The Commission on Dietetic Registration: Ahead of the Trends for a Competent 21st Century Workforce.

T HE ACADEMY OF NUTRITION and Dietetics* has always promoted the quality of education, experience, and lifelong learning as a requisite for membership and later translated to the dietetics credentialing. As early as 1919, just 2 years after the organization began, the leadership was discussing concerns about education and practice performance. To quote Lenna Frances Cooper, first vice president, “There is a need to distinguish between dietitians with a college degree and special training in some scientific work with the ones of lesser training. This would provide an incentive for better preparation and performance” (R. Yakel, RD, unpublished data, 1987). Numerous citations from the early years until today show that the development of the current credentialing program administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) continues the high standards of the Academy’s founders. The Academy continues today to be known as a leader among professional organizations in the development and continued strengthening of its credentialing programs. Beginning in 1961, the House of Delegates (HOD) recommended that the Executive Board appoint a committee to study licensure, registration, and certification with a charge to review their definitions, the pros and cons of each, and implications these would have to the total Academy membership. The committee, chaired by Ethel Downey, member of the Executive Board, presented their recommendations in 1967 indicating that voluntary registration of members would be the best path to meet the objectives (ie, education for excellence), not only in the primary development of dietitians, but also for the continuing competency of all dietetics practitioners. The entire membership was surveyed with an overwhelming positive response and approval of the principle of professional registration. Within a year the committee prepared the first Tentative Proposal on Registration, whichwas reviewedby theHODand the Executive Board and sent to the membership for vote as an amendment to the Academy’s constitution. The amendment was approved by a tremendous positive response by the members to become effective June 1, 1969. During the first 5 years, the Committee on Professional Registration was dedicated to getting the initial “grandfather group” (for whom the test was waived) processed, defining and approving continuing education events, developing the exam (assisted by the Psychological Corporation of New York City), and devising the appeals process