ILCA has been working on this project since 1992 with the help of many people in lactation and educational fields. There are some excellent lactation courses around of various lengths. All the lactation courses that I know of, at this writing, are decent programs as they are advertised . No exam or credentialing process is perfect. Disciplinary programs are designed to remove the bad apples that slipped through the exam, and are somewhat successful in removing the worst of the bad.
Some students drink deeply and go forth nourished, excited, and motivated to improve.
Other students only take a sip, and later spit out the most carefully researched information presented by the most talented, brilliant teachers. The novices are often overwhelmed, the misinformed are challenged and sometimes threatened, and the skilled are reinforced in their beliefs. The biggest challenge as a teacher is to meet the needs of ALL of these students with patience, respect, integrity, and humor. Such is the nature of education. A license or certificate is one measure of assuring the public that the holder has competence in the material.