Examination Details and Preparation

Qualified candidates can take the three-hour exam during two 30-day testing windows each year at approved testing center locations throughout the world.

Dates for the next application and examination window are:

Next Examination:

September 1-30, 2023

Application Deadline:

August 1, 2023

Our testing partner, Pearson Vue has expanded our access to over 6,600 testing centers worldwide!  To find a testing center near you, click here.

Application Process

The CMPP™ application process is handled directly by ISMPP. Examination administration is managed by an external certification partner.

Click here to download the Candidate Handbook, which contains details about the examination and application process.

Click here to submit the CMPP™ Examination Application electronically.

Click here to view the October 26, 2022 CMPP ISMPP University Webinar.

Click here to view the Certification Fact Sheet.

Scheduling Process

To Schedule an appointment (after you have received an authorization email from Pearson):

1. <Sign In> https://home.pearsonvue.com/ismpp
2. From the Dashboard>Schedule an exam>Pre-approved exams, click on the exam name:  CMPP:  Certified Medical Publication Professional
3. Agree to PTI Policies
4. Find a test Center
5. Find an appointment
6. “Is everything correct?” select <Next>
7. “Almost there…” select <Submit Order>
8. YOU ARE BOOKED! will display and an Appointment Confirmation email will be sent within a few minutes.

To Reschedule an appointment

1. <Sign In> https://home.pearsonvue.com/ismpp
2. From the Dashboard>View an upcoming test center appointment, click on the exam name:  CMPP:  Certified Medical Publication Professional
3. Exam Appointment Details, select <Reschedule>
4. Find an appointment
5. Agree to PTI Policies
6. “Is everything correct?” select <Next>
7. “Almost there…” select <Confirm Reschedule>

YOUR APPOINTMENT IS RESCHEDULED! will display and a Confirmation of Rescheduled Pearson VUE exam appointment email will be sent within a few minutes. 

To Cancel an appointment

1. <Sign In> https://home.pearsonvue.com/ismpp
2. From the Dashboard>Schedule an exam>Pre-approved exams, click on the exam name:  CMPP: Certified Medical Publication Professional
3. Exam Appointment Details, select <Cancel>
4. “Cancel your appointment”, select <Confirm cancellation>
5. YOUR APPOINTMENT IS CANCELED! Will display and a Cancelled Appointment email will be sent within a few minutes.

Click here for instructions with screenshots for scheduling, rescheduling, and canceling an appointment.

About the CMPP™ Exam

As is standard with this type of certification, the CMPP™ exam has been prepared to ensure that each candidate has a broad understanding across a set of critical information domains, and to ensure a minimum acceptable standard of practice across the industry. The current pass rate of the exam is ~80%.

The three knowledge domains tested are:

• Developing a publication plan

• Implementing a publication plan

• Fostering ethical and compliant behavior in publications

Part of the development process included the psychometric validation of the examination, which assesses candidates on all aspects of professional publication planning. The examination includes 150 multiple-choice, psychometrically validated, computer-based questions. Examinations are graded on a pass/fail basis.

Eligibility Criteria

• Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college/university or an equivalent educational degree as determined by ISMPP, and

• Four thousand (4,000) hours of active, verifiable employment predominantly involving developing a publication plan, implementing a publication plan, fostering ethical and compliant behavior in publications and monitoring trends related to the medical publication profession as defined in the Candidate Handbook. Such qualifying work includes employment with medical publication planning or communications agencies; pharmaceutical companies; biotechnology or device companies; and/or medical publishing firms.

[NOTE: Four thousand (4,000) employment hours and/or freelance/contracted assignment hours are the equivalent of two (2) years of full-time work experience].

OR

• High School Diploma, or an equivalent, completed educational course of study, as determined by ISMPP; and

• Ten thousand (10,000) hours of active, verifiable employment predominantly involving developing a publication plan, implementing a publication plan, fostering ethical and compliant behavior in publications and monitoring trends related to the medical publication profession, as defined in the Candidate Handbook. Such qualifying work includes employment with medical publication planning or communications agencies; pharmaceutical companies; biotechnology or device companies; and/or medical publishing firms.

Exam Results