Susan, I'm in! I've been thinking zbout this for a long time every now and then. I would love to have an academic course in lactation sciences and even more would love to teach it.
I'd love to see this idea thought over and discussed by many IBCLCs in many places around the world. I especially like the idea of co-operating universities around the world.
Warmly,
Gonneke. IBCLC, LLLL in southern Netherlands, near to a university with a department of medical sciences and a substantial department of nursing sciences (Maastricht University)
Susan Burger <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Dear all:
I've been thinking about a potential solution if we don't get resolution on the off-topic problem.
And a solution to something that many of us feel is needed, an advanced credential. Many of the
IBCLCs that have kept current or even gone on to advance the frontiers of lactation doing what I
consider to be crucially important research on intervention strategies really should have advanced
level qualifications and I certainly, would immediately work myself to the bone to get such an
advanced level credential.
I was thinking this would be unbelievably complicated or impossible or too costly. BUT the
internet might actually make this feasible.
Here's what I envision:
A consortium of sponsoring universities, with a mentor IBCLC in place at each university. An
online course made of the the IBCLCs that are pushing the envelop of practice and intervention
research in their areas of specialty. Each would develop a curricula on a particular topic that
would be in-depth and cover the equivalent of a semester of course work. No one day dabbling
that one gets at mini conferences or oversaturation that one gets at larger conferences. This
would be a day a week gradually over the course of a semester. The course attendee would be
required to spend a certain amount of time per week consulting with the IBCLC at the nearest
university about the implications of the course work for the IBCLCs practice. This would both
benefit the course "attendee" and the IBCLC mentor because there is nothing like having to think
about how this applies to your own practice to really make it useful.
At the end of each course there would be a final exam and an evaluation jointly by the IBCLC
mentor and the course facilitator of application of the course content to the course participants
practice.
This would add a depth and richness unattainable by any course that was primarily in one setting.
It would remove the high costs of facility use. It would provide an opportunity to go through an
alternative credentialing body. One could develop a consortium credentialing body of public
health, nutrition, psychology, and many varied fields. I choose these fields because I think we
have not been paying as much attention as needed to the long-term breastfeeding relationship
from prior to pregnancy through weaning.
When I looked at IBCLE's exam score breakdown, I was not surprised. Contrary to the popular
wisdom that most IBCLCs don't know enough about premies, and the early postpartum period, the
scores in this area were dramatically higher than the scores for knowledge of breastfeeding for
7-12 month olds. Also, the number of questions for each period were dramatically skewed
towards earlier nursing and not the entire relationship. We should, as a profession, if we are really
to have an impact on breastfeeding be equally skilled across the spectrum of breastfeeding OR
subspecialize.
Best regards, Susan E. Burger, MHS, PhD, IBCLC
Who is entirely serious and would love to take this up at the next ICLA meeting on controversies in
lactation. Boy will that be a hot meeting.
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