Chemistry is an often complained about part of dietetics, but building a good chemistry foundation as an undergraduate will really benefit you in the long run, and in applying for an internship. Just like an amino acids is a building block of a protein, chemistry is a building block of dietetics.
As you progress in your dietetic education, chemistry is a subject that will pop up again and again. When you get to advanced nutrition a foundational understanding of how oxidation and reduction reactions work can help you better see how vitamin C acts as an antioxidant. And when you come to diabetes and medical nutrition therapy, knowing how buffers work will help you understanding how a type 1 diabetic who is breathing heavily may not have taken enough insulin, resulting in diabetic ketoacidosis.
Several internship programs request a science GPA. Chemistry may make up three or more of the classes included in this GPA, and when this GPA can be made up by as few as eight classes, that is a huge proportion. Your chemistry classes will also make up part of your DPD (dietetics coursework) GPA, and your overall GPA. For internships that value grades highly, chemistry can have a big impact on your chances of being chosen as an intern.
Taking chemistry seriously, and applying yourself earnestly in your chemistry classes will help you better understand the complexities of nutrition, and may help improve your chances of becoming a dietetic intern. So while it may be a very difficult subject, chemistry is worth dedicating as much effort as possible to.
Source(s): Applicant Guide to Supervised Practice. (2009)., Gropper, S.S., Smith, J.L., & Groff, J.L. (2009). Advanced nutrition and human metabolism. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning., Nelms, M, Sucher, K, & Long, S. (2007). Nutrition therapy and pathophysiology. Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole.
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