I, too, have been reading all the posts about requirements for the IBLCE exam
with a great deal of interest.  I support IBLCE's recognition of a college
degree regardless of major.  B---S---C--- requires at least two years of
college for entrance into our LC course.  And for the same reasons some have
mentioned, namely, that having attended college demonstrates an ability for
learning and critical thinking.  We believe that skills learned and
demonstrated in college are a good barometer of a student's ability
to succeed in their course.  Educators, and exam givers, have a
responsibility to give students and test takers the greatest chance to
succeed.  Lowering entrance standards would not be in the candidate's best
interest.  There are certainly many people who have not had the opportunity
to attend college and are still high achievers.  IBLCE makes allowances for
those people by recognizing a higher amount of practice hours, which seems a
very practical and fair way to make the exam accessible to them.

Admittedly, it is frustrating to those who want to enter the lactation
profession to learn that so many practice hours are required to sit the exam.
 However, the exam is not an entry level exam.  Its purpose is to give
recognition to those who are skilled in the profession.  And this comes with
PRACTICE.  None of us would want the standards to be diminished.  Those
entering the field need to consider the journey to the exam as a long term
goal.  It is so right that the actual performance on the exam is not the most
important thing.  It is the journey that led to the exam, all the learning
and practical experience.  It is disquieting to hear students say that they
want to take our course primarily to prepare for the exam.  We stress that a
lactation course should prepare the student to PRACTICE in the profession,
not simply to pass an exam.  It is interesting to me that a number of
students have come to our course AFTER passing the exam, since it pointed out
to them how much they DON'T know.  Even though they passed the exam, and are
therefore CERTIFIED, they don't feel CONFIDENT to practice without further
learning.

Off my soapbox for now ....

Judi Lauwers
BSC