Certification Exams

CIP Exam

The CIP^® exam is developed by the CIP Council and it covers the body of knowledge about human subjects research review under the rules and regulations of the United States. Download the CIP Body of Knowledge/Content Outline, detailing the content covered in the CIP exam, as well as the CIP Exam Resources and References.

The CIP examination consists of 130 objective, multiple-choice questions, and takes three hours to complete, and covers human subjects protection topics, IRB responsibilities, and institutional responsibilities.

The CIP exam is regularly reviewed and updated to ensure it reflects current regulations and guidance. The CIP exam does not include questions about pending draft guidance, including the FDA NPRM on the Protection of Human Subjects and Institutional Review Boards.

CPIA Exam

The CPIA® exam is developed by the CPIA Council and covers the body of knowledge on IACUC administrative practices under the rules and regulations of the United States. Download the CPIA Body of Knowledge/Content Outline, which details the content covered in the CPIA exam.

Get ready for a new CPIA exam! The new CPIA exam will consist of 135 questions: 120 scored questions, and 15 unscored pre-test questions. Candidates won’t know which questions will be scored and which will be unscored. The new CPIA exam will be available on-demand. This means that eligible candidates will have a 90day window in which they can schedule their exam appointment and take the exam. Candidates who are unsuccessful in passing their exams will be eligible to re-take their tests 90 days after their first exam attempt.