Laura writes: How does everyone else justify paying for CERPs and recertification and does anyone just choose to re-take the exam at 5 years? ~~~ Interesting question Laura, I guess I can't justify it ( financially), except that I need to keep learning, and I am both challenged and supported seeing and hearing from my colleagues, whether in person or at online "venues". I have the opposite issue: I feel like it's hard to justify spending money on CERPS for the next 5 years, when I have to recertify by exam in 5 years anyway. We are given no choice. ( And no other HCPs are impressed that we have to recertify by exam, it means nothing to them. )There is no real logic: I don't make a lot of money, I don't have the stamina or emotional strength to see more moms than I see ( which I am keeping low due to a really rough past year). Logically, I should go back to being a PT. And yet I don't, not yet anyway. As someone said, this is a kind of calling. Sometimes there is no justification, there is only "yes" or "no"... I suppose the middle ground is to take ONLY the courses you think will be really helpful, and not worry about whether there are enough CERPS of 3 kinds, and take the exam. I wonder if that would be financially more doable since most of the NonRn-IBCLCs &/or non-hospital based IBCLCs I know do not make a living as IBCLCs. Other option: It lacks the same networking punch, but yearly online Lactation conferences are much more affordable, and can provide over 20 CERPS/'year easily. One could probably get all the CERPS one needed in 3 conferences-years, if my math is right. Peace, Judy Judy LeVan Fram, PT, IBCLC, LLLL Brooklyn, NY, USA [log in to unmask] *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] COMMANDS: 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome