Dear all: I've been thinking about a potential solution if we don't get resolution on the off-topic problem. And a solution to something that many of us feel is needed, an advanced credential. Many of the IBCLCs that have kept current or even gone on to advance the frontiers of lactation doing what I consider to be crucially important research on intervention strategies really should have advanced level qualifications and I certainly, would immediately work myself to the bone to get such an advanced level credential. I was thinking this would be unbelievably complicated or impossible or too costly. BUT the internet might actually make this feasible. Here's what I envision: A consortium of sponsoring universities, with a mentor IBCLC in place at each university. An online course made of the the IBCLCs that are pushing the envelop of practice and intervention research in their areas of specialty. Each would develop a curricula on a particular topic that would be in-depth and cover the equivalent of a semester of course work. No one day dabbling that one gets at mini conferences or oversaturation that one gets at larger conferences. This would be a day a week gradually over the course of a semester. The course attendee would be required to spend a certain amount of time per week consulting with the IBCLC at the nearest university about the implications of the course work for the IBCLCs practice. This would both benefit the course "attendee" and the IBCLC mentor because there is nothing like having to think about how this applies to your own practice to really make it useful. At the end of each course there would be a final exam and an evaluation jointly by the IBCLC mentor and the course facilitator of application of the course content to the course participants practice. This would add a depth and richness unattainable by any course that was primarily in one setting. It would remove the high costs of facility use. It would provide an opportunity to go through an alternative credentialing body. One could develop a consortium credentialing body of public health, nutrition, psychology, and many varied fields. I choose these fields because I think we have not been paying as much attention as needed to the long-term breastfeeding relationship from prior to pregnancy through weaning. When I looked at IBCLE's exam score breakdown, I was not surprised. Contrary to the popular wisdom that most IBCLCs don't know enough about premies, and the early postpartum period, the scores in this area were dramatically higher than the scores for knowledge of breastfeeding for 7-12 month olds. Also, the number of questions for each period were dramatically skewed towards earlier nursing and not the entire relationship. We should, as a profession, if we are really to have an impact on breastfeeding be equally skilled across the spectrum of breastfeeding OR subspecialize. Best regards, Susan E. Burger, MHS, PhD, IBCLC Who is entirely serious and would love to take this up at the next ICLA meeting on controversies in lactation. Boy will that be a hot meeting. *********************************************** 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 email list is powered by LISTSERV (R). There is only one LISTSERV. To learn more, visit: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html