Certified IRB Professional

About the CIP Credential
Watch CIP Info Session

About the CIP Credential

As part of our commitment to helping professionals improve human subject protections, PRIM&R is proud to offer the Certified IRB Professional (CIP®), a certification initiative for individuals working with IRBs. The CIP® credential was developed in 1999 to promote ethical research practices and programs by ensuring that professionals charged with their administration have demonstrated an advanced level of knowledge, understanding, and experience. More than 3,000 individuals have become certified since it was first introduced.

Those interested in seeking the CIP credential must meet the eligibility requirements and then apply for and pass the CIP exam. CIP credential holders must recertify every three years.

Apply to take the exam

Why Become Certified?

The CIP credential:

  • Promotes the ethical conduct of research by strengthening the administration of human research protection programs (HRPPs).
  • Validates an individual’s professional experience and mastery of the body of knowledge determined by national experts to be essential to competent HRPP and IRB administrative practices
  • Encourages personal growth and professional development
  • Provides an expanded array of career advancement opportunities
  • Strengthens the quality of HRPPs by certifying a cadre of committed and educated individuals

Where to Start

CIP Exam

On a continuous basis, both at in-person testing centers and online, through live remote proctoring. Candidates take their exams through PSI’s upgraded Bridge 2 platform, which uses less bandwidth than its predecessor platforms, and integrates techsupport onto the exam form.

Candidates have a 90-day window to test upon approval of their exam applications. Candidates who are unsuccessful in passing the exam will be eligible to re-test 90 days after their initial exam.

The CIP exam consists of 130 questions. Of these 130 questions, 115 are scored and 15 questions are unscored pre-test items. Candidates won’t know which questions will be scored, and which will be unscored.

Candidates will receive their exam scores by email and through PSI’s website within an hour of testing.

CIP Exam Portal

The CIP Exam is administered by PSI. Visit the CIP portal on their website to download the CIP Handbook and submit your application.

CIP Exam Portal

Questions

Questions about exam administration or testing centers may be directed to the testing vendor, PSI.
Phone: 833.518.7455
Email: schedule@psionline.com

Other questions may be directed to certification@primr.org.