Taking the long view of these things can sometimes be helpful.

Please remember that at the turn of the 20th century, there was no real
consistency re: how one could become an MD. Many mentored with someone
already in practice. Those who went to school did not always get good
information.

Only after the 1916 report was a requriement for medical school training
based in universities then applied.

The current status of LCs may be similar. However, as more universityies
consider a) doing lactation courses, b) creating a lactation major, and c)
developing a school of lactation (my dream, but will I live long enough to
see it?), demands for consistency will be able to be followed, for then
opportunities to get such education will be availalbe.  Currently, it is
rarely available.  We can all do ourselves a service by insisting (if we
are alumnae) that our own University/Colleges consider lactation a
legitimate course of study.

It also helps to have a graduate degree in order to be able to serve as a
teacher in such a program.  But we all can indicate our interest in the
development of such a program.

Emerging professions are not new; they tend to evolve over time. Remember,
IBLCE is only 11 years old in 1995. ILCA is only 10 yrs old in 1995
(although some of us joined in 1984 in order to provide "seed money" to get
things started.  Much has occurred in our first decade of "official"
existence.  We need to s upport one another and to encourage certification
through an independent body unconnected to a particular education setting.
Currently, there is only one such body and that is IBLCE.

When a person is an IBLCE, disciplinary issues can be handled. If that
person is not an IBLCE, what she does (poorly, etc) cannot be called into
question in the same way.  Something to think about, right?



         %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
         %% "We are all faced with a series of great  %%
         %% opportunities brilliantly disguised as    %%
         %% impossible situations" - definition of a  %%
         %% lactation consulting service.             %%
         %% Kathleen G. Auerbach, PhD, IBCLC          %%
         %% [log in to unmask]   Homewood, Illinois USA %%
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