Understanding National Board Certification

as Compared to State Licensure

Your Elite National Board Certification Credential

Introduction

American Health Source (AHS) has long been a contributor to the growth and development of American health care through its elite professional credentialing, educational training programs, and it’s publication of professional training materials for allied health care providers and educators.

A primary role for American Health Source and its affiliate organizations, the American Medical Massage Association, the American Manual Medicine Association, the American Institute of Naturopathic Medicine, the National Association for Therapeutic Exercise, the National Governing Alliance of Allied Health Professionals, and the National Governing Council Health and Education Partnership, has been assisting it’s highly trained professional members in obtaining advanced professional credentials including National Board Certification (NBC) and elite National Diplomat Certification (NDC).

National Board Certification

Almost all established licensed, certified, or registered psychology, medical, chiropractic and allied health care professions use national certification credentials.  Consider for example the highly specialized credentials of physicians, chiropractors, physical therapists and nurses.  The AHS affiliate the American Medical Massage Association (AMMA) was the first medical massage association to create national board certification for elite members of the massage community who had obtained advanced training in medical massage therapy.

The AMMA was the first AHS affiliate organization to create a national certifying exam that is validated through psychometric evaluation and job task analysis.  This validation was performed at the Center for Statistical Analysis and Training at Michigan State University.

The AMMA was the first professional membership association to receive state approval and licensure for its educational programs and certifications.

Some AHS members confuse national board certification exams with state licensure exams.  The two processes are not the same.   The purpose of a national certifying exam is to create a process and a credential that recognizes the advanced or unique training of a professional.  National certification is not state licensure.

Your national board certification is an elite certificate that rewards and recognizes your advanced and unique training in a professional field - whether it is massage or manual therapy, medical assisting, acupuncture, or personal training.

In some professional fields such as medical assisting, phlebotomy, and personal training national board certification in addition to a training diploma is the only credential available.  Currently in these fields there is no state licensure.

State Licensure Exams

State licensure exams are minimal level exams that attempt to provide an entry level test instrument for the purpose of assuring the public safety.  State licensure exams are simply part of the basic process needed to obtain a state license in order to perform a specific state regulated occupation.  Examples of regulated vocations include real estate agents, contractors, cosmetologists, and of course various health care professions.    In the massage field, for example, most states have established the minimum standards needed to protect the public, and nothing more.   In many states this means that an applicant is at least eighteen years old, does not have a criminal record, and has graduated from a licensed massage school with a minimum of five hundred clock hours of training.

Continuing Education Requirements and National Board Certification

Since national board certification is both a privilege and an honor that represents a professional’s elite and unique professional training status most organizations require the completion of a certain number of continuing education hours or units.  The number of hours needed to maintain national board certification usually exceeds the minimal number required to maintain a state license.  The number of continuing education hours required is normally established by the association’s professional board of directors, or a committee formed to address the issue and to establish association standards.   Continued membership in an association and the member’s national board certification is usually dependent upon meeting these established standards.

Continuing Education Requirements and State Licensure

State licensure regulations are almost always created to establish the minimum number of annual continuing education training hours needed to maintain a state license and for renewal of the license.  Professional renewal cycles may be every year, every two years, or every three years.

High Level Standards in Education, Training, and Certification

As a member of AHS and its affiliate organizations you should be proud that you have achieved a certain elite status in your professional field.  Your credentials serve to identify you as a professional that has achieved this unique distinction.

The psychometrically validated exams of American Health Source provide scientific credibility to your national board certification credential.  For the members of the AHS affiliate organization, the American Medical Massage Association, your national board certification certificate represents the highest level credential in the medical massage profession.  The American Manual Medicine Association has established high level examination and testing, including diplomat examination, in manual medicine and manual therapy, as well as, within the fields of medical and practice acupuncture. The National Association for Therapeutic Exercise (NATE) has established elite testing within the fields of personal training, sports science, and sports medicine.  AHS and the AMMA have worked hard to adopt valid medical and scientific evidence based criteria; in education, testing and credentialing, and in health care practice.  No other massage organization can truthfully make this claim.

Embracing the Future

At a time when others in our professions have abandoned or rejected evidence based values and ethics it is very important that we move towards a future of expanded possibilities within the medical and health care professions.   As health care professionals we must embrace our collective futures through the adoption of the highest level of education, training, professional ethics, and practices possible.  Though our high standards we must represent excellence at every level. 

At AHS, and our affiliate organizations, we work to see that your work and achievements are recognized and valued.

The future, is in our hands!

Best regards,

Dan Muschiana

Dan Muschiana

AHS Administrative Coordinator