Passing the CDR Exam

This study investigated the characteristics and confidence of dietitians who passed the Commission on Dietetic Registration examination to become registered dietitians (RDs). In this descriptive study, data were collected using Qualtrics. A survey link was distributed to dietetics program directors, posted on RD Facebook groups, and distributed through the Nutrition and Dietetics Educators and Preceptors Listserv. A total of 440 RD participants completed the survey. Most respondents were non-Hispanic, White females, and more than half of the respondents were between the ages of 20 and 29 years. Almost half of the respondents took the examination within 2 months of becoming eligible, and 73.4% of the respondents passed the examination on the first attempt. Statistical analysis showed a significant, but weak, relationship between education level and passing on the first attempt. Confidence was significantly different between those who passed on the first attempt and those who took multiple attempts. For those respondents who made multiple attempts, confidence was significantly different between attempts. In conclusion, the respondents’ demographics were mostly like the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s 2020 Needs Satisfaction Survey demographics. Self-reported confidence was different between those who passed the examination on the first attempt and those who made multiple attempts.