“Portfolios give you a different picture of somebody,” Smolenski notes. “You can see the experiences that people have had and what else they bring to the table that is more broad-based than just passing an exam.”
Methods of specialty recognition beyond examination may also level the playing field for those who freeze up at the very idea of being tested. “A lot of people cannot take tests,” Smolenski points out. “They just don’t do well. And then other people are really good test-takers.
“Exams validate that you’ve met a certain standard—but the issue is, just because you passed the test, does that mean you’re competent?” she adds. “You can’t really equate the two. There’s a lot more to competency than a test.”