I came across this by accident. Does anyone know if this program is accredited? http://www.drkloss.com/index.htm
Don't know, but I can tell you that it's based in Hot Springs, Arkansas... home of the Alliance Rubber Company which has made about every rubber band on the planet.
Not that this has anything to with anything, but I taught at the Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Services for two years. Very very interesting. Trying to teach history to future funeral home owners and operators is a challenge. The Museum of Funeral Service is there also. They finally have signs in Houston telling folks how to get there. I would suggest that museum to anyone. It will either make you think, make you run screaming out or admire something about our culture and how we bury our dead.
Re: Re: Certified Mortuary Technician Nope. But it seems strange that this organization can certify one to work as a funeral home assistant. I've always thought that funeral directing and embalming theory were impossible to teach via DL. All the mortuary colleges in my area require a two year residency period. I'm assuming that this program is more of a novelty subject for those interested in taphophilia.
Re: Re: Re: Certified Mortuary Technician Here in the states, requirements for licensing are a state matter. I'd guess that these vary from virtually nothing to strict. I was curious about what my state of California requires, so I consulted the California Business and Professions Code. It seems that state law distinguishes between "funeral directors" and "embalmers". Funeral directors apparently are the business types that manage funeral homes and deal with survivors. Embalmers are the more technical types that make sure that corpses aren't health hazards and make them presentable. Here are the rather minimal requirements for a funeral director's license: 7619. The applicant for a funeral director's license shall be at least 18 years of age, possess an associate of arts or science degree, or the equivalent, or a higher level of education as recognized by the Western Association of Colleges and Universities, or any other nationally recognized accrediting body of colleges and universities, and shall not have committed acts or crimes constituting grounds for denial of licensure under Section 480. ... 7622. Before an individual is granted a funeral director's license, he or she shall successfully pass an examination upon the following subjects: (a) The signs of death. (b) The manner by which death may be determined. (c) The laws governing the preparation, burial and disposal of human remains, and the shipment of bodies dying from infectious or contagious diseases. (d) Local health and sanitary ordinances and regulations relating to funeral directing and embalming. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=bpc&group=07001-08000&file=7615-7635 The requirements for an embalmer's license are more difficult: 7643. In order to qualify for a license as an embalmer, the applicant shall comply with all of the following requirements: (a) Be over 18 years of age. (b) Not have committed acts or crimes constituting grounds for denial of licensure under Section 480. (c) Furnish proof showing completion of a high school course or instead he or she may furnish the bureau with evidence that he or she has been licensed and has practiced as an embalmer for a minimum of three years within the seven years preceding his or her application in any other state or country and that the license has never been suspended or revoked for unethical conduct. (d) Have completed at least two years of apprenticeship under an embalmer licensed and engaged in practice as an embalmer in this state in a funeral establishment which shall have been approved for apprentices by the bureau and while so apprenticed shall have assisted in embalming not fewer than 100 human remains; provided, however, that a person who has been licensed and has practiced as an embalmer for a minimum of three years within the seven years preceding his or her application in any other state or country and whose license has never been suspended or revoked for unethical conduct shall not be required to serve any apprenticeship in this state. (e) Have successfully completed a course of instruction of not less than one academic year in an embalming school approved by the bureau and accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education. 7646. The bureau shall require the applicant to pass an examination, which shall include the following subjects: (a) Theory and practice of embalming. (b) Anatomy, including histology, embryology and dissection. (c) Pathology and bacteriology. (d) Hygiene, including sanitation and public health. (e) Chemistry, including toxicology. (f) Restorative art, including plastic surgery and demisurgery. (g) Laws, rules and regulations of the bureau, including those sections of the Health and Safety Code which pertain to the funeral industry. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=bpc&group=07001-08000&file=7640-7650 So it seems to me that a course like this DL thing might be helpful to someone seeking a funeral director's license. Of course, so would reading a book on the subject. But becoming an embalmer requires a one year course at a school approved by the California board and accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education. This DL thing doesn't seem to qualify. A licensed embalmer must also serve as an embalmer's apprentice for two years and then take an exam.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Certified Mortuary Technician The laws in California seem a bit confusing. I agree, attending an accredited B & M school for an embalmer's license does make sense. The state should regulate the licensing of embalmers and death care practitioners, but could you trust a DL graduate to direct a funeral without a governing body regulating his or her actions? If this is the case, then just about anyone who enrolls at this school - http://www.drkloss.com/index.htm could apply for a funeral director's position at funeral homes where embalming and funeral directing fall under different regulating bodies (no pun intended).
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Certified Mortuary Technician Considering the depth of our legislators' confusion, our laws really aren't too bad. But I have to admit that this clause in the funeral director's law is pretty good: (e) Nothing in this chapter shall be deemed to render unlawful the conduct of any ambulance service from the same premises as those on which a licensed funeral establishment is conducted, including the maintenance in connection with the funeral establishment of garages for the ambulances and living quarters for ambulance drivers. I've heard of ambulance chasers, but that's ridiculous. "I'm still alive, damn it! Take me to the hospital, I tell you, to the hospital!!" Yeah, I guess that's true. Though there are a bunch of additional B&P code sections that govern funeral home and mortuary practices apart from licensing their operators. But I guess the legislators' idea is that funeral directing is a business. There's no more reason to micromanage it than there is to enact strict licensing laws for other small businessmen. Embalmers are kind of a different deal since they actually work with the corpses as opposed to directing funerals. There's a public health aspect to what they do, since corpses may conceivably carry infectious diseases and stuff. The law requires funeral directors to employ licensed embalmers.
Here is a canadian one If you really are interested in this subject this looked like a more official programs . Plus it is GAAP it is from Canada Vancouver community college Pathology attendant http://www.vcc.ca/programs/progDetail10.cfm?WPGM_DIVISION_ID=6&WPGM_PROGRAM_ID=145 you get 90 hours of practium with autopsies, and almost 500 hours of clases. This is more for the pathology side of care than funeral home but looks interesting. If you really want funeral home and embalming try Hudson Valley College http://www.hvcc.edu/hsc/mts/curr.html it looks liek all but 2 classes are offered by distance learning
Re: Here is a canadian one Here's one that is held at Humber College in Toronto. No DL component to this program - http://postsecondary.humber.ca/07321.htm
