Evaluation of Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc Certification in Infection Control (CIC) examination rates - 18/12/24

Doi : 10.1016/j.ajic.2024.11.020

Kayla E. Ruch, PhD, MPH, CPH, HACP, CIC ^a,^⁎,^{^{1
First and senior author.},}^{^{2
0000-0001-9798-1586}} , Anabel Rodriguez, PhD, MPH ^b,^{^{3
0000-0001-7460-5879}}, Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner, MD ^c,^{^{4
0000-0002-4784-7589}}, Eric L. Brown, PhD ^a,^{^{5
0000-0003-2659-6490}}
^a University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Houston, TX
^b Texas A&M University, School of Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, College Station, TX
^c University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical School, Department of Internal Medicine, Houston, TX

^⁎Address correspondence to Kayla E. Ruch, PhD, MPH, CPH, HACP, CIC, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, 1200 Pressler, Houston, TX 77030.University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology1200 PresslerHoustonTX77030

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Résumé

Background

Infection prevention professionals develop through training and certification practices, with the Certified in Infection Control and Epidemiology (CIC) exam being the industry standard for infection prevention and control expertise.

Methods

This study conducted a secondary analysis of Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc exam scores from 2013 to 2022. Reliability coefficients, Spearman-Brown coefficients, and Standard Error Measurement averages were calculated for the CIC exam’s eight objective areas from 2016 to 2022.

Results

Over the past decade, pass rates varied from 57.30% to 85.40%, with a mean of 69.7%. The number of exam participants ranged from 574 to 1,392. Despite the variability, the highest reliability, Spearman-Brown, and Standard Error Measurement averages were consistently observed in areas such as identifying infectious disease processes, surveillance, epidemiological investigation, and controlling transmission of infectious agents.

Conclusions

As more facilities push for certification, the number of CIC exam takers has increased. However, the evolving nature of infection prevention and the lack of a standardized training track contribute to variations in reliability coefficients across the exam's objective areas.

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Highlights

•	Certified in Infection Control exam percent pass rates varied from 57.30% to 85.40% between 2013 and 2022.
•	Certified in Infection Control exam participant rates have increased from 622 in 2013 to 1,172 in 2022.
•	High-reliability coefficients observed in three exam objective areas.
•	Low-reliability coefficients observed in three exam objective areas.

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Key Words : Infection preventionist, CIC exam trends, training