Nutritionists are experts in nutrition science—in the specific effects that food has on the human body. As such, they play a crucial role in the healthcare industry. Whether you're looking to work in a hospital or angling for a job with the Food and Drug Administration, your role as a professional is to help others live better lives. That's a pretty rewarding career path.
Of course, any time you work in health care, the standards are high. You don't just play a role in improving patients' diets. You have an impact on their overall health. Your decisions determine how quickly a patient recovers from an illness, or what a community's life expectancy is likely to be. That's a lot of responsibility. As a result, dietitian and nutritionist jobs go almost exclusively to those with college or university degrees.
Of course, any time you're a student, there's a risk things can go wrong. If you've spent any time on campus, you know that even just figuring out where to park can be a major undertaking. You have to contend with strict rules and grumpy professors. You have to learn to get along with roommates.
How do you get through it all?
You contact the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm. We're defense attorneys, but we're not just any defense attorneys. We're specifically dedicated to helping students get the fair treatment they deserve. We know how hard you work, and we're ready to do whatever it takes to help you succeed. Any time you need us, we're always just a phone call away at 888-535-3686. Or use our automated online form.
Common Issues for Dietetic and Nutritionist Students
Every college and university is different. If you really want to know how your school operates, you need to check out your school bulletin or student handbook.
That said, there are some things you can expect from every school out there. One of them is that problems come in two varieties.
- Academic Issues: As a student, it's your job to study and go to class, write papers, and ace exams. Almost all schools maintain an Academic Standing policy. Most work like the one at Boston University. As long as you earn a 2.0 cumulative grade point average, you're in Good Standing. Anything below that, though, and you're placed on probation. Should you struggle while on probation, you can also be suspended or even dismissed.
- Disciplinary Issues: You're also held accountable for your behavior outside the classroom. Mistreat your fellow classmates or violate some campus policy, and you can wind up in just as much trouble, if not more, as you can for academic deficiencies.
Academic Expectations
Let's start by looking at academics.
Again, all schools are different, and your particular dietitian program will be different from other programs around the country. However, all programs must obtain accreditation in order to operate. That means your school will have to meet the accrediting agency's curriculum guidelines. The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) is one of the largest.
Here's what ACEND has to say about what you should be learning. Your school's curriculum should include lessons in three separate “domains”:
- Scientific and Evidence-Based Practice: You must have completed courses in the basics of dietetics, including biochemistry and food science. In addition, you must be able to locate professional literature, and to think critically about dietetics subjects.
- Professional Practice Expectations about Values and Beliefs: You must have strong communication skills, demonstrate an understanding of cultural sensitivity, understand how dietetics and nutrition are governed, and develop competence in evaluating public policy regarding dietetics and nutrition.
- Clinical and Customer Services: You must develop an ability to make decisions about food service delivery systems, understand how to develop food programs for specific target audiences, and demonstrate an ability to counsel and educate individuals and groups about nutritional wellness.
- Practice Management and Use of Resources: You must complete coursework in management, budget evaluation, and the basic principles of food safety.
Many programs also include practical learning opportunities, internships or externships that allow students to put what they've learned to practical application. If your school does have a program like this, you can expect to be graded during clinic hours just as you are during class, and these grades become part of your overall GPA and subject to your school's Standing policy.
Misconduct
Some aspects of “conduct” are part of the ACEND curriculum. For example, you're expected to learn and apply basic elements of professionalism like good communication and an appreciation of cultural diversity over the entire course of your program. Beyond what you learn as part of the curriculum, though, you can expect your program to hold you accountable for all aspects of your conduct, from your classroom behavior to how you act in the cafeteria.
Of course, we all make mistakes. And you can't ever tell when a misunderstanding might result in a false allegation. Disciplinary issues are always a big deal, though. Healthcare providers need public trust in order to operate effectively, and that means clinics, hospitals, the government, and private agencies all expect their employees to have spotless records. You can expect certification agencies, state licensing boards, and prospective employers to conduct background checks and to ask you specifically about any disciplinary issues that might have come up during your education.
What kinds of issues can cause you problems?
Academic Misconduct
Academic misconduct is on the rise lately, and as a result, colleges and universities take any sort of violation extremely seriously. Your school will have its own policy, but in general, you can expect that policy to prohibit
- Cheating: Sometimes used to mean academic misconduct generally, this specifically refers to the use of unauthorized materials in completing your coursework. That could include a book, an online resource, or another person.
- Plagiarism: The attempt to pass another person's words or ideas off as your own. Again, there are many kinds of violations. Obviously, downloading a paper from an online paper mill will get you into trouble. You could also find yourself accused, though, for simply failing to cite a source.
- Falsification: This involves making up information, such as fabricating lab results or inventing a source for a paper when you can't find one.
- Sabotage: Many schools lately have been specifically outlawing sabotage—the destruction of school resources or another student's work in an effort to gain an educational advantage.
