Certification

Applications for March 2010 exams are no longer available. Please check back in June to apply for September 2010 exams.

Exam Dates: Sept. 16-25, 2010
Application Deadline: July 12, 2010 (July 13-26, 2010 with a $150 late fee)

Learn More About: CRA Certification; CRC Certification; CPI Certification; CTI Certification

About ACRP Certification
Certification is the formal recognition of clinical research professionals who have met professional eligibility requirements and demonstrated a baseline level of job-related knowledge and skills. Demonstrating commitment to the quality of clinical research through certification benefits the public through ensuring the development and preservation of the highest quality and standards in clinical research. Growing feedback from pharmaceutical companies and clinical sites indicates that there are fewer errors, lower costs, more rapid turnaround and greater safety in trials when certified personnel are involved.

Academy and APPI certification is granted in recognition of documented and verified work experience and successful performance on a multiple-choice exam. The Academy currently offers two certification exams, one for Clinical Research Associates/CRAs (Monitor) and one for Clinical Research Coordinators/CRCs (Site). The exams are based on the industry's largest validated job analysis to ensure the exams reflect the frequency and importance of what CRAs and CRCs do in the clinical research process. To date, The Academy and APPI have certified over 20,000 clinical research professionals. The Academy also recently announced the Core Knowledge Assessment test, which allows individuals who are new to clinical research to demonstrate their knowledge of the international guidelines for conducting clinical trials with volunteer human subjects.

Since 1992, the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) has been the leading certifier of clinical research professionals with over 22,000 professionals holding a designation from our accrediting bodies to date. As the importance of certification increased throughout the profession, ACRP recognized the need for all certifications to be administered by an independent entity. In 2005/6, The Academy of Clinical Research Professionals (The Academy) was created to house all non-Physician certification programs (CRA, CRC and non-physician Investigator), and the Academy of Pharmaceutical Physicians and Investigators (APPI ) affiliated with ACRP and became the administrative entity for the Physician Investigator exam. Together, these two entities improve the organization in a way that enhances our integrity and representative efforts for members of the clinical research team.

About Certification Exams
CRA, CRC and CPI Certification exams, offered in March and September every year, test your expertise on topics and regulations specifically related to your ability to make decisions in specific practical scenarios. Exam eligibility is determined by academic qualifications and practical work experience. Two years full-time or equivalent part-time clinical research experience performing specific job functions is required to sit for an exam. The Academy and APPI have together certified more than 20,000 clinical research professionals to date, more than any other organization in the world. ACRP is the only organization providing certification specific to the role you perform, and the regulations and guidelines governing your work.

Please view the Certification Guides for more eligibility details and program rules and regulations.