On my way to take my RD exam, I literally felt like I was going to JAIL, I was so nervous. I could only focus on breathing deeply, knowing I was going to my death I mean the last exam I’d have to take to finally, officially become a dietitian. I’m surprised I didn’t hurl. Anxiety sucks! Fast forward about 3 hours, my jaw dropped when I saw my score. The long, hard, ridiculous and tortuous journey was finally over, I couldn’t believe it. I literally pinched myself to know I wasn’t dreaming after gawking at the screen for what felt like 5 solid minutes. I passed on my first attempt with a 29! I called my dad and he cried because he knew I had worked so hard and he prayed so hard for my “anxiety to leave” me (he had texted me words of encouragement the morning of saying he was confident I could do it and to just kick ass & think about how we’d celebrate after). I love my dad! Anyway, you have also worked hard and deserve to feel this way so here are my top tips including stress-busting techniques for studying AND exam day to kick the RD exam’s ass!
Exam Prep Resources:
Use notes from your undergrad & MS/DI programs, and know your study routine may or may not need to be adjusted from what you’re used to based on your schedule, how confident you are in your test taking skills, etc. Know yourself, take what you’re used to and use that to inform how you start to prepare, but be aware your routine may need an overhaul to find what works for you in this stage. I learned a lot about what works and doesn't for me my second time in college, so I didn’t need to do much adjusting this time around. Me? I have to handwrite notes, rinse & repeat, and I supplement official lectures & other material with YouTube lectures such as the wonderful Zach from NinjaNerd.
The RD Exam Passing Trifecta is: Jean Inman Review, Medical PocketPrep app (CDR version obviously), and the Chomping Down the Dietetic Exam lecture podcast found on Spotify and possibly other places as well.
Jean Inman Review is THE "gold standard" study guide that outlines what you need to know besides the CDR guide itself. That being said, it can be both overwhelming and dry - just information, no color, minimal diagrams and charts. I advise using Inman as a general guide to allll the things you should brush up on/review/learn and do the Q-Banks for each domain. I specifically went through Inman domain by domain, but broke up domain 2 MNT in half and did the second half after domain 4. I saved time by reviewing relevant notes from school, then wrote down anything I didn’t understand completely, or just wanted more review/practice. I tried to work on questions before and during this process, but I didn’t love having hundreds of questions for that topic - I found it overwhelming to look at. I also sometimes thought Inman was too in-depth (as far as too many topics, not in explanation). I created my own high-yield notes using the CDR study topic outline as my guide or “checklist” because it’s their exam so it’s safe to assume all of that and more is fair game. One last thing about Inman - I tried and failed to listen to the lecture recordings but I could barely stand listening to that at normal speed, I didn’t even try speeding it up (which I usually do). I’ve seen many people say they listen to it in the car, but driving is my music therapy time and I just don’t learn as effectively with audio only. I tried to listen and follow along with the binder highlighting every time she said “Note:...”, but it just didn’t work for me so I only got through maybe ¼ of domain 1 and domain 2 doing that. I highly recommend the high-yield study method!
PocketPrep is great no matter where you are in this lovely process. The free version is awesome for reviewing whenever you have a free moment waiting in line or bopping between emails & social media and it can remind you to do your question of the day so even when working full time, etc like I did (more on that in a bit) you can keep your exam prep studying fresh in your mind with consistent practice! I highly recommend starting the paid version at least one month before your exam (I did 3 months) and use the Q-bank tips below. The advantage here vs. Inman Review is that the app gives you an explanation if you need it. Plus, it’s more customizable: you can do all domains or focus on your weakest one, go over your missed questions, etc. AND they have the best mock exam to prep for exam day. The other RD exam prep apps had typos and/or not as good of a UI. PockePrep helped with identifying weak points and cited the source for all their rationales which really helped create a more global understanding.
Chomping Down the Dietetic Exam was easily the most recommended podcast to me. There are others, but this was my favorite by far. It commences with an affirmation (#IYKYK), “appetizer” questions, then does an excellent job of breaking down concepts like acidosis & alkalosis. Then you go through the questions from the beginning and end with your affirmation. I also loved that the episodes were nice & short!
