Career Path Certificate Program

The AADE Career Path Certificate Program for Diabetes Self-Management Education is designed to provide a structure for training and educating healthcare professionals and paraprofessionals involved in delivery of diabetes education and care. The focus of the program is to prepare those new to the field and to support those in the early stages of their careers.

The program is offered entirely online and is self-directed. Program applicants are required to complete specific courses, activities, and readings, a final exam, as well as demonstrate the required number of DMSE professional practice hours as defined in the AADE Guidelines for the Practice of Diabetes Self-Management Education and Training (DSME/T).  The courses and activities required for each level are based upon the skills and knowledge defined for each level in the Competencies for Diabetes Educators: A Companion Document to the Guidelines for the Practice of Diabetes Education . As detailed in the Guidelines, these distinct levels are differentiated by educational preparation, credentialing, professional practice regulations, and the clinical practice environment.

About the Program

Review the educational and professional requirements to determine which certificate is most appropriate for you. You may enroll in only one certificate program at a time and need to have successfully completed the program before registering for another level program.

Register for the certificate program by purchasing the Level Bundle. After your registration has been processed, all the activities for the program will be in your online learning portal, which can be accessed 24/7 by returning to this page, scrolling down the to the bottom of this page to select the link for your level (Level 1 or 2) and entering your AADE User ID and Password. You also will be able to check you program status after you’ve logged in from this page.

Some activities for each level will go live throughout the rest of 2012. You will receive notifications via email when these activities are live in your learning portal.

How the Program Works

Throughout the course of your program, you will be able to track your progress by selecting the Check Status Link. You can see which activities you’ve completed, which are still in progress, and which remain to be completed. You may also update your program application and submit your practice hours verification information via this link. You will also receive an email each month, listing the progress you have made toward completion of your certificate program and reminding you of the deadline for completing the program.

You’ll work at your own pace, while keeping in mind the deadline for program completion, which varies by level. Once all the program activities are completed, you will take a final, multiple choice exam. You will have two (2) opportunities to pass the exam. Upon successful completion of the exam, you will complete your "provide your practice hours verification" information, and finish your application and submit it online via the Check Status link. Upon verification of completion of all required coursework, the final exam, practice hours, and other requirements, you will receive a copy of your certificate by mail. 

Certificate Program Levels

Level 1
Level 2

FAQs

Register

Level 1

Applicants have six (6) months from the date of program registration to complete all the coursework, exam and submit the required practice hour paperwork. Cost: $95.00 / $140 Value
 
Level 1 - Coursework
 
Online Course
Fundamentals of Diabetes Care (6 modules)
 
Webcast on Demand (Each webcast is 90 minutes)
Behavior Change & Motivational Interviewing
Laboratory Review: Essential Tests for Understanding DM
Literacy/Numeracy
How to Incorporate Community Health Workers into DSME/T Programs
 
Readings
AADE7 Self-Care Behavior™ Framework
National Standards for DSME (NSDSME) Paper
Community Health Worker (CHW) Position Paper
AADE Guidelines for the Practice of Diabetes Self-Management Education and Training (DSME/T)
AADE Competencies for Diabetes Educators: A Companion Document to the Guidelines for the Practice of Diabetes Education
 
Resource
Resource Review Sheet
 
Level 1 - Certificate Exam
 
Level 1 Professional Practice Experience Form
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Level 2

Applicants have one (1) year from the date of program registration to complete all the coursework, exam and submit the required professional license and practice hour information. The continuing education (CEs) credits indicated in the table below are available to nurses, dietitians, and pharmacists who successfully complete the activities). Level 2 applicants must complete the required coursework and three (3) electives. Cost: $795 / $1,440 Value.  Provides 48 CEs 
 
Level 2 - Coursework
 
Online Courses
ABCs of Diabetes Care (6 modules, 9 CEs)
Facilitating Behavior Change (4 modules, 6 CEs)
 
Webcasts on Demand (Each webcast is 90 minutes and 1.5 CEs)
Behavior Change & Motivational Interviewing
Being Active, Having Diabetes: Keeping Your Patients Moving
Exploring the Real Reason of Over-Eating
Diabetes & Feet: What to Look for and When
Laboratory Review: Essential Tests for Understanding DM
Literacy/Numeracy
Behavior Change & Goal Setting
New 2012 Guidelines for DSMT (NSDSME)
Diabetes & Depression
Valuable Strategies for Vulnerable Populations
Diabetes and Kidney Disease: Can We Identify it Sooner?
Diabetes & The Eye: Don’t Let It Cloud Your Vision
Diabetes & the Mouth: Can It Predict Your Future
Diabetes & Neuropathy
Diabetes & Skin Care
Cultural Issues for Diabetes Educators
Mindful Medications: Staying Current with Diabetes Management
Evidence Review
Cardiovascular Disease: Metabolic Syndrome & Diabetes
 
