Why is becoming a DM considered not worth it?

[Isa.nerwen]

Thinking back 15 years I guess I did maybe 10 OW dives at most. Most of the course was in the pool. But I don't really think the DM course is about getting experience diving. I had 156 dives before signing up and I felt that was about the right amount for me.

Oh wow, for me it's been a massive help in getting experience diving. I've been doing it for about 1 and a half month and during this time I did more thank 80 dives.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Oh wow, for me it's been a massive help in getting experience diving. I've been doing it for about 1 and a half month and during this time I did more thank 80 dives.

Diving is very easy at Koh Tao.

Perhaps you should try Maldives. Heck, even Bali will offer you incredible experiences that will improve your skills immensely.

 

[Leatherboot69]

Worth factoring in is that when you qualify for DM you get access to a load (10?) e-learning courses included in your PADI membership, which equates to a significant discount on doing the courses, as you just need to pay for the practical element with an instructor.

 

[JCG_HeliCam]

Any scuba training you take will make you a better diver. Earning a DM certification is a good introduction into the legal and business side of the Scuba Diving industry. Even if you don't plan on becoming an instructor. Maybe start with an Advance course. I have been diving for 40 years and the best decision I made was to take an Advance Diving course. Not only did I learn a lot and had a good time, I made many new friends and Scuba Buddies. some I still dive with to this day.
Later I got my DM certification because I was working part time at a Dive shop and wanted to keep my skills sharp by taking a separate rescue class and CPR which at the time was all required to get Divemaster rating. The real advantage to all my certifications was getting to meet other divers learning from them and hopefully passing on some knowledge that would help others.

 

[Wibble]

Any scuba training you take will make you a better diver. Earning a DM certification is a good introduction into the legal and business side of the Scuba Diving industry. Even if you don't plan on becoming an instructor. Maybe start with an Advance course. I have been diving for 40 years and the best decision I made was to take an Advance Diving course. Not only did I learn a lot and had a good time, I made many new friends and Scuba Buddies. some I still dive with to this day.
Later I got my DM certification because I was working part time at a Dive shop and wanted to keep my skills sharp by taking a separate rescue class and CPR which at the time was all required to get Divemaster rating. The real advantage to all my certifications was getting to meet other divers learning from them and hopefully passing on some knowledge that would help others.

By "Advance" course, I trust you're not referring to the elementary level PADI "Advanced Open Water"? That is in no way an advanced course by any measure.

Other agencies (BSAC and others) do an Advanced Diver course which is for experienced and skilled divers, not beginners.


I give up with google: cannot find the agencies that do advanced scuba courses which require hundreds of dives in many different conditions as an entry level.

 

[TMHeimer]

Oh wow, for me it's been a massive help in getting experience diving. I've been doing it for about 1 and a half month and during this time I did more thank 80 dives.

Of course. Just saying that one shouldn't need the DM course to become a better diver. You should already be a better diver before taking the course.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Of course. Just saying that one shouldn't need the DM course to become a better diver. You should already be a better diver before taking the course.

Not the first time you have said this, Tom, and in a perfect world I agree everyone would enter the DM course with top-notch dive skills, ready to learn how to lead dives and otherwise begin the journey down the "dive professional" path. But we know it doesn't work that way in the real world. People take the DM course because it's shown on the training agency's chart as the next real rung on the ladder, dive ops happily sign people up for it and, when done using the internship/trainee option, it's seen as a way to have fun for a month or more in tropical paradise with a bunch of like-minded people while diving a lot. It's just the way it is.

 

[JCG_HeliCam]

By "Advance" course, I trust you're not referring to the elementary level PADI "Advanced Open Water"? That is in no way an advanced course by any measure.

I was talking in general terms and did not want to point towards or away from any agency. I took the original NAUI Advanced openwater 30 years ago. I think today's advanced courses offers much less training by NAUI as well as other agencies.
We spent a summer diving off New Jersey and attending class every week to go over the previous weekend's dives. Each dive trip covered a different topic we covered all aspects of wreck diving, Navigation, search patterns, compass, and a lot I probably can't remember. One highlight was learning teamwork using lift-bags to recover a ship's anchor....I also came home with some very delicious lobsters from those dives.

 

[stretchthepenn]

Of course. Just saying that one shouldn't need the DM course to become a better diver. You should already be a better diver before taking the course.

Not the first time you have said this, Tom, and in a perfect world I agree everyone would enter the DM course with top-notch dive skills, ready to learn how to lead dives and otherwise begin the journey down the "dive professional" path. But we know it doesn't work that way in the real world. <snip>

Agreed. The first time I realized that DM candidates aren't necessarily good divers came from a trip to Vortex Springs. I saw one fellow vertical in the water, finning madly and churning up the bottom.

 

[TMHeimer]

Agreed. The first time I realized that DM candidates aren't necessarily good divers came from a trip to Vortex Springs. I saw one fellow vertical in the water, finning madly and churning up the bottom.

Right. I took several courses there. Not exactly a difficult venue.....