CIP Recertification

About CIP Recertification

CIPs must recertify every three 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 CIP must take and pass the examination in order to recertify. You must maintain a current certification if you wish to continue using the CIP credential after your name.

Recertification may always be achieved by retaking and passing the CIP® examination—visit the examination page for more information about how to apply and sit for the CIP exam. CIPs also have the option to recertify by continuing education (CE) twice in a nine-year period before being required to recertify by examination by completing and submitting a recertification by CE application and CEU Tracker. 

Once an individual maintains their certification for over ten consecutive years, they may recertify solely through CE credit, and do not need to sit for the examination.

For example: Those who pass the CIP® exam in 2012 are able to recertify by either examination or CE in 2015 and 2018. If they recertified by CE both times, they must take the examination in 2021 in order to maintain their certification.

2021 Deadlines & Fees

Those who became certified (or recertified) in 2017 are due to recertify in 2020.

Certification Date Recertification Application Due Date Certification Expiration Date
Spring 2018 February 19, 2021  for examination
June 1, 2021 for CE		 June 30, 2021
Fall 2018 August 13, 2021 for examination
December 1, 2021 for CE		 December 31, 2021

The fee for either type of recertification is:

PRIM&R Member: $350
Nonmember: $475

Recertification by Continuing Education

Those wishing to recertify by CE should download and complete the CIP recertification by CE application and the CE Tracker (recertification candidates should complete the CEU tracker tab on this spreadsheet; credit hours will automatically populate in the credit hours tab).

Download the Recertification Application Download the CE Tracker Explore CIP-Eligible PRIM&R Programs

CIPs must complete 30 documented hours of CE in topics within the CIP® Body of Knowledge/Content Outline that are beyond the initial, basic, or fundamental level of knowledge. The Council encourages CIPs to complete CE activities representing a diversity of topics.

All continuing education (CE) credits must be earned after the date the examination was passed, but before the date the certification expires.  For those recertifying by CE for a consecutive time, CE credits for the second recertification cycle must be earned after the expiration date of the first certification.

At least 15 of the 30 hours must either:

Carry credits issued by a recognized accrediting body Have received advanced recognition from the CCIP

Examples:

  • ACCME
  • ACPE
  • Nursing associations, professional organizations, or universities

Examples:

  • PRIM&R annual conference
  • PRIM&R webinars with CIP® logo
  • AAHRPP annual conference (no pre-conference programs)
  • OHRP community forums

Acceptable continuing education credits for the 30 hours may include:

Programs sponsored by Common Rule signatories, including: Programs sponsored by associations, including:
  • DOE
  • FDA
  • NIH
  • OHRP
  • ORI
  • VA
  • PRIM&R
  • AAHRPP
  • ACRP
  • DIA
  • NCURA
  • SoCRA
  • SRA
  • Short courses or intensive courses on topics within the CIP Body of Knowledge sponsored by bioethics centers, institutes, or universities.
  • Local and regional seminars, conferences, or presentations on topics within the CIP Body of Knowledge.
  • Webinars/webcasts
  • Formal college courses such as research bioethics, responsible conduct of research, research design, grant design, research methodology, quantitative and qualitative research methods, field research techniques, and statistics; courses must be successfully completed. Each three-credit or semester course is equivalent to 10 CE credits.
  • Web-based courses that are designed for continuing education or have assigned CE hours, other than programs used for initial training.
  • Self-study programs including (but not limited to) books or journals with documented quizzes, tests, and/or exercises. Note: Functioning as a pre-publication reviewer of journal articles of any type, regardless of whether CE credits are issued for the activity, is not considered self study in this context and, therefore, does not qualify for CIP CE credits.
  • Activities on topics outside the CIP Body of Knowledge/Content Outline
  • Disease/condition management topics
  • Accreditation preparation activities
  • Programs an individual develops and/or instructs
  • Education that is at an initial, basic, or fundamental level
  • CPR Training
  • Hours spent attending IRB meetings
  • Individuals are responsible for obtaining source documentation (certificates, letters of attendance, etc.) for recertification credit and for including copies of such documentation with their applications. CIPs should also retain their own copies of this source documentation.
  • Documentation for all continuing education credits must be included with the recertification application.
    • Documentation should include the title of the program, the course sponsor, the date attended, and the number of credit hours earned. For those events that run concurrent sessions, CIPs should indicate the sessions they attended.
    • Suitable documentation for online learning opportunities that don’t issue certificates of attendance include: copies of sign-in attendance sheets; logs detailing the program title, date of participation, and length of the program that are signed by a supervisor; emails confirming attendance after the conclusion of the program.
    • For PRIM&R webinars, candidates can document their participation by printing a copy of their certificates log, which is located here. Instructions can be found here.
    • For PRIM&R conferences, candidates can access their certificates here by clicking on the My Activity tab, and then selecting the Content tab. Instructions can be found here.
    • For college courses, a transcript and syllabus must be included.
    • For CE events where accreditation is claimed, CIPs must verify that the events are eligible as accredited CE hours. CIPs should not assume that a CE event continues to carry accredited CE hours just because it was eligible for accredited CE hours in the past.
  • A CE Tracker is available to keep a record of continuing education credits.
    • Recertification candidates should complete the CEU Tracker tab on the spreadsheet; credit hours will automatically populate in the credit hours tab. The continuing education tracker document should be sent as an Excel file.
  • Continuing education credits must be earned within the current three-year certification period.

Submitting Your Recertification by CE Application

Recertification candidates should email their recertification application, documentation, and CE tracker to certification@primr.org for fastest processing. Please note that candidates’ credentials are valid during the review process.

If you are recertifying by check, please make out the payment to PRIM&R and send it to the PO Box listed below. Please email your application, documentation, and CE tracker to certification@primr.org and note that payment is forthcoming.

Payment Address: P.O. Box 849502, Boston, MA 02284-9502
Fax: 617.423.1185
Email: registration@primr.org 

Note: Our office is currently closed; we cannot accept payments requiring a signature. Please contact registration@primr.org if you have questions.

Denial of Recertification

Those who are denied recertification by CE because of improper/incomplete documentation may appeal that decision by writing to the Council for Certification of IRB Professionals, in care of PRIM&R. The letter must clearly describe the reasons why the candidate believes that recertification was improperly denied and include all documentation to support such a claim. This appeal must be postmarked no later than 30 days after the postmark date of the original denial letter. The appeal will be considered by the CIP Council and written notice of the final decision will be sent to the candidate.

There are no refunds if an audit reveals a problem with the application.