Hi, All: I realize I'm putting myself way out on a limb here, but I can't remain silent any longer. I noticed that Renee and Robyn are both apologizing profusely for using IBCLC student, etc. in their Lactnet signatures and Robyn says she was "chastised" by IBLCE for using such terms. I also noticed that both have CLC after their names. I'm making the assumption that you both took a lactation course of some kind? I'm also assuming you have some years of professional experience in lactation? Why would you accept being referred to as an "LC wannabe"? I am UCLA- certified (and damn proud of it, this certification being master's level certification), but am planning on sitting the exam this year. I guess I'm caving in to pressure - getting too old and burned out to continue to resist. I was getting together the information IBLCE wants for application. Am I considered an "LC wannabe" with over 24,000 hours of "breastfeeding consultancy hours"? Am I an LC wannabe with over 58 hours of continuing education in lactation this last year alone? And this doesn't include the speaking I've done in lactation. And those are only the hours I can remember! Am I an "LC wannabe" with 20 years of publishing and speaking in my profession under my belt? Am I an LC wannabe after serving as adjunct faculty to UCLA's Lactation Training Programs? Am I an LC wannabe after having created and managed 2 hospital-based lactation programs, the 1st one 20 years ago and one of the 1st in the Chicago area? Am I an LC wannabe whose hospital-based program serves as a model for other hospitals? Am I an LC wannabe, being one of the 1st members of ILCA, a founding member of 2 Chicago-area ILCA affiliates and past president of one of them? I think you get my point. Remember, IBLCE is an ENTRY LEVEL exam that currently requires no "graduation" from an approved program (as in other "professions"). It seems those of us who are graduates of university- level programs are ostrasized from the field (can't legitimately call it a profession). I HAVE credentials and credibility. I've said this before and I'll say it again - IBLCE needs to take a long hard look at the current method of doing things. The focus needs to shift from providing an expensive vehicle designed to lend credibility to unlicensed people to one of professionalism. And the first order of business is to provide geographically accessible "schools" of lactation and clinical opportunities. These schools need to have admission criteria, just like any other school. The second order of business is to then provide a "licensing" exam, followed by required annual continuing education to maintain licensure. If we have any hopes of being accepted and recognized as a "licensed profession" that exists within the accepted "medical model" these steps are MANDATORY! The system is already in place! Why are we looking for ways to circumvent the system? If we want to be considered "players" within the healthcare setting, we have to "play by the rules" of the game. See you at the exam! Pam Hirsch, RN,BSN,CLC Clinical Lead, Lactation Services Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital Barrington, IL USA *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html