IBLCE: Lactation Exam Practice

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Lactation Exam Practice provides candidates of the IBLCE Examination with practice in multiple-choice assessment on a range of questions based on the topics examined in the IBLCE Examination. Practice your exam-taking skills on these questions. You'll learn techniques to ensure you answer the questions accurately, giving you lots of practice with photograph-related questions and highlighting topic areas where you need more study. In the forum you'll be able to ask an experienced IBCLC questions and you'll receive support from friends and colleagues all around the World.

An introductory section discusses studying techniques and how to handle exam nerves. A section on exam techniques will assist you when answering multiple-choice questions.

The practice exam consists of 200 multiple-choice questions initially, with more to follow prior to July. A significant number of questions are based on full-color photographs. The questions are divided into exams of 50 questions each for easy time management. All the questions have feedback, many with references to the evidence-based research - a great learning aid! The question range has been created according to the blueprint of topics to be examined, as published by the IBLCE. All the questions are automatically graded - your results available immediately. You can see in which areas of the blueprint you may need more revision.

This program is in its 11th year, growing in popularity every year mostly from those who have used it previously telling their friends and colleagues what a great resource it was for them.

Add this course to your enrollment basket

Access Time:
You'll retain access to the questions and forum from the time you enroll until the week after the IBLCE examination.
Cost:
US$97
Facilitator:
This program is facilitated by an experienced Lactation Consultant.
Accreditation:
No professional education credit points are available for this program

Prerequisites

If you are a first-time candidate for the IBLCE examination it is preferable that you complete your comprehensive course of study prior to using the Practice Exams. This will give you a clearer idea of where to focus your final studying.
However, if you are re-sitting the examination for your recertification you may get most benefit from doing the practice exams first, then determining in which areas you need to study further. Experienced IBCLCs usually only need to 'brush up' on a few subjects.

Each of the first 4 Practice Exams relates to specific sections of the IBLCE Exam Blueprint. The following is a guide to what is covered in each of the Practice Exams. When you review your Practice Exam results you should be able to tell in which of the IBLCE Blueprint topics you may need more review time.
The additional Practice Exams added later will be in response to the types of questions the group would like more practice with.

The Practice Exams

Exam Practice A

  • Maternal and Infant Normal Physiology and Endocrinology
  • Breastfeeding Techniques

Exam Practice B

  • Maternal and Infant Immunology and Infectious Disease
  • Maternal and Infant Pathology
  • Public Health

Exam Practice C

  • Maternal and Infant Anatomy
  • Maternal and Infant Normal Nutrition and Biochemistry
  • Maternal and Infant Pharmacology and Toxicology

Exam Practice D

  • Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology
  • Growth Parameters and Developmental Milestones
  • Interpretative Research
  • Ethical and Legal Issues
  • Breastfeeding Equipment and Technology

Your Practice Exam is graded automatically as soon as you submit it. You will receive a grade, but of more importance you will be able to look at each question again, reading the comprehensive feedback which may explain why the wrong answers are wrong, or giving you references to online journal articles to read more about the topic examined.
The question feedback is another great learning tool for you.

Discussion Forums

The forum is where you will meet exam candidates from all around the World. In a social forum you'll share your thoughts, cares and concerns with others going through the same emotions you are.
The main forum is where questions are discussed, dissected and examined until understanding of exam techniques makes the chance of losing marks from misunderstanding a near impossibility. And as an added bonus you'll probably gain even more breastfeeding knowledge.
Surveys of exam candidates who have completed the Lactation Exam Practice in previous years have told us that one of the best parts of this program is the learning, sharing and caring that happens in the discussion forums.

Quality Assurance

All of the questions have been developed for Health e-Learning and reviewed by a team of experienced IBCLCs.

  • Primary author: Denise Fisher, MMP, BN, IBCLC
  • Bridget Ingle, RN, RM, IBCLC
  • Suzanne Cox, BMid, IBCLC
  • Barbara Ash, BA, IBCLC
  • Elise Chapin, MEd IBCLC

Aim

The aim of Lactation Exam Practice is to give the candidate of the IBLCE examination practice in multiple-choice exam techniques using question-style the same or very similar to that of the IBLCE examination.
A secondary aim is give the candidate a feeling for the subject topics which they may need to study more thoroughly.
And finally, to provide a venue for exam candidates from around the World to gather to give one another support and share friendship during a special time in their lives.

