Becoming a Diabetic Educator

[jben2185]

I'm 21 and a type 1. I am very interested in becoming a diabetic educator, but am not sure how to go about doing this. I've talked to my endo and counselor at the college I plan on attending and neither had any answers. I've also searched online and still nothing is very clear to me. Any information would really help! :)

[gsmom]

We need more of you!!! :) If no one else has any ideas here I can contact one of two people I know to get some more information. With your background I think you'd be awesome & be able to relate to what people are going through! I'll check with my "people" & post after they reply.

[gsmom]

I did a quick search online and found The American Association of Diabetes Educators. It looks like you need "an advanced degree in a clinically relevant area, such as Masters in Nursing, Public Health, Counseling, Gemtology, Exercise Physiology, MEd, Pharm D, Masters in Pharmacy" to start. I'm still waiting for the other responses, but thought this was a good idea of what you'll need to get started.

[Hollyb]

Hi,
I don't think in Canada you need a Master's level degree. I did a quick check of the cards of CDEs we are in contact with -- 2 are registered dietitians, one a nurse, one a pharmacist.

[cydnimom]

Where I am I had asked the nurse at the endo clinic because I was interested in this as well - she said there were a few ways to do it, but you did need a Bachelors Degree firstly - she mentioned an RN, Dietician, Pharmacist, Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist, Psychologist. I'm sure some other clinical areas may fit in, but then she said to become a Certified Diabetes Educator it was an additional year or two - I can't remember right now.

I didn't pursue it any further right now because there is no way I could go to University full-time for 4 years. Its in the back of my mind though...

Good luck and I just wanted to say that whenever we've come across persons who work in our endo clinic, we can associate better with those who are T1, just because we know they've been there...

[Twinklet]

Here are the requirements, according to the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators. They are tough to meet:

http://www.ncbde.org/eligibilityreq.html

There are a handfull of degrees that meet the initial criteria, then the applicant has to have a minimum of 2 years and 1000 hours of paid employment as a diabetic educator.

I'm just not sure how one would be able to even find a paying job instructing patients in diabetes care without having the certification first!