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Do you have to have a CDE to be a diabetes educator? No.

AADE recognizes 5 levels of diabetes educators (Source: The Scope of Practice, Standards of Practice, and Standards of Professional Performance for Diabetes Educators).

Who is a diabetes educator when we discuss licensure of diabetes educators?

Answer: Level 3, who meet credential educator criteria, and above.

If you read the NCBDE position statement on licensure, you will be told that the "exam" and "continuing education" plus the Certificate you passed the "exam" and met the "continuing education" standards should be the definitive requirement of the CDE. (disclosure: I have had my CDE since 1987; I have renewed by exam and by continuing education; I love my CDE, I recommend the CDE for those eligible - but I have an issue with who is eligible).

Disclosure is important. Remember NCBDE supports a position that supports the NCBDE. I don't blame them for this, I just don't agree with their position on licensure.

Think about it . . .

If you have a CDE today, what were you before you sat for the exam? You were a Level 3 Diabetes Educator. Did you know what you were doing? Were you practicing diabetes education? If you sat for the exam, you were a healthcare professional for a minimum of 2 years in that discipline and you practiced a minimum 1000 hours. You had continuing education -- and I'm betting you had more hours than you needed "just in case" NCBDE had an issue with anything (I know I did and still do).

The only difference between where I was in 1986 and where I was in 1987 is I successfully passed the CDE exam. I got a really super good looking Certificate -- which I immediately framed and proudly displayed. I still have the frame today and every CDE certificate I have ever received is contained within it. That CDE has made all the difference in setting me apart from the sea of other healthcare professionals practicing diabetes education. I earned it. I work overtime to earn the respect of persons who seek my services. I love being a diabetes educator and for years I have recognized it as my life's calling (respect to Jane Pauley). I think it is very important you know who I am and what I value when you read my position on licensure.

I think the NCBDE is short sighted. I do believe that CDEs should be eligible for licensure. I believe BC-ADMs should be eligible for licensure. But I also believe that persons who meet minimum education requirements; professional practice requirements; continuing education requirements; and successfully meet a skill and/or knowledge validation exam or competencies or evaluation should be eligible for licensure also.

Why not require all licensed diabetes educators to pass the CDE? Because the combined eligibility requirements for the CDE exam limit those who are eligible to prove what they know. Persons cannot get through the application process - they never have the opportunity to spend their money to see if they can pass the exam. To support the NCBDE on their eligibility requirements would make me a hypocrite. I will explain. In 1987, because I had a Master of Public Health I met the education requirement. In 1991, I earned a Master of Science to support the physical activity portion of our diabetes team. If I lost my CDE today, I would not be eligible to sit for the CDE. Not because I don't have the continuing education -- I have more than enough (I was taught that healthcare professionals maintain continuing education as a matter of ethics. Thank you Dr Gorski, Dr PH, MPH). Not because I don't have the practice hours - I've got plenty of that also. I would not be eligible to sit for the CDE today because the NCBDE no longer recognizes the MPH as being eligible to sit for the exam. I would not be eligible to sit for the CDE today because the Master of Science in Exercise Physiology is no longer recognized either. NCBDE keeps tightening the eligibility requirements while the demand for credentialed diabetes educators grows.

I have learned I am not the only CDE that finds themselves in this situation.

There are diabetes educators that have difficulty meeting the practice requirement. They do more than enough diabetes education but they practice under a job title that does not identify them as a diabetes educator. Their job description describes their function as a health educator or health education not diabetes educator or diabetes education. NOTE: the US Dept of Labor recognizes the diabetes educator under the larger job category of "Health Educator" - I am one of those health educators, too.

Over the years, I have had others seek higher education only to find while they are practicing diabetes education over 2 years as a healthcare professional in their discipline NCBDE tightens the eligibility requirements again and they are not eligible. All diabetes educators do not want to pursue the CDE.

As a volunteer leader within AADE I represent "diabetes educators". I represent those who want to grow into CDEs as well as those who have their CDEs. I represent those who don't want to become or can't become CDEs also. I absolutely cannot discount how effective these persons are as diabetes educators. I cannot support a policy that does not protect the persons living with diabetes.