Readings
AADE7 Self-Care Behavior™ Framework
National Standards for DSME (NSDSME) Paper
Healthy Eating
Physical Activity
Diabetes & Disabilities
Cultural Sensitivity and Diabetes
Standards for Outcomes Measurement of DSME
AADE Guidelines for the Practice of Diabetes Self-Management Education and Training (DSME/T)
AADE Competencies for Diabetes Educators: A Companion Document to the Guidelines for the Practice of Diabetes Education
 
Electives: Choose 3 Webcasts on Demand
Motivational Interviewing: An Approach to Behavior Change
Kids and Diabetes: An Assessment of Needs & Resources
Type 2 in Children
Challenging Case Studies: Puberty, Teenagers & Diabetes
Don't Discount the Elderly: Diabetes & Older Adults
Woman & Diabetes: Overview of Female Hormones & Diabetes
Woman & Diabetes: Pregnancy
Woman & Diabetes: Menopause
Gestational DM: Review of the 2011 Guidelines
Gestational DM: Successful Pregnancies
 
Resource
Resource Review Sheet
 
Level 2 - Certificate Exam
 
Level 2 Professional Practice Experience Form
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  FAQ

Q: Who can apply for this program?
A: Anyone who meets the eligibility requirements as described in the  educational and professional requirements.
 
Q: Is this a certification program?
A:  No, is a certificate program, not a certification program.  A certificate program provides focused training in a specific area.  Participants complete the requirements of the program, and if successful, receive a certficate of completion. The cetificate is not maintained by  renewal or re-testing. 
 
Q: What can I do with this certificate?
A: The certificate program can supplement your present career or help you to begin a new one in diabetes education. It provides levels of recognition for the continuing education efforts of healthcare professionals that supports on-going efforts to raise the recognition and professional status of diabetes education/educators. The certificate program can be used to set minimum training standards for DSME program staff.  The certificate program can be used by healthcare providers who do not plan on a career in diabetes education, but want training for themselves and/or their staff so they can better manage care for the increasing number of patients who have diabetes that they are seeing in their practices. 
 
Q: Does this program offer CE that can be counted toward my professional license renewal?
A: Continuing education (CE) is available for all of the Level 2 courses and webcasts on demand activities for nurses, dietitians, and pharmacists. These CEs may be counted toward the professional license renewals of nurses, dietitians, and pharmacists.
 
Q: Can I progress from one level to the next?
A: There are specific education and practice hours for each level. To move from one certificate level to the next, you would need to meet all the requirements of the specific level prior to enrolling in the certificate program for that level.
 
Q: How is this progam related to the CDE or the BC-ADM?
A:  The program is designed for individuals either seeking to begin a career in diabetes education or for healthcare providers seeking focused training in the diabetes disease state/diabetes self-management education to help them better work with their patient who have diabetes.  The CDE and BC-ADM are credentials earned and maintained by experienced diabetes educators.  The CDE is considered a Level 4 practitioner and the BC-ADM is considered a Level 5 practitioner (See AADE Guidelines for the Practice of Diabetes Self-Management Education and Training (DSME/T  for more detail.)   
 
Q: Are all the courses and activities online?
A: Yes. All courses are offered online. There are no in-person requirements for this program.
 
Q: How long will the program take?
A: Level 1 candidates will have 6 months from the date of program registration to complete all the requirements, pass the final exam, and submit the professional practice experience form.  Level 2 will have 1 year from the date of program registration to complete all the requirements, pass the final exam, and submit the professional practice experience form, and professional license information.
 
Q: How much time do the courses require?
A : The courses vary in length.  The modules and CE hours, if applicable are indicated next to the title of each course.  As a rule of thumb, for courses with CE, assume the number of hours required to complte the activity equals the number of CE hours.  All of the webcasts on demand are 90 minutes.  The readings vary in length from a few pages to 25 pages.
 
