Vine & Victors

By Jerry Kolins, MD, DipWSET, Certified Sommelier

In a previous blog I confessed that the skill set needed to successfully complete a medical education and obtain the degree cannot match the expectations of the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS).

It is now time to share my experience in trying to enroll in a three-day course intended to provide further education and training needed to advance one’s status from Certified Sommelier to Advanced Sommelier. This advancement has parallels to medical education. Upon graduation from medical school, a physician is not permitted to practice medicine. You need a license. And, to get a license you need further training and experience, i.e., internship and residency. 

Of course, a medical school graduate cannot simply walk into a hospital and say, “I am here to get my internship education.” Instead, you apply. Application includes an examination. The one I took was given by the National Board of Medical Examiners. Hospitals receive the students’ grades and decide who receives further training. Some medical school graduates don’t match with a hospital. These are the graduates who have a degree but no job.

The CMS provides education—just like medical schools. But to take a three day course for further training requires an application. You must be a Certified Sommelier and have at least two years of recent work experience after certification.  Then, submit the name of your boss and owner of the facility that provided your recent work experience. Your boss may be contacted for a recommendation. You must send in your $100 application fee. All this went well.

The Court refused to take my $1900 tuition for the 3 day course. No one is qualified to pay the tuition unless they sit for and pass a one-hour examination of 100 multiple choice questions. Interestingly enough, proving adequate knowledge to receive further training won’t gain you admission into the class. The 3-day course can accept only so many students—just like medical school. Let’s say 100 students will be admitted to the course. You must score in the top 100 from all students taking the examination in North America and South America. Note, the official name of the organization is the Court of Master Sommeliers-Americas.

Let me tell you about exam day. I show up to a testing center, i.e., Pearson VUE testing center. When you walk through the door you receive a friendly greeting and are told to turn off your cell phone. They have lockers to secure all your personal items including your phone, car keys, jewelry, and everything in your pockets. But hold onto your passport or government issued ID. You are politely told you need to be searched.

Pull your pockets inside-out. That would be the front and back pockets, sir. Let me examine your eyeglasses. I am not high-tech so I needed to be told that eyeglasses can be used to connect with the internet. Such an action is grounds for immediate failure. That seems reasonable to me. You are then escorted into a room with about 15 cubicles. Each cubicle has a computer and a set of noise-cancelling headphones. You are videotaped throughout the examination while the computer screen ticks down the minutes and seconds remaining in the exam. You do get a 10-minute warning pop-up, and a final 5-minute alert.

I did all this yesterday. At the end of the examination, I was given a single sheet of paper. All it said was I completed the examination as required. I will be informed in early January if I am qualified to pay tuition and receive additional education. I will let you know in January whether my journey continues or if I am a graduate who does not get matched to an internship.