My Journey as a Canadian Certified Diabetes Educator
By Michelle Archer, RD, CDE of Diabetes Training 101 Inc.
As 2025 comes to a close, I wanted to wrap up the year by sharing my path to becoming a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE). Embarking on the path to become a CDE was a pivotal moment in my career as it signified transitioning my practice from a general to a specialist practice. In the years leading up to 2015, I made the decision to start my company Diabetes Training 101 Inc. and dedicate my practice entirely to diabetes care. This commitment meant pursuing the eligibility criteria needed to qualify for and then preparing to write the CDE exam. A challenge made more complex by my private practice workplace setting in several First Nation Communities, where I didn’t have a direct health systems manager to certify my hours. Thankfully, two supportive CDE colleagues stepped in to recommend me, allowing me to move forward with the exam process.
Preparing for Certification
To prepare for the 2015 CDE exam, I enrolled in the Saint Elizabeth’s Certified Diabetes Educator Study Program. This virtual study group, facilitated by Glen Chenard, RN, CDE, offered a structured, topic-focused study group curriculum over 18 weeks, featuring expert guest speakers and aligning with the core competencies of diabetes practice. The program recommended the Diabetes Essentials Manual from Diabetes Canada, which combined with the study group, gave me the structure and support I needed to succeed. I very much appreciated the week by week guidance of live and then recorded trainings, targetted readings on the weekly topic, and the support of a community all taking the same course and sharing. I’m proud to say I passed the exam in 2015.
Recertification Amidst a Pandemic
Fast forward to 2020: a year unlike any other. It was my year to recertify my CDE status, and I chose once again to prepare through the Saint Elizabeth program. The pandemic brought new challenges of navigating a global pandemic, wearing masks, frequently using hand sanitizer, physical distancing and a heightened level of mass uncertainty. The pandemic also added the increased professional demands of navigating pandemic restrictions and public health information on top of the usual work duties. Along with that was a shift to online exam proctoring. For someone who didn’t grow up with digital technology, the transition to a fully online exam was daunting. I was used to writing an exam in person, using pen and paper, overseen by a proctor. That all changed with the pandemic. The experience was stressful as was that time in all our lives. I remember being in the exam and having no idea what time it was or how much time I had left to write and not really recalling (because I was stressed!) how to find out how much time was left in the exam time. It took me a few days to emotionally recover from that experience. Again, I was successful in passing but felt like I was hit by a bus and still trying to recover.
Embracing the Portfolio Path
By 2022, as the world was settling into a new normal and I was now participating as a guest lecturer in the Saint Elizabeth’s Certified Diabetes Educator Study Program, I reflected on the stress of my online exam experience and decided to avoid the same stress and pursue recertification through the portfolio method. Admittedly, my focus during the pandemic had been on patient care, not on meticulously recording my learning activities. I was behind in my tracking. A generous colleague shared an Excel spreadsheet to help track and tally my portfolio points, making the tracking process more manageable. I did the best I could to tally up my activities along the way and targeted future activities to areas that needed more work. Unfortunately the St. Elizabeth’s CDE Prep Course is no longer offered.
The Portfolio Submission Experience
In January 2025, I submitted my portfolio, exceeding the minimum requirement of 250 points over five years. My activities included reading diabetes research, participating in and creating webinars, developing and delivering ducational programs for health professionals, and attending the Diabetes Canada conference annually. These experiences not only contributed to my portfolio but also enriched my professional growth.
Looking Ahead
I received confirmation that my portfolio was accepted, and my CDE renewal is now valid until 2030. The Canadian Certified Diabetes Educator Certification Board has transitioned to an online platform for portfolio tracking, which I hope will streamline the process for future recertifications. Time will tell for me, as my next portfolio is due in 2030.
An Invitation to You
Every diabetes educator’s journey is unique, shaped by personal challenges, professional growth, and the evolving landscape of healthcare in a digital world. Whether you’ve taken the exam route to CDE or opted for the portfolio method, your experiences can be helpful to others. What was your journey like with the CDE exam or portfolio recertification? I’d love to hear your story and learn from you. Consider sharing your experience in the comments area, or in our Community of Learning on Facebook.
References
- The Canadian Diabetes Educator Certification Board https://www.cdecb.ca/
- Saint Elizabeth’s College Certified Diabetes Educator Study Program. https://careercollege.sehc.com/canadian-diabetes-educator-cde-virtual-study-group/
- Building Competency in Diabetes Education https://essentialsdiabetes.com/
- Diabetes Training 101 Inc Community of Learning https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1LFzPzDdfq/