Nofia Altman writes:
>
>That sounds like a fantastic idea and I really hope those of you with IBCLC
>will help out with it.
>(getting it implemented)  Maybe even in time for this July??

Yikes.  Please allow a little more time for this idea to be discussed and
investigated!  The first IBLCE exam was years on the drawing board before it
finally debuted in 1985....  there is an *awful* lot of ground to cover in
setting up any sort of new program, and there's a *huge* difference between
collecting all of these ideas and translating them into some sort of
reliable measure of competence whether that is entry-level, pre-entry level,
or whatever.

Consider that just on this list, there are probably 700 different opinions
about what precisely would be considered IBCLC exam material versus "LC
intern" material - in given situations, where would you draw the line
between what an IBCLC could do and an intern could do?  More importantly,
WHY would you draw the line there?  What would be your rationale for drawing
that line in that particular spot?  And could you show that your rationale
is more substantial than the rationale of someone who would "draw the line"
in a very different place?  Would you have research studies to back you up?
Would your position be equally valid in other countries?  This is the kind
of question IBLCE has to ask about every single exam entry for the current
IBCLC exam, and it is the kind of thinking that I would expect to be part of
any development process for any other examination.....  so it's pretty
complicated, to say the least.

Although the IBLCE office is closed for the holidays, we're listening to
this discussion with great interest and we'll be sure that the IBLCE Board
sees this discussion as well.  I don't think we've missed a single bit of
it, but if you make a point to the LactNet list and you want to be
especially sure that it's heard at IBLCE as well, please feel free to e-mail
us directly:

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Thanks to all, and best wishes for the new year!

Mary Renard
Vienna VA  USA
enjoying a sedentary holiday with a freshly broken (and pieced together)
ankle/leg - the wages of middle-aged sports! (no, not skiing; ice skating)
=============================================
Mary Riley Renard, RN, BSN, IBCLC
CERP/Recertification Coordinator
Int'l Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners
P O Box 2348
Falls Church VA  22042-0348  USA
Tele   703-560-7330
Fax    703-560-7332
email  [log in to unmask]
=============================================