If I was able to change one thing about the architectural internship period it would be to allow interns to take portions of the Architecture Registration Exam simultaneously with completion of their Intern Development Program requirements. The ability to complete one's internship and get licensed concurrently is important because it would emphasize the importance of becoming a registered architect, firms would better integrate required IDP hours into the intern's projects and it would keep more women interested in the field of architecture.

Since the ARE has changed to a multi-part exam done over time, less architects have become licensed. This is because they delay studying for certain parts of the exam, and the entire process is stretched out. Larger firms do not place enough importance in getting licensed because that would shift the division of work/power in their firm's structure.

With fewer interns completing the ARE, firms are less involved in the IDP process. If the exams were taken during the IDP period, the firm and the intern would work more smoothly together with the common goal of registration.

Lastly, women would truly benefit from taking their exams during the IDP period because they might remain in the field and become licensed. There is an incongruity between the number of women who study architecture in school and the number of women who are licensed architects. This is because so many women must decide whether to pursue a career or to have a family. Potentially more women would like to do both, but feel just as there is a timeline to completing their IDP requirements, there is also a timeline for beginning a family.

In the most current issue of "ArchVoices" it announced that Kentucky has joined the 6 other states that allow candidates to integrate NCARB's IDP with the ARE. While this may seem like a small number, this is nearly 1/3 of the US population. Knowing that a third of architecture interns in our country are able to take the ARE concurrent with IDP, I think it is reasonable to encourage each state to adopt the same program.