Objectives

On completion of this program the student will

  • be able to examine a multiple-choice question carefully and thoroughly with a view to discerning the exact intention of the question,
  • identify areas of the IBLCE Exam Blueprint which may require additional study to feel fully prepared,
  • acknowledge an increasing confidence going in to the IBLCE examination,
  • have met new friends and colleagues from around the World who have supported them in their effort to prepare for the IBLCE examination.

Administration:

  • This program is facilitated by an experienced International Board Certified Lactation Consultant who has extensive experience in education.
  • The program is available from the time you enroll until one week after the IBLCE examination in the year in which you enrolled.
  • Your Username and Password will become activated at the time you enroll.
    • The program accepts enrollments from February 1 each year.
    • Enrollments close at 1630hrs (Australian Eastern Standard Time) on the Friday prior to the IBLCE examination each year.

When is the IBLCE Examination?

Each year the certifying examination for Lactation Consultants (the IBLCE exam) is presented to qualified candidates on the last Monday in July.

Note: Applications to take the Examination must be sent to the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners IBLCE). Health e-Learning is in NO WAY able to assist you with this application.

Fees and Payments

  • Enrollments are accepted online, or upon receipt of a faxed or mailed enrollment form (available on request).
  • Payments online are available using either PayPal or WorldPay gateways.
  • The cost is US$97.00
  • Additional fees, that are out of our control, may be charged by your bank to convert this to your local currency.
  • Please see our Payments FAQ for more information.

Refunds and Privacy

Please see our Terms and Conditions for more information regarding refunds and our Privacy Policy is also available.

Why should I enroll in Lactation Exam Practice rather than buy a book of questions or take an exam-prep class?

That's easy! When you enroll in Lactation Exam Practice you'll get everything you can get from books and classes combined, plus much more for much longer. We really look after you!

  • Initially 200 questions similar to the IBLCE exam to practice on time and time again. In the last 6-weeks or so we'll release another set of questions for more practice.
  • Our questions are updated every year.
  • Every question has feedback - tips on that specific question such as how to avoid the pitfalls of red herrings, how to look at photographs critically, how to handle the 'most', 'least' and 'not' style of questioning, as well as some clinical information and where you can go to extend your knowledge of the topic.
  • The forum: "The questions were great, the feedback incredibly useful, but the forums were what gave me the most confidence. It was fantastic - sharing knowledge, tips and support with other exam-takers from around the world, and Denise's knowledge and information was the best! What an incredible experience!. I made friends on the forum with other new IBCLCs that I'll keep for a lifetime. Thank you Health e-Learning!"
  • You'll have access to the exam questions, the forums and an experienced IBCLC educator for a full 6-months if you enroll on February 1. Regardless of when you enroll though you'll have all the facilities available to you until the week AFTER the IBLCE exam. Take your time - consolidate your learning and experience; it's not all over in one or two days.
  • You could start RIGHT NOW if you click HERE and enroll now.
  • And you get all this at any time of day or night that suits you, without having to leave home! Why would you even consider anything else?

What past students said

A survey of more than 700 2011 participants revealed 56% had little or no confidence before doing Lactation Exam Practice, and over 90% felt confident after doing Lactation Exam Practice. 99.4% of respondents said that they would recommend this program to future IBLCE candidates.

"What did you find of MOST benefit to you in doing Lactation Exam Practice?"

