The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners® (IBLCE®) announced in the June 2019 IBLCE Briefing that beginning with applications for the October 2020 examination, the use of the flat-rate calculation for those earning clinical hours through a specific organisation listed as an IBLCE Recognised Breastfeeding Support Counsellor Organisation would no longer be accepted. IBLCE has received concerns from those interested in applying for the IBCLC certification via this method. IBLCE wishes to acknowledge receipt of these concerns and thank a number of individuals aspiring to earn the IBCLC for this feedback.
IBLCE re-reviewed the changes that were announced and is extending the time for the implementation of this change. IBLCE is extending the implementation date of this change to IBCLC eligibility requirements from March 1, 2020 to January 1, 2022. The implementation will also be phased in so that any hours completed in 2021 or before can be calculated with the flat rate when applying for an IBCLC examination administration. For clinical hours earned starting January 1, 2022, they will need to be counted on an hour-for-hour basis. As part of the current requirements, please note that the clinical hours cannot be older than five years from the date of the examination application submission.
As stated in the June 2019 Briefing, IBLCE is removing the use of the flat-rate calculation to be in alignment with the changing nature, and varying levels, of volunteer opportunities in breastfeeding support organisations. With this change, all IBCLC candidates are expected to calculate clinical hours on an hour-for-hour basis.
Further details regarding this update will be made available on IBLCE’s website when the Candidate Information Guide and Recertification Guide are updated in September 2019.