I used plenty of free & low-cost resources via my internship program, the other students in my cohort, and RD exam study buddies I met online in facebook groups, etc. There are plenty of study groups online like on Facebook, Reddit, Discord, etc AND free resources for specific topics! Find a study partner to review with and help clarify questions. It’s also great to have a little study community for venting purposes - this shit is HARD and having like-minded people is awesome. You might have to coordinate schedules and time zones, but it’s worth it.
Some people buy expensive tutoring or study programs like All Access Dietetics or Visual Veggies, but I really don’t think it’s worth the money especially when there are free or less expensive options out there. Since I missed out on a year’s worth of income and spent so much out of pocket on my schooling which provided many of the resources I mentioned, I didn’t feel it’d be worth it. Plus, I did look into VV and AAD, but certainly wasn’t impressed enough to pay into it. AAD’s offerings especially were overkill to me, especially if you have a background in food or healthcare at all and/or a great undergrad and grad school program and/or fantastic rotation experiences. I also think it’d be overwhelming to do anything comprehensive besides Inman because you already have so much info to work through, I can’t imagine having to compare Inman to Pass Class to see which method says what about small bowel obstructions or whatever. If it works for you, awesome. If you’ve got a few hundred to spare, go for it. I did just fine without either program because I ended up passing with flying colors on my first try! Besides my tuition, I got away with only paying for a few months of Medical PocketPrep. I’m not saying don't invest in yourself! Just be sensible about what you invest in.
Study Schedules and You
After undergrad and/or during MS/DI program: I tried to start working on Inman Review and the Question of the Day on PocketPrep during my internship, but I was mainly focused on just getting through the program. For months, I worked 40+ hours a week for no money on top of homework assignments and living hours away from home, so it was hard. I recommend taking care of yourself before anything or anyone else - this career is not more important than you.
Dedicated study: I did this for a few weeks/months/long enough where time means nothing between my internship hours and working a paid job.
I highly recommend trying to put together a study plan/schedule so it doesn’t take over your life but that being said, I absolutely suck at routine so I knew sticking to a schedule wouldn’t work so if you're like me, the most important advice I can give you is listen to your body.
I made myself study when I got up, after self-care coffee time of course. I didn’t have a set study plan, which you’re supposed to do, but whatever, I lived. I just studied until I needed to eat, pee, or just simply walk away from my desk because my brain wasn’t having it. I then took a break of a few minutes to a few hours, then got back at it. Rinse & repeat!
Be conscientious of the outside world, and call your mom sometimes. Hug a kitty or a puppy. Go out with friends. Just get outside! Don’t lock yourself up inside studying all the time or you won't be productive. Ask me how I know this! Lol
While employed:
Part time work is a great way to recuperate funds as well as get some outside world exposure rather than being cooped up studying all the time. I worked part-time as a receptionist/front office manager so I had lots of open spans of time to spend on studying and looking for dietitian positions! I just had to break focus anytime someone came through the door to check in, etc.
Full time work is energy-zapping enough without the stress of studying for boards on top of it. Not impossible, but really hard. I did it, but it sucks! I found a full-time RD position relatively soon after graduation, so once I started that job, I really only had the time/energy to successfully study on the weekends. I mostly only did my daily PocketPrep study question, and sometimes a quick 10-question quiz on a lunch break. I sometimes tried at night or on a day off, but most often, I’d just need that time to decompress. I will say it’s humbling when your body and/or mind forces you to relax - there have been multiple times where I could not stay awake on the couch or even just laid down for a bit to end up napping for 1-4 hours haha
Q-Bank Techniques:
Think of studying for boards like a marathon: you have to work your way up. Start with mastering the material, then do practice questions to quiz yourself, then move on to practice tests. First do open-book with no time constraints, then time yourself allowing open book if you need it, then time yourself with no notes allowed to simulate the actual exam experience.
