CANDIDATE INFORMATION
GUIDE
, As an International Organisation, IBLCE® uses British English in its publications.
Table of Contents
I. What is IBLCE and the IBCLC Commission? .................................................................................. 4
A. Contact Information
...................................................................................................................... 4
B. The IBCLC Commission
............................................................................................................... 4
C. Key Dates
...................................................................................................................................... 4 II.
Purpose of Certification
..................................................................................................................... 4
III. IBCLC Examination Eligibility Requirements .................................................................................. 6
A. Health Sciences Education
............................................................................................................ 6
B. Lactation Specific Education
........................................................................................................ 6
C. Lactation Specific Clinical Experience
......................................................................................... 8
D. Adherence to the Code of Professional Conduct for International Board Certified
Lactation
Consultants .............................................................................................................................. 8
IV. Pathways to IBCLC Examination Eligibility ..................................................................................... 8
A. Pathway 1: Recognised Health Professionals and Recognised Breastfeeding Support
Counsellors ............................................................................................................................. 9
B. Pathway 2: Accredited Lactation Academic Programmes
.......................................................... 10
C. Pathway 3: Mentorship with an IBCLC
...................................................................................... 11 V. Important Publications for
Examination Candidates........................................................................ 11
VI. Applying to Sit the Examination ...................................................................................................... 12
A. Choose Your Pathway ................................................................................................................. 12
B. Complete an Online Application ................................................................................................. 12
C. Fees and Payments ...................................................................................................................... 12
D. IBCLC Examination Overview ................................................................................................... 12
E. Examination Sites ........................................................................................................................
13
Candidate Information Guide
Updated April 2023
, F. Examination Security and Incident Review Protocols ................................................................. 13
G. Reasonable Accommodations ..................................................................................................... 13
H. Special Note for Pregnant Candidates ......................................................................................... 14
I. Breast/Chestfeeding During Examination Administration ...........................................................
14
J. Non-Primary Language ................................................................................................................
14
VII. Confidentiality Policy ...................................................................................................................... 14
A. Commitment to Confidentiality .................................................................................................. 14
B. Examination Results ....................................................................................................................
15
C. Application Status ....................................................................................................................... 15
D. Credential Verification ................................................................................................................ 15
E. De-Identified Data .......................................................................................................................
15
F. Examination Candidates ..............................................................................................................
15
G. Disciplinary Process Related to Code of Professional Conduct Complaints .............................. 16
VIII. Initial Candidate and Recertification Audit Policy .......................................................................... 16
Copyright © 2019-2023, International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners. All rights reserved.
www.iblce.org ii
IX. Notification of Examination Eligibility ........................................................................................... 16
X. Policy for Appealing an Eligibility or Recertification Decision ......................................................
16 XI. Examination Withdrawal/Cancellation
............................................................................................ 17 XII. Examination Rescheduling Policy
................................................................................................... 17 XIII. Examination Admissions
Procedures and Candidate Conduct ......................................................... 18 XIV. Examination
Results Notification .................................................................................................... 20 XV. Policy
on Requesting a Hand Score ................................................................................................. 20 XVI.
Policy for Appealing an Examination Outcome ............................................................................... 20
XVII. Examination Retest Policy
............................................................................................................... 21 XVIII. IBCLC Registry
............................................................................................................................... 21 XIX.
Nondiscrimination Policy ................................................................................................................ 21
XX. IBCLC Trademark Use Policy
......................................................................................................... 22
XXI. Pathway Checklist if Randomly Selected for Audit ......................................................................... 22
A. Pathway 1: Recognised Health Professionals and Recognised Breastfeeding Support
Counsellors ........................................................................................................................... 22
B. Pathway 2: Accredited Lactation Academic Programmes
.......................................................... 22
Candidate Information Guide
Updated April 2023
, C. Pathway 3: Mentorship with an IBCLC
...................................................................................... 23
XXII. June 2022 Updated Interim Guidance on the Use of Technology to Meet Pathways 1, 2, and 3
Clinical Practice Requirements ........................................................................................................ 24
A. Relevant Background ............................................................................................................ 24
B. Key Prefatory Notes .............................................................................................................. 24
C. IBCLC Certification Eligibility Pathways ............................................................................ 27
D. Interim Guidance ...................................................................................................................
27
Appendix A: IBLCE Reference List for the Updated Interim Guidance on the Use of Technology
to Meet Pathways 1, 2, and 3 Clinical Practice Requirements .............................................. 29 XXIII. 2023
Fee Schedule ........................................................................................................................... 30
XXIV. IBCLC Detailed Content Outline (Effective 2023) ......................................................................... 31
Copyright © 2019-2023, International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners. All rights reserved.
www.iblce.org iii
Candidate Information Guide
Updated April 2023
GUIDE
, As an International Organisation, IBLCE® uses British English in its publications.
