The Association of Clinical Research Professionals

Maintaining CCRA, CCRC, & ACRP-CP Certification Through Continuing Involvement Activities

For a complete guide on staying current, please download the Maintenance of Certification Handbook.

Return to the Continuing Education (CE) page.

Continuing Involvement (CI) is another area in which a candidate for Maintenance can earn points toward the stated Maintenance requirements. These are activities other than participating in a continuing education event. Continuing Involvement is not required to maintain a CCRA, CCRC, or ACRP-CP certification. Continuing Involvement activities are always related to your role in clinical research and sometimes required as part of one’s position.

The following chart lists activities that are currently awarded Continuing Involvement Points for Maintenance purposes. CI activities must be listed online through the “My CCRA/CCRC/CPI/ACRP-CP” link located under ‘My Profile’.

Activities, Points Awarded, and Examples of Documentation

  1. Continuing Education developer or presenter in clinical research or related topic (to both research and non-research audiences)
    • Points Awarded: 2 per activity, 4 times maximum, 8 points total for this activity
    • Documentation: Copy of program with speakers and objectives or presentation abstract including organization, location and dates (not required for ACRP Meeting & Expo speakers)
  2. Authorship of journal paper on clinical research (cannot be self-published)
    • Points Awarded: 2 per activity, 4 times maximum, 8 points total for this activity
    • Documentation: Journal citation including authors
  3. Participate in or present at investigator meeting (in-person or virtual)
    • Points Awarded: 2 per activity, 2 times maximum, 4 points total for this activity
    • Documentation: Proof of meeting date, time and proof of participation and/or presentation
  4. Participate in a site initiation visit
    • Points Awarded: 2 per activity, 2 times maximum, 4 points total for this activity
    • Documentation: Documentation of meeting date, time and proof of participation and/or presentation
  5. Active participation in regulatory authority meeting (does not include an audit)
    • Points Awarded: 2 per activity, 2 times maximum, 4 points total for this activity
    • Documentation: Proof of attendance
  6. Involvement in a New Marketing Application process (specifically compiling a section or writing a clinical study report)
    • Points Awarded: 2 per activity, 2 times maximum, 4 points total for this activity
    • Documentation: Supervisor documentation of specifically compiling a specific section or writing a clinical study report (signature page or supervisor letter confirming role)
  7. Authorship of protocol
    • Points Awarded: 2 per activity, 2 times maximum, 4 points total for this activity
    • Documentation: Supervisor documentation of role
  8. Inclusion on a 1572 (or equivalent regulatory authority document) as active investigator or Sub-Investigator
    • Points Awarded: 2 per activity, 2 times maximum, 4 points total for this activity
    • Documentation: Copy of 1572 (both sides) or equivalent regulatory authority document
  9. Service as a peer reviewer for scientific articles
    • Points Awarded: 4 per 12 months of service, 8 points total for this activity
    • Documentation: Confirmation of appointment as peer reviewer that includes dates
  10. Service as a peer reviewer of clinical research-related papers or clinical research grants
    • Points Awarded: 4 per 12 months of service, 8 points total for this activity
    • Documentation: Confirmation of appointment as a peer reviewer that includes dates
  11. Service on DSMB/IDMC or equivalent
    • Points Awarded: 4 per 12 months of service, 8 points total for this activity
    • Documentation: Letter from DSMB/IDMC chair outlining level of participation and # of meetings attended
  12. Volunteer service on IRB/IEC
    • Points Awarded: 4 per 12 months of service, 8 points total for this activity
    • Documentation: Letter from IRB/IEC chair outlining level of participation and # of meetings attended
  13. Service on healthcare-related exam committee
    • Points Awarded: 4 per 12 months of service, 8 points total for this activity
    • Documentation: Copy of certificate/proof of participation
  14. Service as a clinical research exam item writing writer
    • Points Awarded:0.5 per question submitted, 12 points total for this activity
    • Documentation: Proof of participation
  15. Service on an association’s clinical research-related committee, such as Editorial Advisory Board, Conference Session Review, or Regulatory Affairs Committee. Membership, Nominating, General board service or Chapter officer is not permitted)
    • Points Awarded: 4 per 12 months of service, 8 points total for this activity
    • Documentation: Proof of participation
  16. Planning (for ACRP-CP Certificants). Examples can include business operations, feasibility assessment, site selection activities, regulatory document participation.
    • Points Awarded: 2 per activity, 4 times maximum, 8 points total for this activity
    • Documentation: Letter from management confirming participation.
  17. Overseeing (for ACRP-CP Certificants). Examples include management and administration.
    • Points Awarded: 2 per activity, 4 times maximum, 8 points total for this activity
    • Documentation: Letter/Email from management confirming participation
  18. Service as a mentor to mentee in clinical research
    • Points Awarded: 4 per 12 months of service, 8 points total for this activity
    • Documentation: Proof of participation including sign off from mentee.

Other activities may be approved on a case-by-case basis by the Academy Board. Presentations and articles must be in clinical research-related topics in order to be considered for points.

  • Presentation Development and Delivery: A single presentation can be claimed only once per year. The same presentation can be counted a second time the following year only if the presentation required significant updates prior to being presented again.
    • Certificants are permitted to include presentations they were paid to develop and present to the extent allowed by the above chart. Certificants cannot claim participation points for programs that they present, only Continuing Involvement points.
  • Authorship of an article pertaining to Clinical Research
    • Certificants are not required to be the primary author to be able to claim points for a published article.
    • An article must be published within the appropriate time frame for the current Maintenance cycle.