  • Getting used to the type and style of questions that come up
  • -precise questions - aright answer well explained - photo qiuestions
  • The wide variety of questions and picture questions
  • the photos, they excellent examples of what to expect on the IBCLE.
  • It made me think like the real exam questions did. it was extremely helpful and will reccomend for other friends sitting for next years exam
  • The quick grading and study prompts helps to problem areas.
  • the question themself how they were worded
  • Learned from my incorrect responses
  • Getting used to the style of questioning and the way in which the knowledge you had would need to be applied in the exam.
  • The technique of analysing the question and answer , it was good revision and every question with the 4 options covered an entire topic.
  • Questions were so similar to those on the real exam. Great preparation.
  • playing with and learning exam technique figuring out why I picked the wrong answer when I really did know the correct one! I learned to READ the question carefully and completely! Also reading the student comments and Tutor responses - often opening a bigger picture and sent me in search of reading different texts. Thank you
  • I liked the comments on each question explaining the rationale in selecting the right answer and possible pitfalls to watch out for to avoid selecting a wrong answer.
  • The forum. I loved discussing what we didn't understand and the fellowship.
  • Reviewing completed exams with explanations. The explanations and comments were a great aid in de-constructing the questions
  • It helped to identify areas where I needed to do more work. It also helped to really think about how questions are worded and also to logically approach a situation. It also made me review my course work really thoroughly - loved the BreastEd BE01-10 courses. I also found it useful to have the forum to get more information or be pointed to information sources. Great moderators!
  • Two things: the wording of the questions was similar enough to the real test so that I felt I knew what types of questions would be asked. Second, and most important, was the explanations. It would have been practically useless to not have good explanations of what I was doing wrong or why my thought process didn't bring me to the right answer.
  • Going over the exam questions and really looking for what the question was asking. Really loved the support of our tutors and the forum.
  • It was tailored pretty close to how the questions were made. I like the discussion forum because you can share your knowledge that learn from books and extensive course about human lactation. It is a good experience hearing the insights from differrent countries . Very knowledgeable professionals.
  • Thorough explanations of all correct and incorrect answers and direction where to go for more information. Also comments about exam techniques and general practice looking at photos.
  • I found the questions helpful as it required reasoning. I found the dialogue through the forum very helpful indeed as it helped me to think about the particular issues from a different perspective though I would seek out the 'final word' from either Denise or Bridget on any given topic. I wasn't brave enough to join the forum but benefitted from it enormously. Thankyou
  • Just doing the practice exams
  • Learning to read the question for the root, and then practicing what specifically they were asking us to do. Next, after taking the exam, being able to read the excellent explanations of the various answers really helped me to better read the question as well as the answers. It was also very helpful to read the blogs of questions and answers. Every part was well worth the cost for the knowledge gained and testing experience.
  • I found participation in the forum to be very helpful. I did not post very much, but I read almost every thread. Particularly in the second half of the LC exam- where the focus was on breastfeeding management- the discussions on the forum helped me mentally triage and prioritize what I saw in the photos on the exam. Bridget and Denise were amazing at letting the forum members work out the answers to questions, but also providing guidance on how to think through tricky breastfeeding topics/issues. The forum became a nice community of learners (and a place to vent off test anxiety)- I miss it now that the test is over! Also, I liked that you could take the practice exams multiple times.
  • The discussion forum was extremely helpful! Having a facilitator consistently clarifying information or recommending resources was really important for me, as I was getting very frustrated with the conflicting information from textbooks and my little experience finding (not reading or understanding) research papers that was valid.
  • The pictures with questions were similar to the actual exam.
  • picture practice
  • Understanding the level of critical thinking required to answer the questions. Getting the correct answer wasn't just about recall of information, it was about analyzing the scenario and interpreting the question asked, as would be necessary in a real life situation.
  • Learning how to deal with multiple choice questions as I had never done multiple choice before. I found the forum extremely helpful, Denise and Bridget's explanations were fabulous and their different styles complemented each other. Denise focusing a little more on how you would deal with the question from the exam point of view and Bridget concentrating a little more on real life and in practice. Both wonderful.
  • aftter answering other practice exams (in other websites) - your professional level and the explanations given to answers were for sure the bst I saw!
  • working with the format of questions and answers was great preparation for sitting the exam. the fact that there were questions aimed at each area of study broadened my knowledge base, and going onto the forum for additional questions and interactive knowledge from the tutors was the best.
  • Your questions created pathways of learning. It was necessary to look as all the aspects of the question, think carefully about the content in the answers. I found myself searching for conceptual understanding as well as factual information.
  • Getting used to the style of questions and the process. The answers were also great and provided a lot of learning directly and also helpful in guiding to additional resources. Also the opportunity to take the exams more than once. Thank you for a great learning experience. I will be back!
  • ... and so many, many more wonderful comments from very happy new IBCLCs.