[Degrees & Post-Graduate Qualifications of the C.C.N.]
In Part 1 of this 3-Part article, I shared the origin, role, and value of the C.C.N. profession and due to our success in health restoration and disease prevention, healthcare professionals of all disciplines have become Board-Certified Clinical Nutritionists, such as the M.D., C.C.N.; D.C., C.C.N.; N.D., C.C.N. and Ph.D., C.C.N. (like myself), to name a few.
Part 2 introduced the Clinical Nutrition Certification Board [CNCB.org], the certifying body responsible for education, testing and issuing the C.C.N. board certifying credentials, and the International Associations of Clinical Nutritionists (IAACN.org), their approved Continuing Education Units (CEU) provider. IAACN is a membership association for “all” healthcare professionals, students and corporations, providing lower registration rates for members attending scientific symposiums, than non-members.
Now, Part 3 outlines the qualifications to apply for the Board-Certified Clinical Nutritionist (C.C.N.) examination and join this prestigious profession:
1. Minimum Bachelor of Science degree from a Regional, National, State and/or DETC Accredited University, PLUS the satisfactory completion of the “Post Graduate Studies in Clinical Nutrition(PGSCN)” Program.
2. Advanced Professional Degree, such as M.S., Ph.D. or D.Sc. in Human Nutrition. (PGSCN requirement may be waived as these degrees include its core science and nutrition courses.)
3. Advanced Professional Degree in a Licensed Healthcare Field, such as an M.D., D.O., D.C., N.D., etc., PLUS the PGSCN program.
The PGSCN program includes 56 additional hours of core science and nutrition courses, such as Anatomy & Physiology, Human Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry (pre-requisite Organic Chemistry), Microbiology, Nutrition I & II Introduction, Nutrition & Disease, Nutrition & Supplementation, Nutrition Assessment, Herbology, Nutrition Counseling Strategies and Nutrition & Aging.
The C.N.C.B. renewal criteria include Continuing Education Units (CEU) like the board certifications, licensing or registrations of other healthcare professions, however, unlike other professions, the C.N.C.B. also requires re-examination every five years, i.e., we prove to the public by “re-examination” that C.C.N.s stay “up-to-date” in clinical nutrition and related research.
I wrote Part 3 to help you recognize Board-Certified Clinical Nutritionists (C.C.N.), the healthcare professionals qualified to test your biochemistry and scientifically identify the specific therapeutic and maintenance whole food/plant-based supplements and dietary plans, your unique body requires to restore and maintain health, as well as prevent the degenerative diseases your biochemistry is currently in the “process” of developing, whether symptomatic or not. Are you already in the Disease Stage with one or more medically-diagnosed diseases? Remember: Correcting the preceding stages is still the key to health restoration, no matter what stage you are in.
In Part 1, I wrote ‘the enlightened public continues to voice a strong preference for the right to take responsibility for their own health.’ I totally agree!! Another sign of this, in addition to those listed in Part 1, is the ongoing increase in the number of self-treating consumers purchasing supplements from online or over-the-counter stores.
However, for self-treating to be effective, you must contact a C.C.N. to be tested for what your body actually needs. Otherwise, self-treating from purchases based on your symptoms (“guessing” instead of “testing”) is not being responsible, it just leads to more and more disease-preceding stages. (These stages are outlined in Part 1).
To schedule an appointment with a C.C.N., please call me at (940) 761-4045, register for a Free First Consultation at my website, www.AdvancedClinicalNutrition.com, OR call (972) 407-9089 (IAACN.org) to locate a C.C.N. near you.