RE: Certification

["David Scherer" <scherer@mirlink.wustl.edu>]

>It would be great to have a certification somewhere between NRRPT and ABHP. 
>This could be called the CRSP for certified radiation safety professional. 
>This test would be less grueling than the CHP exam but would demonstrate the 
>competency of the individual to be an RSO. It would also be great for those 
>of us who haven't yet worked professionally long enough to take the CHP 
>exam.


The ABHP exam is not grueling.  It examines scientific and professional
knowledge at the level of _minimal_ competence.  It has an inaccurate
reputation as an onerous rite of passage.  Because of this reputation I was
quite anxious during the exam process.  I consider myself to be a pretty
average HP and I passed.  I am now convinced that any competent HP can pass the
exam with no more than two tries for each part.  (I seem to recall someone else
commenting on this thread who also had a suprize, positive outcome.)

I wish to emphasize that while the presence of certification does imply (at
least) minimal professional competence, the absence of certification does not
imply the absence of competence.  The public can presume the professionalism of
the former, but additional information would be needed for the latter.

Another comment:

>In a modern environment which requires an individual to be flexible in order
to >feed his family, should not the ABHP and AAHP be more flexible in covering
more >diverse areas of certification?  I feel a CHP(Technical) and
>CHP(Administrative) certification should be offered by the professional
>organization.

I believe this would be misguided.  The ABHP diploma is a measure of the
scientific/professional ability of HPs.  Physicians also have administrative
responsibilities, but no one would suggest dropping clinical skills as the
subject matter of the medical boards.  And again, the purpose of certification
is to protect the public, not to protect or enhance careers.  If the public is
not served by an independent certification process, it should be abolished.

Finally, this thread began on the question of whether a degree should be
required for ABHP certification.  The discussion to date seems to center on the
exam to the exclusion of the rest of the evaluation process.  In all
professions the evaluation process leading to certification begins with a
formal education.  Some without the requisite abilities or personal
characteristics fall out.  This is followed by supervised experience.  Others
fall out at this stage.  The exam serves as the final step.  Educated,
experienced professionals sit for an exam to demonstrate to their peers that
they can, in fact, practice independently without exposing the public to undo
risk.  All three steps are needed in a profession.  Successful completion of a
scientific degree says more about the sustained mastery of scientific knowledge
than a two-part exam does.  In the final analysis, both are needed to
demonstrate competence.

David Scherer