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Welcome
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Welcome to the Dietitians Professional Advisory Committee Web Site
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The service of dietitians and nutritionists in the PHS dates back to the year 1919. During that year, the first dietetic section was organized in the PHS Division of Hospitals which operated a medical care program for American seamen. These hospitals were primarily located in port cities with in-patient capacities ranging from about 100 to 1,000 beds.
Today PHS dietitians and nutritionists may serve in either the Commissioned Corps or the Civil Service personnel system. Presently there are approximately 100 Commissioned Officers and over 400 Civil Service dietitians and nutritionists serving in the PHS. Regardless of the assignment, their competence and skills are well utilized in advancing the objectives of the organizations they serve.
Dietitians and nutritionists continue to serve in a variety of government agencies such as: Indian Health Service,
Food and Drug Administration, National Institutes of Health, Health Resources and Services Administration,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Bureau of Prisons, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
(formerly the Health Care Financing Administration).
Dietitians serving in these organizations are involved in a variety of areas including research, clinical nutrition, food service administration, program planning and evaluation, health facility inspections, regulatory oversight and public health nutrition. In addition, dietitians and nutritionists are prepared and are ready to serve in emergency situations, such as the summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia and Athens, Greece, 911 Terrorist Attack, Anthrax Attack, G-8 Summitt, Rhode Island Fire, Kosovo Refugees, and several Hurricanes. As science continues to substantiate the importance of food and nutrition in relation to health, dietitians will play an even greater role in the continuing history of the profession in the United States Public Health Service.
PHS dietitians and nutritionists have served with distinction, developing and implementing nutrition-related components for the many programs they serve. The dietitians and nutritionists proudly serving under the flag of the United States Public Health Service have made, and continue to make, major contributions to the health of the nation.
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