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By | May 15, 2025
Refer to section 5.1 of the Examination Handbook. You must meet all of the criteria to be eligible. There are no exceptions. 5.1 For Initial Certification: Individuals who have not previously taken or passed the CDE® examination or whose CDE® designation have lapsed must meet ALL of the following requirements: Be licensed with a regulatory […]
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Knowledge Base

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I qualify to take the examination?

I will not have my 800 hours until I am ready to write the exam – is that OK?

I have diabetes, does the time looking after “me” count?

I am a health professional and I do not have any experience working with diabetes but my child has diabetes, can I use that time?

I meet all of the criteria, however, I do not work in a Diabetes Education Centre, is that OK?

I am a member of a Canadian Regulatory Body, and I have 800 hours of experience, but the experience was not in Canada, can I apply?

How do I calculate the time that I provide diabetes education, and what part of my job is diabetes education?

How do I calculate the time that I spend providing diabetes education? I have not logged it.

I am a community pharmacist, how do I track my diabetes education experience?

I provide diabetes education to those that are at risk of diabetes, does that contribute towards the 800 hours?

I provide diabetes education to health care professionals do I qualify to write the exam or do I have to provide diabetes education to people with diabetes?

I just graduated and I am an intern may I use the experience I have accumulated while an intern?

I live in a country other than Canada and I hold a Canadian licence to practice as a Canadian health care professional. Does the experience that I gained while working within that country utilizing my Canadian licence and my foreign licence contribute towards the 800 hours necessary.

I live in a country other than Canada and I do not hold a Canadian licence to practice as a Canadian health care professional.  May I use the experience that I have obtained while working within the licence of another country towards the 800 hours now that I have a Canadian licence.

In regards to the 800 hour requirement needed to write the exam, does my nursing practice over the years working in the community and now in the hospital count?

I have an immediate family member on a pump, diagnosed at 5 years of age, that would help me accumulate my time, wouldn’t it not?

I spend a lot of time with people with diabetes. Therefore, does that time contribute towards the 800 hours of experience?

Does the time I spend taking a course contribute towards the 800 hours of education experience?

I look after family members with diabetes, does that time contribute towards my diabetes education experience?

I am a Pharmacy Technician licensed in my Province with the College of Pharmacists. Am I eligible to write the CDECB exam?

I was looking into the CDE® certification as I have been working for several years in a Primary Care Network which involves a large amount of diabetes management. I see that the first requirement is to be registered with a regulatory body. As a Kinesiologist/Clinical Exercise Physiologist in Alberta, this poses a problem as the only province that has an associated college for this profession is Ontario.

I work in a Diabetes Education Centre for 40 hours a week. Can I count all 40 hours of that time as my experience?

I spend a lot of time reviewing products and medications available to those with diabetes. Is that considered part of diabetes education to contribute towards my 800 hours of diabetes education experience?

I am taking a course about diabetes from my local college. May I include that in my calculation of 800 hours of diabetes education experience?

Do you have any advertisements we can use in our practice?

Do I need to complete the “trial” examination?

What technical standards must my desktop or laptop computer meet in order to take this examination?

Why do I not show up in the “Find a CDE” search engine?

I am moving from one province to another in Canada. What happens to my “CDE” designation when I change my licence from one College to another due to my physical relocation?

How does the CDECB develop an item for the CDECB exam?

Where do I claim credit for Diabetes Canada’s “22 Minute Take Away”?

Does the CDECB exam question provide all of the information I need to select a correct response?

Evacuation Process: What happens if I get an evacuation notice during my exam or before I start my exam?

Is the CDECB Exam a virtual exam or a paper exam?

How do I become a CDE®?

Does the CDECB examination consider treatment variations available throughout Canada?

Do I need to keep track of my hours on a separate sheet of paper?

I attended virtual conferences, lunch and learns, or other events that normally hosted in person but are now virtual.

How do you verify the experience I outline in my Application?

I attended Diabetes Canada’s virtual conference in 2020 or 2021. What category does this fall under?

How do I ensure I have stable internet connection?

Why can’t I get my sample exam questions now?

What competencies should I use?

I am taking the examination this year, do I need to know about certification maintenance prior to writing the examination?

Because of COVID-19 will I still need 250 credits to complete my portfolio?

What is a Room Scan and how do I do it?

The Word or PDF forms are not working properly.

May is a busy time for me, Can I take the exam on another day?

What type of Identification do I need to present when I start to write the examination?

What time contributes towards my 800 hours for diabetes education experience?

Will my application be processed if I do not provide the fee when submitted?

I need to take the exam on another date. Can you arrange this?

How do I flag (identify) a question to review later?

Can you recommend a course for me to take?

Can multiple people write the examination in the same room?

Should I write the examination in French or English?

My College no longer sends out “wallet cards” and all I can do is print off my current information from their website. If I print that and send that to you is that acceptable as proof of professional registration?

I decided I cannot take the examination this year, when should I tell the CDECB?

I accidentally closed the examination.

How do I know you received my application?

How do I get to my exam on exam day?

I have a disability and I need special consideration, when should I advise the CDECB?

How do I receive my results?

When do I receive acknowledgment of my Application?

I just took the exam.  When will I get the results?

A great deal of my practice is consulting. I provide information to or I consult with other health care professionals regarding their patients with diabetes. Is this considered diabetes education? These people are talking with me about their patients?

What happens if my internet connection goes out?

Does it matter what internet connection I use to take my practice test?

Can I just go somewhere and get a free wifi connection?

What is the examination fee?

Can I have a snack and a drink while I write the examination?

I ran out of time and did not get to finish my examination.

Can I read the questions aloud; can I talk to myself during the exam?

Can I use a library hot spot?

What do I do if I cannot meet these standards for computer equipment?

Can I take this examination using a mobile phone or tablet?

Do I have to use all of the trial tests?

What is the exam pass/fail score? 

Can I take scrap paper into the room?

I have been advised by my power supplier that I will not have power on the date of the exam. Now what?

What happens if I have trouble logging in to write the examination?

If I just do not “show up” or “sign in” for the examination am I then scheduled for the next examination?

If I am disqualified from the Examination, will I receive a refund?

Can I use the washroom during the examination?

How long do I have to write the examination?

What time will I write the examination?

I want to write the examination like before, with paper, and go to an examination site to do it.

So, if I am not successful, how do I know what to study for the next time I write the exam?

What happens if I do not understand the examination content and I have a question for the proctor?

What happens if I have a technical question when I am writing the examination?

What happens if my internet provider experiences an outage?

What must my room and desk be like where I take the examination?

My computer does not meet the requirements. Now what?

How do I know how much time I have?

Volunteering

Volunteers are an important part of the Canadian Diabetes Educator Certification Board. Their knowledge about Diabetes has enabled the Canadian Diabetes Educator Certification Board to be what it is. 

Learn More About Volunteering
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