Maintaining my NCBTMB certification?

[Pompal 09.]

Maintaining my NCBTMB certification?

Too many thoughts buzzing around my brain at the moment, so I'll (try to) stick to simple instead lol.

I was mostly addressing the idea that the sole purpose of maintaining one's NCTMB status was to show that you've passed it. There are other standards that apply if you want to renew, so someone sticking it out beyond their renewal shows that they're taking CE etc. If someone simply wants to show that they've passed it, there's some form of documentation sent out within the weeks after you pass that state when you passed it. I looked up the renewal form earlier today when I was thinking about what was required for renewal, and I noticed a late fee on there for if you've missed your renewal... that means that for some period of time - even if you haven't renewed - they maintain your information. I don't know their archiving practices or how many years something sits dormant before it gets moved, but apparently just because you haven't renewed doesn't mean someone's hawking over the delete button to wipe you from their system the moment you miss a renewal.

I also wouldn't be expecting them to be writing letters on my behalf (current member or not) but much like when I needed my high school transcripts, I see that there's a form to request copies of your results to be sent somewhere for $20 (I think that's what my school charged as well.)

I'm not going to be contacting them about this, as it's really not even an issue that's near or dear enough to me to be putting forth the effort considering what's on my plate in life right now. I just have a pet peeve about generalizations, and was getting a bit of a "big bad greedy money hungry" vibe in some of the comments (whether it was intended or not) so I felt the need to say something.

I am not aware of any charges to maintain CPR certification. One just takes the test when needed and pays their $15 bucks, right? CPR is not that hard to understand -- unlike the NCBTMB exam which changes, and can have a myriad of questions asked. Depending on how high-on-the-horse the examiners are, will also reverberate to what the testing is like. Much of it is mental masturbation. So, for me, your question doesn't really fly.

With CPR certification, you take the class, pass the test, and get your card - all for a fee.

With the NCETMB you meet educational requirements, pass the test, and you get your card - all for a fee.

With CPR certification, every year you have to retake the class and test, take a review class and test, or in some cases just pass a test to get your new card - all for a fee.

With the NCBTMB, every 4 years you have to show you've been involved in massage and have taken classes of your choice/interest and you get your new card - all for a fee. You don't have to continually retake the NCETMB exam, so I don't see what the "high-on-the-horse the examiners" have to do with a renewal.

I guess if the NCBTMB membership was $15 per year to maintain the records, I might not be so annoyed over it. At least then it wouldn't feel like they were out there just to gig people.

To maintain my state license, I have to show 24hrs of CE every 2 years, and pay $175. Since the NCTMB renewal calls for 48hrs over 4 years plus $125, I have already accumulated enough CEU's just by maintaining my license. Broken down by year, it's only costing me about $31 a year. Since Illinois sucks in many regards and I wouldn't be surprised if I moved at some point, I've maintained my certification because if nothing else from where I'm sitting, it's only costing me about $31 a year to make life easier if and when I decide to move. Are there other benefits to me? Maybe there could be, but I haven't necessarily taken the time to avail myself of them.

 

[Fades to White]

Maintaining my NCBTMB certification?

JaeMarie,

Thanks for that very well thought out explanation. That actually makes sense. And, now I see that I was mis-understanding a number of things about the NCBTMB.

As a board examiner in another field, I have seen how things can get out of hand and nothing can be done about it. As an examiner in my case I am not one of the test writers, but one of the vessels who are examining during the practicums per what is provided to them as "the test". However, I have been witness that in both the written & practical portions, many of those who write the exam purposefully do much much more than try to see if the person taking the exam is knowledgeable, comptetent and will be able to hold the standard of the profession. I have seen how the questions are made to purposefully do more than gain information, and are actually developed to try trip someone up by making it exceptionally difficult. In doing so, they cause many practitioners taking that exam to have to return and take it again. At about $1000 a pop, that's a lot of change going in the coffers. That is what I was talking about when I said "high-horse". Even though it may not be on the same scale as the exam I am have given, I have gotten that same general feeling in the past from others who have taken the NCBTMB.

So, my apologies if I failed to understand the entire concept.

Thanks again for your explanation.

 

[Princess Lex]

Maintaining my NCBTMB certification?

I looked up the renewal form earlier today when I was thinking about what was required for renewal, and I noticed a late fee on there for if you've missed your renewal... that means that for some period of time - even if you haven't renewed - they maintain your information.

Yes they do have a late fee that they apply up to three years after your renewal date expires. They call this "lapsed status". They will even waive that late fee if you have a valid reason. This is partly why I'm not sweating it next year at renewal time. If I decide within the following three years that "yeah, I think I wanna keep that national certification" I still can do so, it will just cost me!

For now as I see it, its not worth it anymore now that I'm licensed. For instance, my sister took the nursing exam, got her state license, she renews her license, she doesn't pay the board who gave the exam over and over again? Neither does my husband who also took a National exam in order to get his state license renews the license only. He pays nothing to the examining board. He paid to take the test, once and done that's all. They are both required by the state to keep up CEU's in order to renew their licenses.

My state requires CEU's to maintain a massage license, they also require a current CPR certification at renewal time. Sounds good enough to me, I still see no point in paying the NCBTMB?

 

[janna]

Maintaining my NCBTMB certification?

I have decided to downsize all these certifications. Especially now with licensing in effect.

I took the NCBTMB exam, passed.... never re-certified because after taking that test, I went on to study Shiatsu and ended up taking the (holy pop I forget what its called!) exam given by the national acupucture testing place. That one I did keep up because to be honest, it meant more to me. But then I realized it only meant a lot to me. No clients came to me because of it. Some might ask about it hanging on the wall but otherwise, useless. Sort of like paying all that for the AMTA membership, which I dropped.

So I am with you. I am not maintaining any certifications. The license is good enough.