A Summative Report of Applications Submitted to the Experience Documentation Opportunity for the Master Certified Health Education Specialist Credential

Background: The purpose of this presentation is to provide a summative report of the applications submitted to the Experience Documentation Opportunity (EDO), implemented by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc (NCHEC). Methods: The EDO was a onetime, 6-month opportunity for health education specialists holding the entry-level certification (Certified Health Education Specialist – CHES) for 5 or more continuous years, with active status, to submit documentation to verify practice at the advanced level to become a Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES), the new advanced certification. The EDO process was an efficient way to verify a professional's level of practice. Applicants were required to submit a resume to verify years of practice at the advanced level; moreover, NCHEC required applicants to include a unique testament of practice forms from by individuals who could verify the applicant's practice at the advanced-level. These materials went through a rigorous review process, to be described during the presentation. Results: A total of 862 applications were submitted to NCHEC; 819 were approved, 36 denied, and 7 withdrew. Frequency distributions indicate which advanced-level Sub-competencies were used the most and least for applications. The process resulted in a relatively high (95%) pass rate, as 819 of 862 total applications were conferred MCHES. Results of the EDO process provide unique and valuable information regarding characteristics of the first cohort of MCHES, as well as a direct assessment of advanced-level practice in the field of health education. Implications of the process will be discussed during the presentation.