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CIC Certification

If you are looking to reschedule your CIC exam date due to COVID-19, or have questions regarding the status of your certification, please contact CBIC directly at info@cbic.org or visit CBIC’s COVID-19 webpage.

A growing number of employers expect candidates to have or be working toward their Certification in Infection Prevention and Control, or CIC®, credential. Take the next step in your career by becoming certified in infection prevention and control!

The CIC® credential identifies healthcare professionals who have shown mastery in knowledge of infection prevention and control by sitting for and passing the certification exam. The CIC® credential shows a commitment to best practices in infection prevention and control and improved patient care and signals to your employer and colleagues that you are committed to your professional growth.

More than 2,000 infection preventionists and other health professionals certify or re-certify each year. Learn more and join this growing group of professionals. 

How can I get started toward CIC® certification?

The CIC® credential is awarded by the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. (CBIC).

Though APIC does not certify, we are committed to providing the best materials to prepare you for certification. APIC has a number of educational resources and member networks available to assist members, whether sitting for the exam for the first time or recertifying:

Do you need help either getting your CIC® for the first time or being recertified?

APIC, with the support of its Strategic Partners, offers the annual Competency Advancement Assistance (CAA) Program. This program provides preparatory resources and reimbursement for examination fees to infection preventionist’s who do not receive financial support from their organizations and who may not be able to meet these expenses on their own.

NEW! Recertification by Infection Prevention Units (IPUs)

Learn more about recertification via IPUs. For specific questions about verification of your leadership within APIC, such as service in a national leadership position, contact us and be sure to include the position(s) for which you are requesting verification, along with your dates of service.

Watch a short video about certification.

Certification matters!
To meet the demands of the rapidly expanding field of infection prevention, and equip professionals for the challenges of the future, APIC has created the infection preventionist (IP) competency model. The model outlines the skills needed to advance the infection prevention field and was created to help direct the IP’s professional development at all career stages. Certification is a critical stage in the model.

APIC supports board certification in infection prevention and control to promote widespread adoption. As part of this initiative, the APIC Certification: The Defining Difference campaign promotes state-based legislative efforts around certification.

A growing body of evidence demonstrates the benefits of certification:

  • Certification is key in preventing infections, advancing careers, Infection Control Today, 2/9/2015
  • A study published in the February 2013 issue of the American Journal of Infection Control by Sanjay Saint, MD, MPH bolsters support for the CIC® credential. Read the study, and the press release.
  • A study in the March 2012 issue of the American Journal of Infection Control found that hospitals whose infection prevention and control programs are led by CIC® have significantly lower rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections than those that are not led by a certified professional. Read the press release about the study.
  • Read personal accounts about why certification matters.

For more information about certification, visit CBIC’s website at www.cbic.org.