How to shift from clinical dietetics to private practice

One of the most fulfilling aspects of running my private practice dietitian business’ is when I get to hire a new team member. I especially love hiring dietitians new to private practice and eager to work in this incredibly rewarding, fulfilling, and flexible environment.

But to be honest, hiring a dietitian new to private practice, whether they’re a new graduate or have worked in another field for several years, takes time to shift their clinical skills into the private practice setting. And while I absolutely love training people new to this industry, I know from working with other business owners that this is a massive barrier to hiring dietitians who haven’t worked in private practice before.

The Difference Between Clinical (hospital) and Private Practice Dietetics

According to a recent survey, the most common area of dietetics employment was private practice, followed by hospitals. Yet despite this, universities continue to focus on and prioritise preparing dietitians for the hospital environment. Our clinical skills are down pat, and of course, these are transferable to private practice; however, there’s a big difference between the two settings.

Clinical dietetics	Private practice dietetics
Fleeting client interactions Teamwork-heavy Generic information Acute conditions Quick fixes Thorough and detail-orientated Clinical skills only	Relationship building Individual (+/- team) Personalised information Chronic conditions Bigger picture – long term support Flexible and adaptable Clinical + counselling skills + business skills

Transitioning from uni to private practice as a dietitian

Of course, we learn an incredible amount of valuable information at uni; however, it doesn’t really prepare us for the realities of work, especially as a private practice dietitian and work opportunities are shifting away from traditional silos of public health, hospitals and food service. That’s why I’m incredibly passionate about helping as many dietitians as possible improve their general skills like time management, communication and business skills. These skills can be applied to private practice and across various industries, preparing dietitians for a constantly changing work environment.

Whether you’re a student dietitian or a graduate, you’ll need more than good nutrition knowledge to stand out above your classmates when looking for work. You’ll need skills that will enable you to adapt to various dietetics-related jobs rather than one specific role.

That’s why I’ve created a 12-week course for proactive students, emerging dietitians or experienced dietitians who want to learn how to navigate the private practice system, or explore work opportunities outside the traditional hospital setting.

In this course, I’ll share everything I’ve learned from training 50+ dietitians over the past 16 years. My goal is to help close the often enormous gap we face after uni so you can hit the ground running when you land your first private practice role.

So whether you’re a dietitian seeking employment in private practice or a business owner looking to expand your team, this blog is for you. I want to share the training framework I use when onboarding new team members and how I help them feel prepared and confident to lead sessions with authority and credibility.

The Elevated Training Method – Private Practice Skills

Part 1 – Are you sure private practice is right for you?

While private practice looks appealing from the outside and often offers greater freedom, flexibility and income than traditional dietetic roles, it’s not without its challenges. The course starts by looking at the big picture of this industry to ensure students and emerging dietitians understand what’s involved in working in private practice.

Introduction to the private practice landscape from a clinical and business perspective – get the lay of the land
Shifting your mindset away from hospital work to a more intimate and personalised environment
Understand the unpredictable and highly pressured work environments and common challenges involved in private practice
Building confidence in our unique value, charging for our services, and proactively retaining clients.

Part 2 – What does a private practice session look like?

A private practice client session is a stark contrast to the hospital. Rather than ducking into a hospital room for 15 minutes to quickly deliver your nutrition information, the initial private practice consultation focuses on building rapport above anything else. But there’s much more to consider than building strong client relationships.

This section aims to make you feel confident in knowing what questions to ask, how to book a review session and strategies to stick to your allocated session time. Get our tried-and-tested frameworks to help you run a smooth and in-flow session without your nerves getting the better of you.

Access the frameworks, resources and handouts we use with our new dietitians.
Learn how to create a safe environment, manage your time, set expectations, structure sessions, set boundaries and stick to them.
Learn how to build rapport with clients
Understand the private practice assessment style – slowing things down
Learn how to plan review appointments and confidently schedule appointments in advance.
Develop your voice and foster the confidence to lead the sessions with authority and credibility.
Understand the importance of time vs money and cancellation fees

Part 3 – How do you reduce burnout in private practice?

Unfortunately, dietitians across all industries are prone to burnout, and private practice is no exception. I’m passionate about instilling self-care habits in my team early on to ensure they put themselves first so they can have more fun at work and extra time for the things (and people) they love outside of work.