Specialty Instructor

Specialty instructor courses provide valuable teaching tips for meeting the requirements of the course. You can choose from any of the 27 standard specialty courses that PADI offers along with distinctive specialty courses your Course Director may offer. Having five specialty instructor ratings is a prerequisite for the Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT) rating.

Don’t see a specialty on a subject that interests you? Write your own specialty! It’s easy and it gets you teaching scuba divers about things you like.

What will I do?

You’re on your way to becoming a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer with only five PADI Specialty Instructor ratings. You have three ways to become a PADI Specialty Instructor:

• With a Course Director
• Use your experience to apply directly to PADI
• Write your own outline

Specialty Instructor Training course attendance is highly recommended. These courses provide valuable hands-on training, technique demonstrations, course marketing information, current PADI Standards information and, when applicable, instructor-level open water training.

What scuba gear will I use?

You will need to equip yourself with all the basic scuba gear, some scuba accessories and depending on which specialties you teach, you’ll need other specialty diving gear such as dive lights or underwater photography equipment.

How do I start learning now?

These outlines are also available digitally on the CD-ROM included in the PADI IDC Crewpack.