In order to become a certified diabetes educator in the United States, you must meet a number of requirements. A license in a medical-related field is required, as well as significant work experience. It is also necessary to take diabetes-specific classes. The final step toward certification is to pass an exam administered by the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators (NCBDE). Re-certification, which occurs five years after initial certification, is governed by a different set of rules.
A diabetes educator is a professional who helps people with diabetes develop effective diabetes management plans. Although most educators are not doctors, they work in hospitals as mentors to patients, teaching them everything from proper nutrition to what to do if one’s blood glucose levels are too high or too low. To protect patients and ensure their quality of life, the path to becoming a certified diabetes educator has a number of requirements.
You must have a background in medicine or a medically related field before pursuing the goal of becoming a certified diabetes educator. The NCBDE has stringent requirements for who is eligible to take the certification exam. Its first requirement is that you have a certain level of education. Physicians, registered nurses, clinical psychologists, and licensed dietitians are all eligible. People who have a master’s degree in social work are also eligible.
Experience is the second requirement for becoming a certified diabetes educator. At least two years of experience in the above-mentioned fields is required. You’ll need 100 hours of experience performing diabetes self-management education (DSME) in addition to work experience in your chosen medical field, with 40 of those hours occurring in the year leading up to your exam date. DSME is defined as working one-on-one with diabetic patients to develop an individualized life plan that will prevent them from experiencing the negative consequences of diabetes.
The NCDBE will allow you to sit for its certification exam if you meet the educational and experience requirements. The exam is computer-based and consists solely of multiple-choice questions. The passing score is 70 out of a possible 99. You will receive your results in the mail. If you pass the exam, you will receive a five-year certification.
Because diabetes education is a dynamic field, becoming a certified diabetes educator necessitates a long-term commitment to the field after initial certification. The NCBDE requires re-certification every five years to ensure that diabetes educators are still providing accurate guidance and advice to diabetic patients. You can simply apply for re-certification if you have 1,000 hours or more of teaching experience. If you earn less than that, you’ll have to take 75 hours of diabetes education courses and retake the certification exam.