Become a Fellow of ILCA! Applications for this year are closing soon!
The deadline for applications for the 2012 Fellow of the International Lactation Consultant Association (FILCA) are about to close on December31, 2011. This is a self-nominated, self-funded designation recognizing ILCA members who have achieved a high level of commitment to ILCA and to professionalism in the field of lactation consulting.
The application information for 2012 can be found on the FILCA webpage of ILCA’s website. A “Fellow” of ILCA (FILCA) has achieved a high level of professionalism, demonstrated by meeting independently-set criteria, and will be permitted to attain this universal form of recognition. There is an application form, a fee to pay and once the Fellow of ILCA (FILCA) designation is achieved, membership is maintained by paying a small annual fee.
All eligible ILCA members are encouraged to submit their application to permit this wonderful recognition as a Fellow of ILCA (FILCA). Any questions, contact the ILCA office info@ilca.org.
We have asked two of our Fellows of ILCA to give us some idea on what FILCA means to them.
Kathy Parkes, BSPsy, RN, IBCLC, RLC, FILCA
ILCA Treasurer, 2011-2014
Firstly, FILCA is an official recognition of your hard work. Have you spent years volunteering in your area affiliate group? Then moved on to work even harder and longer in your state affiliate? Have you mentored other up-and-coming lactation consultants, even though you know you have to put in many extra hours? Have you slaved away at the computer to write a book on lactation? You deserve recognition for all that time, dedication, love, effort, and work you put into your volunteer hours.
Secondly, being a FILCA is networking. You will be in a classification with other top-notch lactation consultants. Those with whom you can discuss situations and case studies, as well as practice guidelines, protocols, and situations about which you might be unsure.
Third, you are being a mentor. You are paving the way for new IBCLCs who will follow after you, in your footsteps, looking to you to share that knowledge with them. You are someone else’s mentor, the one they go to when they need to know how to solve a lactation problem, a hospital policy situation, or a private practice challenge.
And fourth, but certainly not last, being a FILCA is FUN. You can impress your favorite doctor with the new credential. You can meet other FILCAs and find out what they do that is totally outside of the realm of lactation. You get to eat lunch together at the annual ILCA conference.
So join us. Become a FILCA!
In Part Two, find out what being a FILCA means to Joy Heads.
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