Key Terms for Distinguishing Credentials
Upon entry of the health and wellness sector students and professionals who are new to the industry are well advised to understand the distinctions among credentials. Knowing the difference among these terms increases awareness of how practitioners present their training and how they recognize the training of their peers. This is the best first step to understanding scope of practice and avoiding misrepresentation.
The Importance of having a Credential
A credential verifies one’s training, is issued by a third party with authoritative power, and serves to prove an individual’s competence in a given subject. Being credentialed not only helps to prove capability in a given field, but also demonstrates to one’s community and employers that an individual is properly educated with a certain base of knowledge. Credentials illustrate one’s qualifications.
Credential vs. Certificate
These two words are confusing as they are often used to refer to the same thing. Both refer to something that can be used as a credit to a person’s qualification level. However, there are differences in their definitions. It is important to be able to distinguish between the two.
Certificate Program
A certificate program is a program of education that results in a certificate of completion rather than an educational degree. Holding a certificate comes after an educational process and generally focuses on one particular specialty or aspect of a given field. It can also function as a supplement to an individual’s prior education. A certificate of completion is granted usually following an assessment or passing an exam. No additional renewals are required.
Certification
Certification is a formal process designed to measure an individual's "knowledge-in-use" and application of knowledge and skills in a particular subject area. Certification is not intended to educate through the use of curricula. Rather it is earned by an individual to assure he/she is qualified to perform a job or task through the acknowledgement of educational achievement. Certifications are earned from a professional society and must be renewed periodically, generally through completed continuing education units.
Accredited certification programs indicate a particular level of endorsement.
Accreditation of a certification involves a voluntary, self-regulatory process. Accreditation is granted when stated qualifying criteria for standardization is met. It is an action or process of officially recognizing a person, institution, or program as having a particular status or being qualified to perform a particular activity. An institution does not bestow accreditation to itself. It is awarded by a 3rd party.
Board certification means a professional has applied to be vetted by a group (or board). That group or board measures and tests an applicant’s ability to meet a certain standard of excellence. This often is an extensive process to demonstrate mastery of a particular base of knowledge or expertise.
Requirements and eligibility vary depending on the specialty. Generally, board certified health practitioners must first qualify by demonstrating firsthand experience and training in their field. They must also pass a formal examination and commit themselves to continued professional education and training.
Board certification isn’t a training program but a credential limited to only highly experienced practitioners and professional leaders in the sector of health and wellness. Board certification is a helpful tool for identifying nutrition professionals who have risen to the top of their ranks and are highly qualified in areas of nutrition and health coaching.
Holding a Certificate
Requires engagement in a formalized educational process.
Provided by educational programs or institutions often for-profit.
A certificate indicates completion of a course or program for a specific trade or focus.
Course content is not standardized but determined by the specific provider or institution.
Demonstrates knowledge of course work or completion of content.
Having a Certification or “Board Certified”
Follows a process that is meant to assess and recognize an individual's competency, skills and knowledge in a particular field of expertise.
Certification generally refers to an earned credential that demonstrates the holder's specialized knowledge, skills, and experience.
Requires professional experience to apply.
Awarded by a third-party, standard-setting organization, often a not-for-profit.
Indicates mastery/competency as measured against a defensible set of standards, usually by application or exam. (1)
Standards set through a defensible, industry-wide process that results in an outline of required knowledge and skills. (2)
Allows certain credentials to be listed after one's name (BCHN™, NBC-HWC, CNS).
Must demonstrate continuing education and other requirements within set term limits to maintain professional designation.
*Certifications and Board Certifications that require few or none of the above distinctions are not acknowledged by the Missouri Nutrition Alliance as legitimate credentialing institutions.
*Certificate program definitions are often misused. Institutions marketing a program as a certification when in fact the program identifies as a certificate is acknowledged by the MNA as a certificate.
Licensure
In order to obtain licensure to practice nutrition in Missouri one must first acquire a Registered Dietician Certification through the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). Other licensed providers may provide nutrition services so long as they have the term “nutrition” included in their scope of practice.
*Licensed providers who have nutrition in their scope of practice but are not Registered Dieticians must demonstrate certificates and/or certifications in nutrition in order to be eligible for MNA professional membership.
Some examples of language when verbally stating your credentials.
“I have a certificate from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition.”
“I received my training from “XYZ”
“I am board certified by the National Association of Nutrition Professionals.”
“I am NANP board certified,” or “board certified in holistic nutrition by the NANP”