Even a single accusation can result in a lowered grade. In serious cases, first offenses are punished with course failures. Second offenses, though, can lead to suspension or expulsion.
You have a right, though, to defend yourself from any misconduct charge. If your instructor has accused you of cheating or plagiarism, your school will have a process in place for appealing that decision. At most school's you have the right to a hearing before an administrator or a panel of decision-makers. The University of Southern California, for instance, uses administrative hearings in minor cases, but five-member panel hearings in cases where there's a possibility of suspension or dismissal. Some smaller schools, such as the University of West Florida, don't hold hearings but do offer a process where you appeal up the administrative chain of command.
No matter what your situation, you never want to go into a misconduct hearing alone. Schools have a habit of closing ranks any time a student suggests an instructor might have made a mistake. Processes and procedures can be confusing. You want an attorney from the Lento Law Firm at your side to help you build your defense and make sure your rights are protected.
Disciplinary Misconduct
Beyond the classroom walls, your behavior is governed by your school's Code of Student Conduct. This document should contain rules about your general campus behavior, everything from how loud you can play your stereo to what websites you're allowed to access.
Here again, you can expect your school to be unique in terms of its specific policies, and it pays to read your student handbook or bulletin ahead of time. However, there are some prohibitions you should expect no matter where you're enrolled.
- Substance abuse: While marijuana has been legalized in some states, it remains illegal on the federal level. No school wants to encourage its students to break the law, so you can expect your college or university to have specific rules barring all drug use and possession. It may also have rules about drinking.
- Discrimination and harassment: Generally speaking, all campuses have rules about how you treat others. In addition, though, you'll likely face particularly serious consequences for discriminating against or harassing any members of protected groups, such as minorities, women, members of the LGBTQ community, or students with disabilities.
- Weapons possession: With few exceptions, most colleges and universities bar all types of weapons from campus, including firearms, fireworks, and any other combustible materials.
- Theft: Here again, school policy almost always follows the law. Theft is a violation of school rules, the same as it is a violation of the law.
- Disorderly Conduct: You can also expect most schools to have policies against disruptive behavior, whether that happens in class or on the quad.
If you've been accused of a dismissable offense, you can be almost certain that your school will allow you to defend yourself at a formal hearing. As part of that hearing, you may make opening and closing statements, submit evidence, call witnesses to testify, and ask questions of any witnesses against you. Even in low-level cases, an administrator will usually conduct an informal hearing in which both sides get to make their arguments.
A hearing isn't a criminal court case, though, and you shouldn't expect decision-makers to follow the finer points of the law. For example, they don't have to find you “Responsible” (guilty) beyond a reasonable doubt. If they are more than fifty percent convinced you committed an offense, that's enough.
You need an attorney on hand to help you navigate the system. The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team is familiar with your school's procedures and can advise you from the moment you're charged until your last appeal is exhausted.
Sexual Misconduct
Sexual misconduct is technically a form of disciplinary misconduct. However, because it's governed by federal law—Title IX—it's subject to very specific judicial processes. This process gives you some important rights. For instance, you have the right to
- Receive the same treatment as the Complainant (your accuser)
- Be presumed “Not Responsible” (innocent)
- A thorough investigation
- The chance to review all evidence
- Advanced notification of all meetings and proceedings
- A formal, live hearing
- An appeal
- Investigators and decision-makers who are free of bias
However, there's a lot at risk in these cases as well. The federal government mandates schools investigate all credible allegations and encourages them to use harsh penalties. The minimum sanction in these cases is usually suspension. The more likely sanction is dismissal.
These cases can be particularly complex, involving issues like your school's definition of “consent.” And while you have some important rights, they won't help much unless you know how to use them to your advantage. The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm have helped hundreds of students fight Title IX charges. They can help you to do the same.
Getting Help
Most colleges and universities allow you to bring an attorney with you to all hearings and other proceedings, not just Title IX hearings. Your attorney may not be able to speak on your behalf during these hearings, but they can be on hand to offer advice. University allied health programs understand that the stakes are high—your career is on the line—and they generally want to make sure justice is done.
Whether your school allows this or not, though, you need someone from the Lento Law Firm to help you prepare and present your case. It is no exaggeration to say that your entire future is at stake any time you've been accused of misconduct. The process can be confusing and, quite frankly, incredibly stressful. A Lento Law Firm attorney can ensure things go smoothly. They can monitor what happens and respond any time your program seems to be violating your rights. They can work with you to get you the very best possible resolution to your case.
The Lento Law Firm was specifically built to handle allied health student cases. Our Student Defense Team knows what's at stake for you—how much work you've put into getting where you are and how important your career is to you. Whether you're facing a serious misconduct charge like rape, or you just need help negotiating a better grade from your professor, you can count on us to have the knowledge and the experience to get you the best possible outcome.
If you're a dietetics or nutrition student with a problem, don't wait to see what will happen. Contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or use our automated online form.