Table of Contents
I. What is IBLCE and the IBCLC Commission? .................................................................................. 4
A. Contact Information
...................................................................................................................... 4
B. The IBCLC Commission
............................................................................................................... 4
C. Key Dates
...................................................................................................................................... 4 II.
Purpose of Certification
..................................................................................................................... 4
III. IBCLC Examination Eligibility Requirements .................................................................................. 6
A. Health Sciences Education
............................................................................................................ 6
B. Lactation Specific Education
........................................................................................................ 6
C. Lactation Specific Clinical Experience
......................................................................................... 8
D. Adherence to the Code of Professional Conduct for International Board Certified
Lactation
Consultants .............................................................................................................................. 8
IV. Pathways to IBCLC Examination Eligibility ..................................................................................... 8
A. Pathway 1: Recognised Health Professionals and Recognised Breastfeeding Support
Counsellors ............................................................................................................................. 9
B. Pathway 2: Accredited Lactation Academic Programmes
.......................................................... 10
C. Pathway 3: Mentorship with an IBCLC
...................................................................................... 11 V. Important Publications for
Examination Candidates........................................................................ 11
VI. Applying to Sit the Examination ...................................................................................................... 12
A. Choose Your Pathway ................................................................................................................. 12
B. Complete an Online Application ................................................................................................. 12
C. Fees and Payments ...................................................................................................................... 12
D. IBCLC Examination Overview ................................................................................................... 12
E. Examination Sites ........................................................................................................................
13
Candidate Information Guide
Updated April 2023
, F. Examination Security and Incident Review Protocols ................................................................. 13
G. Reasonable Accommodations ..................................................................................................... 13
H. Special Note for Pregnant Candidates ......................................................................................... 14
I. Breast/Chestfeeding During Examination Administration ...........................................................
14
J. Non-Primary Language ................................................................................................................
14
VII. Confidentiality Policy ...................................................................................................................... 14
A. Commitment to Confidentiality .................................................................................................. 14
B. Examination Results ....................................................................................................................
15
C. Application Status ....................................................................................................................... 15
D. Credential Verification ................................................................................................................ 15
E. De-Identified Data .......................................................................................................................
15
F. Examination Candidates ..............................................................................................................
15
G. Disciplinary Process Related to Code of Professional Conduct Complaints .............................. 16
VIII. Initial Candidate and Recertification Audit Policy .......................................................................... 16
Copyright © 2019-2023, International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners. All rights reserved.
www.iblce.org ii
IX. Notification of Examination Eligibility ........................................................................................... 16
X. Policy for Appealing an Eligibility or Recertification Decision ......................................................
16 XI. Examination Withdrawal/Cancellation
............................................................................................ 17 XII. Examination Rescheduling Policy
................................................................................................... 17 XIII. Examination Admissions
Procedures and Candidate Conduct ......................................................... 18 XIV. Examination
Results Notification .................................................................................................... 20 XV. Policy
on Requesting a Hand Score ................................................................................................. 20 XVI.
Policy for Appealing an Examination Outcome ............................................................................... 20
XVII. Examination Retest Policy
............................................................................................................... 21 XVIII. IBCLC Registry
............................................................................................................................... 21 XIX.
Nondiscrimination Policy ................................................................................................................ 21
XX. IBCLC Trademark Use Policy
......................................................................................................... 22
XXI. Pathway Checklist if Randomly Selected for Audit ......................................................................... 22
A. Pathway 1: Recognised Health Professionals and Recognised Breastfeeding Support
Counsellors ........................................................................................................................... 22
B. Pathway 2: Accredited Lactation Academic Programmes
.......................................................... 22
Candidate Information Guide
Updated April 2023
, C. Pathway 3: Mentorship with an IBCLC
...................................................................................... 23
XXII. June 2022 Updated Interim Guidance on the Use of Technology to Meet Pathways 1, 2, and 3
Clinical Practice Requirements ........................................................................................................ 24
A. Relevant Background ............................................................................................................ 24
B. Key Prefatory Notes .............................................................................................................. 24
C. IBCLC Certification Eligibility Pathways ............................................................................ 27
D. Interim Guidance ...................................................................................................................
27
Appendix A: IBLCE Reference List for the Updated Interim Guidance on the Use of Technology
to Meet Pathways 1, 2, and 3 Clinical Practice Requirements .............................................. 29 XXIII. 2023
Fee Schedule ........................................................................................................................... 30
XXIV. IBCLC Detailed Content Outline (Effective 2023) ......................................................................... 31
Copyright © 2019-2023, International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners. All rights reserved.
www.iblce.org iii
Candidate Information Guide
Updated April 2023
