Hi all. I just felt that I needed to put my .02 in on this matter. I think every learned profession that I can think of has some way to measure it's academics. My father is a certified electrician. I used to help him alot when I was younger, I knew alot about what he did, and even knew how to do some simple wiring myself. But I wouldn't think of opening a business and expecting people to pay me as a board certified electrician, without passing the test myself. The public has a right to some type of guarantee that I know what I say I know. I can't just say, well I have done this for years....I agree that there are alot of L.C.'s out there that may have more knowledge, but we have to have something that says we know at least the minimum of our profession. I also did not have a formal pathway to get my hours. I worked for 5 years as a volunteer. I made hospital rounds, peer counselor for health dept., set up and led a support group, taught bf in the local school system etc. I got very frustrated at times, trying to convince my husband that it was really worth paying a sitter to do volunteer work full-time. I also attended every workshop I could on bf. The hospital was generous and paid for most of my conference fees. I considered working for free the same as paying tuition and boy did I get an education. I forgot to mention that I became involved with LLL 16 yrs ago when my first child was born. Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that I would not go to a M.D. that wasn't licensed or hire a lawyer that didn't pass the bar. Other people may have more knowledge but how am I to know that? The hours are very hard to accumulate but it is not impossible..One more thing, the exam was NOT easy, I left the exam site knowing I had failed. When I found out that I passed I used the info that IBCLE sent with my scores to study on areas that I wasn't as strong in as I felt that I should be. I am constantly studying and learning from the mom's and babies I work with. Maybe some IBCLC's don't keep current with their info. but then some drs. are better than others, too. A bad M.D. or lawyer gets a reputation for being just that. I feel the same will happen to IBCLC's that don't have the knowledge or expertise. I am sorry I just can't figure how someone can fake the exam. Lastly, I am very proud of being IBCLC even if it is the minimum standard, I worked very hard to get it and I will continue to work hard to keep my standards above the "minimum". Pam