Become a paediatric dietitian: test-drive the career before you switch

A typical day

• 8:30 am: paediatric team meeting to review the children on the ward this week.
• 9:30 am: consultation with a family whose child has just been diagnosed with coeliac disease.
• 11 am: taste workshop with a group of children living with diabetes.
• 12:30 pm: quick lunch, then reading through the morning's notes.
• 2 pm: menu committee with the town's central kitchen and parents.
• 4:30 pm: writing reports for the prescribing doctors.
• 5:30 pm: call with a school to prepare the care plan of a child with an allergy.

How to become a paediatric dietitian

In France, dietitian is a protected title: you need a recognised diploma to use it. There are two routes after school: the BTS diététique, renewed as the BTS diététique et nutrition (created by an order of 27 November 2024, first exams in 2027), and the BUT Génie biologique with its diététique et nutrition track. Career changers can often take these courses through continuing education or prior-learning recognition (VAE), depending on the school; allow at least two years of study. A focus on children then comes from placements, experience in paediatrics, mother-and-child centres or school catering, and short courses. In English-speaking countries, dietetics is also a regulated profession that requires an accredited degree. The G-Learn test-drive is a first step to try the job: its certificate is not a diploma and does not allow you to practise.

Pay

In a French public hospital, a dietitian starts at about €1,944 gross a month before bonuses and can reach about €3,579 gross at the end of their career (public hospital pay scale, 2024 index point). In private practice, income varies widely with region, client base and number of consultations, which are usually not reimbursed. In 2024, 45% of French dietitians worked in private or mixed practice, up from 33% in 2015 (DREES, Adeli register): setting up on your own is common, often alongside a salaried post.

The hard parts

• Family situations can be heavy: arguments at the table, financial hardship, parents' guilt.
• Private practice means building a network of doctors and accepting a slow start.
• You must stay within your role and refer quickly to the doctor when a problem goes beyond food.

Sources: Santé.fr — Mission : retrouve ton cap (2023) · Intercariforef — BTS diététique et nutrition, RNCP40028 · RDV Emploi public — Fiche métier diététicien (grille FPH 2024) · EDP Nutrition — Diététiciens : des professionnels toujours plus nombreux (2025) · Santé publique France — Esteban, chapitre corpulence (2017)