How important are credentials?

What does it take to be a good instructor?

           I have had this conversation is seems a lot lately. I have been asked what is more important, certifications in the profession or in presenting the information? Some people will say both; others say if you know the profession, the ability to present information is more critical. There are those people who think the total opposite. I know many who are hired to teach or instruct who are masters of their craft but unable to present how to accomplish objectives to others.

           My thoughts on this message stemmed from a discussion today with a colleague. We were discussing individuals teaching medical courses, not official EMT or CPR, but courses as contract medical instructors. There are many of us out there and some also teaching in the United States who are not current providers. Some BLS instructors are not current providers (EMT’s). My thoughts are if you teach a program, that can ultimately change the course of somebody else’s life, like any medical program, you should be a current provider and up to date on your certifications. My colleague looks at the numbers game and how many medical instructors total, certified or not, versus if he went with just certified.

           I see both sides of the coin if you went with just certified you would have a smaller pool, but more qualified, if you go with both certified and not, you have more numbers to fill more gaps. So I ask when teaching a medical course at any level (outside of a formal program) should the person standing in front of the class be a current provider or just have had at some point in their life medical training? Certifications are only a small part of being an instructor or teacher, but at a minimum, it shows that a person took the time to attend some form of training and is probably current on latest techniques and procedures. Remember as we teach we should teach as if our lives depend on it. Be safe!