Can an RD Diagnose?
                                
                                
                                •
                                
                                
                        
                                    
                                    4 min read                                
                            
                                While registered dietitians (RDs) are highly trained healthcare professionals specializing in food and nutrition, they are not licensed to issue a medical diagnosis, as this falls outside their legal scope of practice. This is a common point of confusion, but an RD's role involves a distinct and equally vital process known as a 'nutrition diagnosis'.