Happy 10th Anniversary, CMPP!!
ISMPP is honored to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the ISMPP Certified Medical Publication Professional™ (ISMPP CMPP™) program. Achievement of this notable milestone offers a perfect opportunity to reflect on the program’s beginnings, look ahead at the future of the evolving credential, and truly appreciate how far the CMPP program has come as a widely recognized industry certification.
The ISMPP leadership recognized early on that there was a need for a credential that could lend credibility and distinction to the medical publication profession. From this, the CMPP program was born. In 2009, when the first group of ISMPP members sat for the CMPP exam, it was a fledgling program – brand new and exciting. Little did anyone know that this program would evolve over time to become such an important component of the medical publication profession.
A credential represents the highest level of proof supporting educational or professional achievement. Certification not only includes an education and experience requirement, but also passing an exam. ISMPP leaders specifically wanted the rigor of a credentialing program versus a certificate program (signifies completion of a course or series of courses with a specific focus).
In the current age of regulations and the ever-expanding need for transparency, a certification program that provides a benchmark in an area that is typically difficult to put metrics around is very important for exceptional professionals. Over the last 10 years, there has been an increase in the number of job postings that include “CMPP preferred,” supported by anecdotal evidence from candidates who have been told that they were awarded a job as a result of holding the CMPP credential.
Reflecting on the past 10 years, ISMPP gratefully thanks the original CMPP program developers; the hundreds of ISMPP volunteers over the years who have served on the Certification Board, the Credentialing Committee, and the Recertification Committee; and all those who volunteered their time as subject matter experts (SMEs) to develop and refine the CMPP certification exam. Tens of thousands of volunteer hours have gone into the creation, maintenance, and improvement of the program. Without this dedication from our membership, the CMPP program would not have been possible and/or would not have endured.
| What Is the Value of the CMPP Credential? |
The CMPP credential certifies:
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In a 2019 survey of ISMPP membership (CMPPs and non-CMPPs), respondents noted the value of the CMPP credential.
Key Milestones 2009-2019
The CMPP program has met important milestones over the past decade. The table below provides a look back at some of the key achievements.
| 2009 | CMPP Launch | The first exam was administered in March 2009. The questions are reviewed and revised annually to ensure they are aligned with current best practices in the medical publication profession. The exam is based on psychometric testing standards, like those used for the GRE, MCAT, LSAT, and SAT. The exam evaluates factual knowledge of publication standards as well as sound judgement in medical publishing. ISMPP’s testing partner, PTI, works with the CMPP program to guarantee the test meets certification standards. |
| 2011 | Recertification Launch | The Recertification Program and the CMPP Credit Tracker were launched in 2011. The CMPP program continues to work toward making tracking continuing education (CE) credits easier for CMPPs who wish to recertify and expanding options for acquiring these credits. The first self-study activities were introduced in 2018, and the Self-Study Task Force was recently created to expand credit-earning options for CMPPs. The role of the Task Force is to establish criteria and processes for identifying and approving self-study activities for CE credit, which will make earning credits toward recertification more accessible to the broader CMPP community. |
| 2014 | Certification Program Code of Conduct | The ISMPP Certification Program Code of Conduct was launched in 2014 and serves as the guiding principles for conduct in the medical publication profession. This Code of Conduct establishes the core ethical standards for the professional behavior of CMPP applicants and certificants. |
| 2016 | Mentor Program | The CMPP Mentor Program was initiated in 2016 and is available to anyone who is planning to take the CMPP exam. The Mentor Program pairs an exam candidate with a certified colleague who can offer advice on the exam process. CMPPs who would like to volunteer as mentors are always welcome. If you are interested in participating in the Mentor Program as a mentor or mentee, email cmpp@ismpp.org for additional information. |
| 2016 | Revised Exam Blueprint | The CMPP exam is reviewed regularly to ensure that it remains current and relevant, and that success on the exam continues to demonstrate expertise and leadership in the field of medical publications. The exam blueprint is based on the results of an analysis and validation of the skills required to perform the role of a CMPP. During the most recent review in 2016, SMEs updated and consolidated previous domains, and added a new domain, “Monitor Evolving Trends Related to the Medical Publication Profession,” reflecting the need for medical publication professionals to stay abreast of the evolving publications landscape.
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| 2018 | Exam Support Materials | The Candidate Handbook was updated in 2018 to include the new domains and the revised recertification requirements. The Recertification Handbook and Recertification Policy were also updated in 2018 to reflect self-study activities to expand credit-earning opportunities. The lists of Study Resources available on the ISMPP website are reviewed and updated regularly to reflect the material that is included in the current exam. |
| 2019 | CMPP Candidate Numbers | In 2015, the CMPP program reached the milestone of 1,000 CMPPs, and as of March 2019, there are 1,332 CMPPs! The number of CMPPs continues to grow every year, attesting to the perceived value of the CMPP credential.
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Looking Ahead
The Certification Board, Credentialing Committee, and Recertification Committee are all working toward further program enhancements that will provide even greater value to our members and the profession overall. The next decade will likely explore bringing digital credentials and electronic credit tracking to the CMPP program. A more advanced learning management system for ISMPP is also on the horizon.
Call to Action
The CMPP certification has elevated ISMPP as the premier professional society for medical publication professionals. The credential further defines the capability and credibility of recipients by supporting the willingness to validate personal competencies and the commitment to publication standards and best practices. Both the number of individuals who have earned the CMPP credential and the fact that it is becoming an industry standard for publication professionals are testaments to the success of the CMPP program. We urge the ISMPP membership to continue to support the CMPP program in our next decade and encourage medical publication professionals to attain and maintain certification as we continue to improve the CMPP program, the medical publication profession, and ultimately heighten the delivery of medical information to healthcare professionals.
Reference
CMPP article, “ISMPP CMPP™ Program Steps Up Its Offerings,” posted in The MAP newsletter on January 30, 2018: https://ismpp-newsletter.com/2018/01/30/ismpp-cmpp-program-steps-up-its-offerings/
Thank You!!
ISMPP would like to thank all past and current volunteers for their time and contributions to the ISMPP CMPP™ program.
| Certification Board 2019-2020 |
Credentialing Committee 2019-2020 |
Recertification Committee 2019-2020 |
| Chair: Beth Whann
Vice Chair: Laura Carlson Secretary: Megan Weigel Trustee: Jason McDonough Trustee: Mary Richardson Trustee: Susan Scott Public Director: John Parascandola BOT Liaison: Kirsten Parr |
Faith DiBiasi (Chair)
Debby Walton (Chair) Sumeena Bhatia Kim Buscemi Trish Deja Pia Graham Joseph Naggar Suzann Schiller Shannon Winters |
Dana Fox (Chair)
Deborah Moss (Chair) Alison Adams Susan Garson Ann Gordon Kersten Hammond-Reich Amanda Johns Jay Mashburn Shweta Rane Meredith Rogers Samantha Rose |
ISMPP would also like to thank Faith DiBiasi, Megan Weigel, Suzann Schiller, Rachel Sherman, and Donna Simcoe for their intellectual contributions to this article.