Specialty instructor courses provide teaching tips and hands-on experience that you can implement right away. With 25 standard PADI Specialty Diver courses, and numerous distinctive specialties, you have lots to choose from - so get going.

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All PADI Instructors will benefit from taking specialty instructor training courses, especially those who are ready to step up to the Master Scuba Dive Trainer (MSDT) rating, which requires at least five PADI Specialty Instructor certifications.

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Prerequisites

• PADI Instructor or currently participating in or completed an IDC/OWSI Program within the past 12 months. IDC/OWSI candidates may apply for Specialty Instructor certification only after passing an IE.

• Certified 25 divers

• No more than five from courses without dives.

• No more than five from PADI Seal Team or Master Seal Team registrations.

• 20 dives in the specialty area

• Agree to use the PADI Specialty Course Instructor Guide by signing the statement on the application or submit an instructor-authored outline to your PADI Office for review.

• Additional prerequisites for certain specialty courses:

• Adaptive Techniques — training in adaptive techniques and/or experience training divers with disabilities from a dedicated diving organization

• Equipment Specialist Instructor rating — equipment manufacturer’s repair clinic attendance, or written equipment repair authorization from a manufacturer. No logged dives are necessary.

• Emergency Oxygen Provider Instructor rating — PADI Emergency Oxygen Provider certification (or qualifying certification)

• Cavern — full Cave Diver certification by a recognized cave diving certification organization

• Enriched Air — PADI Enriched Air Diver certification (or qualifying certification)

• Ice — PADI Ice Diver certification (or comparable certification)

• Public Safety Diver — PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, PADI Dry Suit Specialty Instructor, PADI Full Face Mask Specialty Instructor, three additional PADI Specialty Instructor ratings (search and recovery, night, underwater navigator, emergency oxygen provider, and/or limited visibility distinctive), current Emergency First Response Instructor, proof of affiliation with a public safety diver team, one year Professional Membership 191 public safety diving experience with 20 missions or if an instructor – 10 missions and 10 public safety diver certifications and proof of Incident Command Training Level 200 (or regional equivalent)

• Self-Reliant — PADI Self-Reliant Diver certification (or comparable certification) or TecRec Diver

• Sidemount — PADI Sidemount Diver certification (or comparable rating) or proof of 50 dives using Sidemount configuration

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