Statistical Report of the 2007 Exam

2007 IBLCE Exam Statistical Report

Summary

The 2007 IBCLC examination was administered to 2,941 candidates in 140 locations across 36 countries and territories around the world. This was the seventh consecutive administration with more than 2,000 candidates. The test was taken in 11 languages - English (both American and British), Dutch, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Slovenian, and Spanish.

The 2007 candidate population continues a significant trend regarding its composition. For the first 14 years of the program (1985-1998), the United States alone accounted for the majority of the candidates. For six of the seven most recent years, including 2007, the United States accounted for less than half the candidates. Similarly, for the first eight years of the program (1985-1992), candidates from countries other than the United States, Canada, and Australia accounted for less than 10% of the candidates. The 2007 administration is the eighth consecutive year in which candidates from these other countries accounted for more than 30% of the candidates, and the first in which this reached 40%. These statistics underscore the global acceptance of the IBLCE credential as the standard of competence assessment in lactation consulting.

As the program matures, a significant number of candidates take the test for recertification. 2007 was only the third administration in which candidates recertified by examination at the 20-year interval. More than 25% of the first three candidate cohorts have recertified by examination at the 20-year interval, a remarkable milestone for the individuals as well as for IBLCE and the profession. In short, the 2007 exam marked a continuation of important trends in the population composition.

The results of the 23rd administration of the IBLCE examination are displayed in Table 1. These statistics are based on the total population of 2,941 certification and recertification candidates.