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The Beginning
CPIA® Recertification by Continuing Education Credit
September 2024
The process to recertify by continuing education credit can seem like just another task to add to the growing list of deadlines to be met. Recertification is often put out of your mind until the deadline approaches and the reminders start popping up in your email. Before you know it, suddenly it is time to scramble to dot I’s and cross T’s!
Let’s take pause and go back to where it all started. Remember when you decided to set yourself apart as a research ethics professional? Maybe your employer mandated certification as a job requirement? Regardless of your reason for pursuing the Certified Professional in IACUC Administration (CPIA®) certification, you knew it was going to require maintenance and continued learning to stay on top of the latest research ethics regulations.
Think back to the first time that you studied and sat to take the CPIA® examination. After a rigorous four hour exam, you passed! Great news! In the whirlwind following your successful exam, you received your certification details which include the expiration date: you are a Certified Professional in IACUC Administration for the next five years. You think to yourself, “Okay I have five years to fulfill recertification requirements, I will worry about that later.”
Throughout the certification period, you attend webinars, conferences, trainings, and other opportunities that pertain to your work. Many continuing education credits can be found on Education at PRIM&R. PRIM&R members have access to free webinars and learning opportunities, many of which carry CPIA® continuing education credits.
You are now on your way to gathering enough credits to recertify by continuing education, all because you are staying current in your field. Without even realizing it, you set yourself up for success! Just remember to keep track of the eligible continuing education credits you have collected, along with saving the certificates of attendance or other proof that you attended, as this will be required documentation for your application!
About CPIA® Recertification
CPIAs must recertify every five years. Recertification must be accomplished prior to the certification expiration date to avoid a lapse. If the lapse in certification is greater than six months, a CPIA® must take and pass the examination in order to recertify. You must maintain a current certification if you wish to continue using the CPIA® credential after your name.
Recertification may be achieved either by:
- Retaking and passing the CPIA® examination, or
- Completing 50 hours of eligible continuing education (CE) hours as described in the CPIA® recertification guidelines and submitting a CPIA® recertification by CE application and CE Tracker.
For guidance on submitting a recertification application, watch this short video!