<P> Many professional bodies are involved in the development and monitoring of professional educational programs, and the updating of skills, and thus perform professional certification to indicate that a person possesses qualifications in the subject area . Sometimes membership of a professional body is synonymous with certification, though not always . Membership of a professional body, as a legal requirement, can in some professions form the primary formal basis for gaining entry to and setting up practice within the profession; see licensure . </P> <P> Many professional bodies also act as learned societies for the academic disciplines underlying their professions . </P> <P> As a practical matter, most professional organizations of global scope (see List of international professional associations) are located in the United States . The U.S. has often led the transformation of various occupations into professions, a process described in the academic literature as professionalization . </P>

The association for professionals working in public relations is called the