Examination Details and Preparation

New Exam Deferral Policy Beginning September 2024

Beginning with the September 2024 CMPP exam window, ISMPP will institute a new exam deferral policy. Upon approval of the exam application, candidates may request in writing (via email to [email protected]) to defer their exam to the subsequent test window. The request must be made at least 72 hours before their scheduled exam appointment. The deferral will be considered once the candidate provides confirmation that their current exam appointment has been canceled and they have paid the $50 deferral fee (candidate will be invoiced deferral fee). Deferral fees must be received BEFORE the close of the test window. Candidates must take the exam during the subsequent test window, or they forfeit all fees and their exam application will be closed. An exception will be made for emergency situations for which the candidate can provide documentation. In this case, a second and final deferral may be granted. In all cases of medical/family emergencies, the $50 deferral fee will be waived.

CMPP Exam Now Available Online!

CMPP candidates now have the option to take the exam online — almost anywhere (eg, office, home) any time (24 hours/day, seven days/week). Candidates will still have the option to sit for the exam at one of the many Pearson global test centers. Once your CMPP exam application is approved, Pearson will provide instructions for scheduling your exam either at a global test center or online via OnVUE, Pearson's remote, online proctoring technology.

 For more information about the online exam option, click here.

EXAM OVERVIEW

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

Dates for the next examination window are:

Next Examination:

March 1-31, 2025

Application Deadline:

February 1, 2025. Applications open in January 2025.

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 and Exam Fees

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

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 Certification Fact Sheet

The exam fee is $575, except for the developing countries, where the fee is $385. The retake fee is $195 for those candidates who do not pass the exam and retake it during the next testing window. If you are not an ISMPP member, you must pay the ISMPP membership fee before you can access the exam application.

Scheduling Process for Test Centers

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.

For online exams, candidates may use Pearson's online reservation system as they would for exams at a test center.  Candidates can also schedule online exams 24 hours per day, seven days per week from any device with internet access.

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 includes 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, and fostering ethical and compliant behavior in publications 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, and fostering ethical and compliant behavior in publications, 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