Distinctions Service Update – July 2016

Please see the update below from our Distinctions Secretary:

Prospective applicants for distinctions should note the following,

September 2016

The assessment quotas for Licentiates, Associates and Fellowships are already full. Cancellations will not lead to admittance of other applications.

November 2016

The Licentiate and Associate quotas are already full. Fellowships will now be limited to five applications, to ensure adequate time for consideration of panels on the day of adjudication.

March 2017

Applications for March 4th 2017 to be held in Portlaoise will open for applications on 16th July (at noon). The session will be for Licentiates and Associates only.

Rest of 2017

There will be assessment sessions in May, September and November, at dates and venues to be announced. Applications for these sessions will be announced in a later Newsletter.

Courtesy

Information on future assessment dates will be published in this newsletter and posted on our website. While we are very happy to deal with your queries, please bear in mind that we are volunteers, and ask that you respect the time we give by first checking for the information you need on our website.

Waiting Lists

The team of assessors engaged for any session is planned well in advance based on the subjects to be presented in Fellowship, Associateship and in many cases Licentiateship applications. Given this, and the added administrative burden to maintain a waiting list, please be advised that going forward once quotas are full there will be no applications to put your name on a  “waiting list”, i.e. there are no waiting lists!

Deferrals

Applicants must proceed with the assessment date they applied for and changes of date are no longer allowed. If an applicant does not fulfil the date applied for, the application is regarded as cancelled and the application fee will not be refunded.

All of this means that prospective applicants should give careful consideration to whether or not their panels are at least substantially ready before applying for assessment. If in doubt seek advice from others, particularly those who have been successful in getting distinctions. Better still, go to a distinctions advisory day when one is organised by your Region.

Bob Morrison
IPF Distinctions Secretary