Q: Can I work at my own pace?
A:  Yes, you may work at your own pace, keeping in mind the completion date for all activities, final exam, and submission of the professional practice and, for Level 2, professional licensing information.  
 
Q: What is the best way to proceed working through the activities?
A:  We strongly suggest you begin by reviewing the Practice Guidelines and Competencies so you can familiarize yourself with the knowledge and skills expected for your level. After that, you should work through the online courses for your level, followed by the webcasts on demand and the readings.  The last activity you should do prior to finishing your application for your certificate is to take the final exam.
 
Q:  How will I keep track of my progress in the program?
A:  You may log into the AADE website using your User ID and password, select the "Check Status" link.  This will bring your to your portal on the website of our vendor partner, Castle Worldwide.  At this portal you can update your demographic information, submit  your professional practice hours, and check the status of your activities, which will be listed as "Not Started", "In Progress", or "Complete".  You also will receive monthly emails from Castle indicating your progress toward completion of the program. 
 
Q:  I registered for a program and when I checked my activities in my learning portal, some of the links indicated that some of the activities would be available later.  What does this mean and how does that affect my progress in my program? 
A:  Some activities are in development and will be available later in the year.  As soon as the activities are available, they will be placed in your learning portal and you will receive an email telling you that the activity is in your portal.  All activities should be available within the 6 month or year time-frames for program completion.  Should there be any delay in producing these activities, all program enrollees will be provided with an automatic extension in their program to allow time to complete the requirements.
 
Q: I have already received taken a course or a webcast on demand that is included in my program bundle.  Do I need to repeat the activity?  Will I be able to receive CE credit (if applicable) again?
A:  You do not need to repeat any activity that you have already completed.  When you check the status of your activities, you will see that activity listed a "Completed".  You may certainly repeat an activity in order to review the information, as the content may appear on the final exam.  However, you will not receive additional CE credit.
 
Q: Can I stop the program in the 6 months or year and then restart after the original 6 months or year from the date of my original registration has passed
A:  No. We strongly encourage you to review the number of activities for the program, note the length of time needed for the various activities, and  assess that against the amount of time you can devote to the program over 6 months or 1 year.
 
Q: How much does the program cost?
A: The Level 1 program is $95 and the Level 2 program is $795. 
 
Q: Are there bulk discounts available for more than one registrant from the same organization?
A: No.  Each certificate program provides training and continuing education at an already significantly reduced rate.  The cost of the Level 1 program is $95.00, while the total cost of all these activities if taken separately is $140.  The cost of the Level 2 program is $795, while the total cost of all these activities if taken separately is $1,440.
  
Q: What are the major competencies addressed by the certificate program?
A:  The major areas of competencies provide a master list of the knowledge and skills needed across the continuum of care for the various levels of practice, from novice to clinical expert. Additionally, these objectives provide a basis for education, training, development, and performance appraisal of all clinicians engaged in diabetes education. These components are clustered into five main domains, and within each domain, the competency is defined and specific objectives are identified.  For more detailed information for the competencies for each level, see Competencies for Diabetes Educators: A Companion Document to the Guidelines for the Practice of Diabetes Education  
  1. Domain I: Pathophysiology, Epidemiology, and Clinical Guidelines of Diabetes
    This domain addresses the competencies needed for individuals to demonstrate familiarity with pathophysiology, epidemiology, and clinical guidelines consistent with diabetes care provider level.
  2. Domain II: Culturally Competent Supportive Care Across the Lifespan
    This domain addresses the competencies needed to provide diabetes support and care in a culturally competent manner across the lifespan.
  3. Domain III: Teaching and Learning Skills
    This domain addresses the competencies needed to apply principles of teaching and learning and/or behavior change to facilitate self-management skills of individuals with diabetes.
  4. Domain IV: Self-Management Education
    This domain addresses the competencies needed to work with an interdisciplinary diabetes care team to tailor interventions to individual patient self-management education needs.
  5. Domain V: Program and Business Management
    This domain addresses the competencies needed to apply principles of program and/or business management to create a climate that supports successful self-management of diabetes.
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Register for a Certificate Program

You will need an AADE user ID and password to register for any of the career path certificate programs.  If you have an AADE user ID and password, click on the program level link below, enter your user ID and password, and register for the program.  If you do not have an AADE user ID and password, please create a profile. Next, return to this page, select the program level link below, enter the user ID and password, and register for the program.

Level 1  |  Level 2  

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