How It Works
Certification Maintenance by Credit Portfolio is available to Certified Diabetes Educators whose credential has not lapsed at the time of applying for Certification Maintenance. The objective for Certification Maintenance is to provide a voluntary, accessible, valid and relevant process that recognizes multidisciplinary diabetes education specialists who are engaged in promoting the national standards of care for individuals and communities affected by diabetes. The Credit Portfolio option for certification maintenance meets these criteria.
After extensive review of Certification Maintenance requirements used by other professional certifying organizations and a statistical review of the exam results of those Canadian Certified Diabetes Educators who were maintaining certification (97% pass rate), a customized Canadian Credit Portfolio Certification Maintenance option was developed. It was pilot tested by Certified Diabetes Educators from across the country in December 2004 and fine tuned incorporating feedback obtained from those who participated.
The Credit Portfolio Certification Option requires 250 credits accumulated over a five-year period obtained from a wide list of diabetes related continuing education activities. The pilot revealed that this was a realistic and obtainable number of credits for Certified Diabetes Educators of different professions across the nation.
Activities have been divided into six broad categories:
1. Practice Review and Self Assessment Activities
2. Organized Learning Activities
3. Personally Designed Learning Activities
4. Educational/Developmental or Teaching Activities
5. Publications, Research and Quality Improvement Activities
6. Professional Leadership Activities
The activities include self assessment and independent learning based on a personalized learning plan, formal courses, educational tool development, preceptor ship, program development and program evaluation activities. Credit can also be obtained for presentations, teaching diabetes related courses at an academic institution, publishing articles and books and participating in diabetes research and expert panels as well as many other activities.
The CDECB is confident that the Credit Portfolio Option is a viable alternative to maintaining certification by examination and will uphold the high standards and the value of the CDE® credential. Maintaining CDE® status by examination will continue to be available for those who prefer that option. The five year Certification Maintenance cycle will remain.
For additional information on Maintaining by Credit Portfolio including:
1. The criteria to assess the suitability of each type of activity,
2. The documentation required
3. The number of credits allowed for each activity.Please download the 2019 Credit Portfolio Handbook.