Take a deep breath and settle in: #letsgetdowntobusiness. If you don’t already know, in the test center (not including any accommodations) you’re allotted 150 minutes to answer between 125-145 questions. Like I mentioned earlier, I don't recommend timing yourself when you’re first going through practice questions, but to prepare for taking the exam itself, be aware you do have a time limit. Once you think you’ve got the material down or at least need to get ready for exam day, start doing practice exams that include all domains and time yourself. I usually finished with 30-60 minutes left after 125 questions. Aim for at least 5 minutes leeway in case you do have an exam that goes to 145. General test-taking techniques you may have heard of that are especially important for this ever-loving beast of an exam, so practice them:
Read the whole question and focus on what it’s really asking. Avoid what Mometrix Test Prep calls “fact traps” - answers that are factually true but are not the answer the question is looking for. Pay attention to units, and if it’s asking for which answer is NOT recommended vs. Which of the following would you do - I’ve made silly mistakes like that firsthand which lowered my average and therefore my confidence. Not fun :)
Pay attention to units - mL or L, grams or kg, minutes vs. hours, etc.
When you have two complete opposite answer choices, usually the answer is one of those.
Trust yourself - unless you misread the question, do not second-guess your brain. You’ve been training for this for years, you know your stuff, and you don’t have unlimited time to dwell. Keep your first answer unless you’re sure it’s wrong.
Remember - the correct answer is there, you just have to narrow it down.
Eliminate an answer or two right away by trying to pick out answers that have nothing to do with the point I just mentioned - what the question is asking! PocketPrep calls these answer choices “distractors”. If there’s one answer choice that doesn’t really go with the others, like, idk, if the question is describing a medication asking you what it’s called and one of the answer choices is the name of a hormone (or vice versa), you might want to ignore that loser. He might be a distractor!
Example of this I just made up: Which of the following is a fat-soluble vitamin?
A. Thiamine
B. Gliadin
C. Cholecalciferol
D. Biotin
So this question is asking about vitamins… B’s out! Oh wait, it’s talking about fat-soluble ones, so A & D are out. C is correct.
Go over your missed questions at least once and be sure to identify your overall weak areas and prioritize those topics to try to get better. I walked through each question and wrote down the topics I missed and made a mini-study guide for those topics that were particularly confusing to make sure I fully understood the topics. It’s helpful to think through why each answer choice is an option, and understanding why they are correct or incorrect.
Practice exam percentage scores do not really translate to what you’ll get on the exam. I was averaging like 60-75% on my practice exams so yeah my confidence was shaken because I had heard that you want to be closer to 80, but clearly I knew what I was doing if I passed with flying colors.
It’s also helpful to understand the actual test's format. Within each domain, the questions start easy and get harder (points are weighted accordingly). So while you may get a memorization type question, they’re more of warmup leading into application based questions. If you struggle with the harder questions, the test should “back off” a little and ramp back up - all with each domain. The domains are mixed together so you may not see the trend but you also kinda can. So yes, you need to know the memorization stuff, but the test wants you to apply it to a situation, not regurgitate it. Memorization will only go so far on the exam. It’s not made up of true/false questions. You’ll need to also develop your critical thinking skills and know how to synthesize multiple pieces of information. If you know the formulas behind things, you’ll be fine. Again, don’t just memorize recommendations, but think of how you would apply that to a situation, you need to know the rationale behind WHY one would be the best option over the other. It's better to understand the relationship between the concepts rather than memorize.
The test is geared towards being an entry level RD, so MNT questions likely aren’t going to be your most complex ICU patient on multiple pressures and CRRT. You are not expected to know everything. So, be kind to yourself, and if there’s something or a few things you just can't get a handle on, it's ok. For me, it was mostly management stuff that I could just not focus well on learning/retaining because I found it so BORING. I’m also not that interested in community nutrition like public health and WIC so I just kinda skimmed over and reviewed stuff as best I could as a refresher, but I mostly just hoped and prayed I wouldn’t get a question on that. Also, even if you do, you only need a 25 to pass. This is easier said than done, but don’t worry about your weird weighted “scaled score” (no one seems to know what that means or how they get it) especially if it’s your first attempt. Some people get 19s or 23s, some people get 25s, some people get 32s, I got a 29, do not let this mess with your head. All that matters is 25 or above means you are officially a registered dietitian.
