Certified Diabetes Educator

What The Heck Is A Certified Diabetes Educator?

This writer has written nearly fifty articles about diabetes. Does this
mean that I can call myself a Certified Diabetes Educator? Although
I do my best to help spread accurate information about diabetes,
I legally cannot call myself a Certified Diabetes Educator.
The "certified" part is for a reason – you have to earn a certificate
(that acts a bit like a diploma) from the National Certification Board
for Diabetics Educators (NCBDE).

How Do You Get One?

If I wanted to become a Certified Diabetes Educator, first I'd have
to switch professions from freelance writer to medicine.  The exams
to get the certificate are only available to medical professionals.
The exams are voluntary.  Although the NCBDE hopes that a
certificate would not be a requirement for a health care job, it
hopes that a certificate might help with promotions.

And even if you are a medical professional, you still have to check
with the NCBDE to see if you require to even take the examination.
They require a 1000 or more hours of "diabetes self-management
education experience".  No, I don't know what that means, either.
But then again, I'm not a Certified Diabetes Educator.

The privilege of taking the examination isn't for free, either. You
have to fork out a hefty application fee.  Good thing you are already
a licensed medical professional so you can afford this. Your
certificate is good for five years.  It's currently $250 (US) plus a
whole lot of paperwork in order to get a renewal.  If you're late,
it's a $350 (US) fee.  You also need to prove that you are taking
continuing diabetes education or take another exam. These renewal
procedures are scheduled to change in 2010.

Are They Making A Mountain Out Of A Molehill?

Granted, there aren't any Certified Constipation Educators or
Certified Sinusitis Educators, but diabetes is very complicated.
Did you know there are now THREE recognized types? Did you also
know that you don't to completely cut out sugar if you are diabetic?
Did you answer no to both? Then you probably can see the need
for Certified Diabetes Educators.

Diabetes is a very specialized field of medicine, which requires a lot
of study and research. Most doctors and nurses have to know about
every kind of illness and injury known to mankind, so some knowledge
of diabetes treatment might get fuzzy.  But, diabetes is also a
common ailment, so the need for Certified Diabetes Educators is
tremendous.