There are some misinformed people, including instructors, bashing PADI and the MSD

[chrpai]

Well atleast PADI requires 9 seperate classes ( OW, AOW, Medic/CPR, Rescue and 5 specialities ) to bestow MSD. Alot of people around here take a 3 day DIR-F class and suddenly think they are Master Scuba Divers.

 

[archman]

Well atleast PADI requires 9 seperate classes ( OW, AOW, Medic/CPR, Rescue and 5 specialities ) to bestow MSD. Alot of people around here take a 3 day DIR-F class and suddenly think they are Master Scuba Divers.

amen to that. I flooded my mask laughing when two brand new "DIR divers" got tangled up in each other's long primaries.

 

[erubic]

Wow, indigo blue that was a good answer!!! It helped me make up my mind to go do my aow with ssi.(I have my ow with padi)

Does anyone know if you can switch back and forth between padi, and ssi. I mean if I have my OW with padi can I switch to SSI for my AOW, or will I need my OW from SSI to take the AOW? Than lets say one day I wanted to go back to padi for my divemaster, could I with my AOW cert. from SSI.







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[Doc Intrepid]

Chris,

Your penetrating analysis and keen application of facts and citations to the topic being discussed leaves one breathless with admiration.

I cannot recall once on this board any DIR-F student proclaiming themselves to be a PADI Master Scuba Diver.

Why the need to inject that acronym into this discussion?

 

[archman]

Does anyone know if you can switch back and forth between padi, and ssi.

PADI is extremely lenient accepting certs from other agencies. I got my PADI divemaster and used my NAUI master diver and rescue certs for prereqs. SSI tends to be even more anal than NAUI, so it should be even easier for you to swap them out with PADI equivalents.

 

[chrpai]

Chris,

Your penetrating analysis and keen application of facts and citations to the topic being discussed leaves one breathless with admiration.

I cannot recall once on this board any DIR-F student proclaiming themselves to be a PADI Master Scuba Diver.

Why the need to inject that acronym into this discussion?

It's a perfectly fair comparison. PADI has put together a cirriculum that is designed to make someone a safe and knowledgable diver and they are flammed. Another agency has done the same, but you think they are above questioning?

 

[perpet1]

Overall I must agree with Perpet's observations of the PADI Master Diver course. Just a lot more worthless plastic cards. Matt, you are probably more than ready to join a PADI D/M class now, however, and that is where you will really start to learn a lot about scuba diving.

We agree totally but I usually question somone that is going for DM to make sure that is what they actually want. The idea of being a Dive Master is appealing to some but the reality is that if you are not going to do it for work it becomes more of a laibility problem then anything else. That is why I like the format of NAUI Master Diver because it provides all the knowledge base and in-water skills of most Dive Master programs without the leadership training. I personally think this is the goal of most people that strive for DM do so because they are working to advance their skills and knowledge and feel DM is the only real way to do so. When I explain that Master Diver does that without the additional burden of insurance and professional laibility they usually go for it.

Dont think for a second I push everyone that way because I don't. There are those that want to be DM's for good reasons and they usually do well but you can tell after a brief conversation what the goals of an individual are. More often then not you find that DM is not in line with the actual goals of an individual but rather an impression (wrong as it may be) that DM is the only way to become a more skilled diver.

If somone just wants to advance their knowledge then I recommend the NAUI Master Diver.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

It's a perfectly fair comparison. PADI has put together a cirriculum that is designed to make someone a safe and knowledgable diver and they are flammed. Another agency has done the same, but you think they are above questioning?

The PADI Master Scuba Diver credential is represented to be a tertiary credential. There is no higher rating among the non-professional credentials offered by PADI. Thus, it occupies a position at the top of the PADI pyramid.

The debate in this thread is whether or not the credential is worthy or not of such distinction. Those disagreeing argue that other similar credentials require significantly greater academic effort to attain. Those agreeing, such as yourself, point out that at least nine courses must be passed with appropriate documentation of proficiency to attain the credential.

While the debate may not be resolved here, it is at least interesting.

The GUE fundamentals class, in contrast, - far from being at the top of the ladder - is designed as not even an entry level class. It was designed to ensure that prospective GUE students are able to demonstrate the minimum standards required to enable them to take the entry level GUE classes.

There are doubtless Fundamentals 'graduates' who are enthusiastic about their new skills. The same might be said for new open water students.

Still, a debate over what level of effort ought to qualify one for a tertiary scuba diver credential from PADI has little bearing on a pre-entry level course from another agency.

No one said PADI failed to design courses that would result in safe and knowledgeable divers. But your analogy is flawed. You're comparing apples to oranges. The DIR debate is basically uninteresting anyway, but in particular it has no bearing on whether PADI's Master Scuba Diver credential is a valid and worthy distinction or not.

 

[perpet1]

It's a perfectly fair comparison. PADI has put together a cirriculum that is designed to make someone a safe and knowledgable diver and they are flammed. Another agency has done the same, but you think they are above questioning?

Actually PADI has put together a marketing campaign designed to sell 5 specialties but that is not a bad thing since we are a marketing driven system. If you break it down as it has been in this thread it is clear that the PADI program is not a certification but rather a collection of other certifications. I do not say this is a bad thing but know that is all it is.

Now most people in this thread are not flaming PADI (compared to how I have seen people flame PADI in other threads) they are pointing out the differences between PADI and other organizations with regards to Master Scuba Diver. I believe that was the point of this thread. From what I have read, most points on this thread are factual and not outright fabrications.

I am not a follower if the whole DIR thing but there are plenty of threads elsewhere that you can post your frustrations. Moreover, if they (DIR) had a Master Diver Certification then it would be on topic here but since they don't (or at least you did not site one) it is off topic and uncalled for here.

 

[chrpai]

I never said I liked, or agreed that the PADI MSD was everything claim it to be. I also didn't say that the DIR-F class was.

I was just pointing out that some of the people who so vehmently blast that PADI MSD also walk away from the DIR-F with the most arrogant, know it all attitude. In fact, GUE's whole marketing is based on Elitest 'their training will kill you' rheoteric.

Personally I think the PADI MSD is a joke. I've gone through rescue and I've done EAN to get fills. The rest of the 'specialites' I skip as I prefer the 'learn it with a buddy' approach.