Exam Day Stress-Busting Techniques
Before:
As far as scheduling the exam, if you’re registry-eligible and haven’t yet already, I recommend doing it as soon as you can. The more you put it off, the less motivation (or as I call it, fire-under-the-ass) you’ll have to git-er-done. Set a deadline for yourself and make it happen - you’ve made it this far, you can do this too.
Plan ahead as much as possible. Look up the CDR candidate handbook to know the rules, processes, what you can and can’t bring, and if you need to set up any accommodations. Know where you’re going and if you need to figure out parking, maybe pick out something comfy to wear, make sure you have a snack, have someone else drive you if test-taking (or just driving) makes you anxious. Just prepare & self-care as much as possible to ensure you and your brain are taken care of more than anything in the world on exam day so you can focus on nothing but crossing that finish line
PocketPrep mock exams a week or a few days before your exam to get your head in the game - computerized, with timer, extra questions.
Take the day before (or at the very least the day of) off work if you’re working, and no/minimal reviewing - try to relax. I took my exam on a Tuesday and took the day before and of off work, so I had 3 full days in a row to focus before exam day. I studied for the first part of the day before, but I came to the conclusion that I knew what I knew, I wasn’t going to stuff much more into my head, and I needed to use the rest of my remaining time to attempt to relax. I took a nap, then watched some netflix. Morning of, I did glance at some stuff but I was mostly just trying to not hyperventilate :)
Eat breakfast if you can. I personally do not recommend coffee, I was satisfactorily alert on pure adrenaline but you do you.
Try to get to the test center half an hour before your appointment time to decrease the stress of the possibility of being late. It will give you time to get to where you need to be, settle in, breathe. If you are late, they have the right to turn you away and you forfeit your exam fees.
All you’ll need at the test center is your ID. Obviously you’re not allowed to bring in your phone or anything to the actual room, but there are lockers for your use so stash your phone, wallet, jacket, etc. I recommend wearing some comfy layers, but besides that they will provide everything you’ll need except the knowledge in your head. Ask for a calculator if they don’t give you one; there is an on-screen one but I prefer the physical calculator in front of me as that’s how most of us practice calculations when studying. They will also provide you with earplugs and noise-canceling earmuffs/headphones if it would help you; I used the noise-canceling headphones and was thankful that was available to me so I could have silence and could focus.
During:
Take a deep breath; repeat PRN
Remember your training - you have come this far in the process, you've made it to the last stop, so there is no doubt that you are qualified to be here. Have confidence in yourself, your brain, and your abilities. Think of it like you’re already a dietitian, you're just getting registered today!
If it helps you feel better, once you get to your spot, you can write down any formulas or reminders to yourself on the whiteboard they give you so you can empty your head a bit.
Don’t forget the techniques I told you about earlier - read the whole question, focus on what it’s really asking, pay attention to your units, etc.
The exam can end anytime between 125 and 145 questions. If it stops at 125, it means you either passed or failed. Do not panic if it doesn't, it just means you’re close to passing but not quite there yet, so keep breathing, you’re almost done.
NO ONE told me that once it ends, you have to do a stupid little customer satisfaction survey before you get your score. I tried to breathe normally and not scream, but it was difficult. Just a heads up!
After:
Pass or fail, you made it through, take time to relax!
Try not to be discouraged if you got a 24 or 19 or any other non-passing score, especially on your first attempt! A huge part of the reason I was so terrified to take this exam was because of the horror stories I heard from others having to take it 3 or 5 or 9 TIMES (kid you not) and of how unbelievably tricky it can be. Remember, you will never feel 100% ready because no one knows exactly what will be on the RD exam since it changes up each time you take it.
Good luck to you!
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