Professional Competence can mean different things to different people. Competence in any career or profession involves many basic requirements that are learned in a classroom setting, as well as many essential elements that must be learned through formal on-the-job training in order to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to function adequately as a worker. professional in a work context. Consulting expertise is not a “once learned, always known” type of knowledge; requires a combination of classroom instruction, internship to gain confidence, knowledge, skills and experience, and the requirement for lifelong continuing education. Commitment to continuous skill development depends largely on the individual's motivation and the degree of self-awareness and honesty he or she has about skills and competencies. Accessing your personal level of competence may prove to be a daunting task without a focused desire for ongoing professional development, the help of colleagues, supervisors, ongoing training, and a genuine attitude that is not afraid or resentful of criticism. . Cultivating an honest understanding of one's knowledge or lack of knowledge in certain areas, or even a gap in skills or abilities, is critical to the ongoing development of professional competence. Recommended as supportive tools to help guide assessments, Corey, Corey, and Callahan, cite other colleagues and psychological literature that offer formative and summative assessments. These reviews, suggested for use during training and upon completion of a professional program, or when applying for licensed status, “address the strengths of the individual professional and provide… half of the document… willing to recognize and correct errors.” (Ronald M. Epstein & Edward M. Hundert, downloaded from www.jama.com by guest on August 19, 2008) Maintaining high levels of competence throughout one's life requires self-motivation and self-direction, serious dedication to professionalism and desire to uphold the standards of the counseling profession, commitment to one's personal code of ethics, and genuine enjoyment of the pursuit of learning. Corey, G., Corey, M.S., & Callanan, P. (2011 , 2007, 8th ed.) Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions. Belmont, California: Brooks/Cole; by the guest on August 19, 2008). JAMA, Journal of the American MedicalAssociation, JAMA, January 9, 2002—Vol 287, n.. 2 .