and wellness leaders with practical guidance to expand your digital health expertise and utilization. It’s an opportunity to hear from health professionals working in education, big data analytics, business, and venture capital discuss the most difficult healthcare challenges today and their thoughts on the latest innovative alternatives.

May 

From 4-6 May, 2023 the Canadian Nutrition Society is holding its annual conference in Quebec, Canada. It will be focused on scientific research about regulatory, policy, clinical, and community nutrition. The conference will offer poster and oral presentations, networking opportunities, and inspiration from the society’s award winners.

Join the Mindset Health healthcare team at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) in Chicago, Illinois from 6-9 May, 2023. It’s an opportunity to network with over 10,000 physicians, researchers, and nutrition professionals to gain new insights and inspiration about managing and treating digestive diseases. If you can’t make it in person, online attendees can still watch over 60 live-streamed or on-demand sessions and access DDW’s ePoster website. This is where you’ll find full-text abstracts and posters and the chance to interact with the authors in virtual meeting rooms to get your questions answered in real time. 

If you’re based in Australia or interested in visiting Melbourne on 12 May 2023, Dietitians Unite is an event showcasing inspiring leadership and innovations in dietetics through a series of workshops and presentations. Australian dietitians may be able to claim CPD hours for attendance. 

Today’s Dietitian is hosting its annual symposium in Savannah, Georgia in the US from 14-17 May 2023. Expect a diverse program, including presentations, workshops, and live events covering the entire spectrum of nutrition-based topics. The symposium will focus on education and providing you with the latest tools and information about patient care. 

The theme of this year’s Dietitians of Canada conference is ‘Taking Action Together’. Held in Montreal from 25-26 May, the conference is focused on bringing dietitians together to advocate and advance the issues of concern, and highlighting how research, innovation, and technology accelerate change and impact patient care. There will be opportunities for networking, learning about new dietetic products, services, and innovations, and discovering more about the latest nutrition research. 

July

Dieitians Australia’s annual conference is being held in Melbourne, Australia from 23-25 July, 2023 with a focus on cutting-edge science, strength in diversity, and future foods. The program has been designed to challenge all dietitians to consider whether it’s time to initiate practice changes that are aligned with the latest scientific evidence, are socially inclusive, and environmentally sustainable. 

September

New Zealand's professional dietitian association, Dieitians NZ, is holding their annual conference on 5-6 September, 2023. The in-person event is taking place at the Grand Millennium hotel in Auckland. Check their website for more details and updates about the conference.

‍October

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is hosting the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE) in Denver, Colorado in the US from 7-10 October, 2023. The expo promises to bring together dietitians, nutritionists, nutrition and dietetics technicians, researchers, policymakers, healthcare providers, and industry leaders to learn about the latest trends and developments in nutrition and patient-centered care. The Mindset Health team will be there in person, so please come and say hi to learn more about gut-directed hypnotherapy. Some attendees will have the opportunity to contribute to their CPD and professional development portfolios.

The Wrap Up

While you may have completed your degree, becoming a lifelong learner will help you stay across the latest trends and research in patient-centered care and management. Training courses and education platforms are here to help dietitians and nutrition professionals expand your knowledge, refine your practice, fulfill CPD requirements, and possibly even inspire a new career path. Attending conferences and relevant events (with many offering virtual attendance options) is the ideal time to network and connect with other dietitians and nutritionists.  

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