Some recertifying IBCLCs understand that the requirements and options for recertifying are different this year than in the past. But they are often unclear about the process for recertifying by CERPs.
Here’s a step-by-step guide.
1. Determine your date for renewal
First, determine if this is your year for recertification, or not.
You will receive notification from IBCLE a few months prior to the beginning of your recertification year.
2. Retrieve your self-assessment
If you are up for renewal, IBLCE will email you a link to take your self-assessment.
If you can’t immediately find the link, consider this:
- IBLCE emails the link for self-assessment only to those who are due to recertify.
- If you know this is your year to recertify but you still can’t find the link by January of your recertification year, contact the IBLCE location that serves you.
3. Take your self-assessment
The process for recertifying by CERPs starts by taking the self-assessment.
Click the link provided and take your self-assessment. Upon completion, IBLCE will give you your Personalized Professional Development Plan (PPDP). Your PPDP will be available in the CE Self-Assessment Dashboard. For more information on how to use the IBLCE online systems, see their website.
Your PPDP will tell you in which topic areas you are required to earn CERPs.
4. Determine how many CERPs you’ve already completed.
If you’ve been accumulating CERPs, you may already have met the requirements of your PPDP. Just remember that you need a total of 75 CERPs.
5. Locate CERP programs that meet your PPDP requirements
Remember, this is a personalized program. Your requirements might be very different from someone else’s. From the IBLCE website:
“For IBCLCs due to recertify in 2023: if you have one or more required topic areas identified in the PPDP, you are required to earn a minimum of three (3) CERPs in each of those topic areas, For IBCLCs due to recertify in 2024 and beyond: if you have one or more required topic areas identified in the PPDP, you are required to earn a minimum of five (5) CERPs in each of those topic areas, If you have no required topic areas identified in the PPDP, you can earn CERPs based on your career path, practice setting, or interest areas in alignment with the Detailed Content Outline (DCO).”
You will need to locate and complete the required number of CERPs in the required topic areas outlined on your PPDP. CERP providers are responsible for designating the topic area(s) of their courses. We recommend that you also ensure that these are designated on your certificate(s).
Note, too, that we have clearly labeled your certificates so that there’s no doubt in your mind or in IBLCE’s mind about whether you’ve met the requirement for your “topic.” We have clearly labeled our CERP certificates so that they show which topic is covered.
We can help you with this step; we offer CERPs that will cover any requirement you must fulfill. You can buy just a few CERP courses, or you can buy the more economical bundles of 15, 30, 45, and 75 CERPs.
We want to allay your fears about the “topics” for which you must earn CERPs. Our 75-CERP Bundle is guaranteed to cover any PPDP requirements.
6. Budget time to meet your CERP requirements
Remember, most people can complete 1 CERP in about 1 hour. (Certainly, we’ve seen the speed demons and slow and steady learners, but 1 hour is what most people need.)
7. Confirm if you have all of your CERP certificates
As you move through the process for recertifying by CERPs, take one last look at everything.
If you have completed some CERPs within the last 5 years, confirm that you have completed:
- CERPs fulfilling the requirements from your PPDP depending on your recertification year
- 5 E-CERPs
- A total of 75 CERPs
- 3 hours of Basic Life Support Education. This counts as 3 R-CERPs.
We find that people are often short of E-CERPs. Buy our 5-CERP package if you’re in that situation.
8. Submit your recertification application
Login to your IBLCE account. Complete your application by the deadline. We urge you NOT to wait until the last minute.
What can we do to help you with the process for recertifying by CERPs?
Please advise, have I completed the Self-Assessment. I don’t recall taking this but maybe I did it a long time ago? If not, how do i go about completing it? do i need a specific link? How long does it take to complete the self-assessment?
Hi Susan, thank you for the question. No, you would not have had the assessment in past years, this a new thing. There are two ways to access it. (1) Look in your email if you’re up for recertification this year, they should have sent you a link. (And you can’t use anyone else’s link, you must use your own. If you can’t find it, it probably landed in your spam folder. OR, (2) Go to your online account, and you can access it there if you’re due to recertify this year, or next year. If you still can’t figure it out, I’ll be offering a webinar on June 13 where I’ll talk a little about it, take questions from people, etc. It’s live, and free, so join up if you wish!
I went to a lot of conferences over the past 4 years. I did not know there would be an assessment. How can I tell which CERP from these conferences coincides or satisfies which topic?
Hi Julie. The self-assessment seems to have taken many people by surprise! I don’t know how to answer your questions about the “satisfies the topic” because that will depend entirely on the company from which you earned your CERPs. If you earned your CERPs with us, we have a VERY clear notice at the bottom of your certificate which shows which discipline the programs “counts” for.
Hi Marie,
My IBCLC certification expires 12/31/23 therefore I’m due to re certify by 9/30/23. I’m planning to re certify by CERPS and currently have 67.50 CERP hours I earned in 2022. I also have well above the 250 hrs. working as an IBCLC and RN in the hospital setting and I provide consults to patients after discharge. I renewed my BLS CPR certification 7/2023, and my NRP in 6/2023.
I also took my online self assessment exam and per my results I need to take 3 CERPS in each of the following areas: Development and Nutrition, Pharmacology and Toxicology and Techniques.
I would like to ask for your guidance regarding which CERPS or CERP packet I should purchase from you that will fulfill the above areas. I saw that you have a 15 CERP packet but I’m not certain that will fulfill the areas I need. I would like to purchase the CERPS I need from your asap so I can complete them in time to submit my application to re certify by CERPS before 9/30/23.
Thank you in advance,
Jackie