CIC Practice Test

The Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC) administers the Certification in Infection Prevention and Control (CIC) exam for those who wish to pursue work in the infection prevention and control field.

Click “Start Test” above to take a free CIC practice test!

CIC Exam Eligibility

To be eligible for the exam, you must meet all of the following requirements:

• You must have completed post-secondary education in a health-related field.
• Your current job description must include direct responsibility for the infection prevention and control programs in a healthcare setting.
• Your work experience must reflect ONE of the following:
• You must have one year of full-time employment.
• You must have two years of part-time employment.
• You must have completed at least 3,000 hours of infection prevention work during the last three years.

CIC Exam Outline

The CIC exam contains 150 multiple-choice questions, 15 of which are unscored, and you will be given a time limit of 3 hours. The unscored questions are used by the test administrators to evaluate and validate future exam questions.

The exam is split into eight sections:

1. Identification of Infectious Disease Processes (22 questions)

The questions in this section assess your abilities in the following areas:

• Interpreting the relevance of various reports
• Differentiating between prophylactic, empiric, and therapeutic uses of antimicrobials
• Monitoring local and global health threats
• Identifying appropriate practices for specimen collection, handling, and storage
• Assessing risk factor for infectious diseases
• Differentiating between colonization, pseudo infection, and infection

2. Surveillance and Epidemiologic Investigation (22 questions)

The questions in this section assess your knowledge and skills in the following areas:

• Design of surveillance systems
• Collection and compilation of surveillance data
• Interpretation of surveillance data
• Outbreak investigation

3. Preventing/Controlling the Transmission of Infectious Agents (22 questions)

The questions in this section assess your abilities in the following areas:

• Identifying and implementing infection prevention and control strategies
• Collaborating with key stakeholders on antimicrobial stewardship programs
• Developing infection prevention policies and procedures
• Adapting transmission-based precautions to the specific healthcare setting
• Collaborating with relevant groups and agencies in planning community responses to biological threats and disasters
• Identifying and implementing strategies related to transmission-based precautions
• Collaborating with key stakeholders on emergency preparedness and management

4. Employee/Occupational Health (11 questions)

The questions in this section assess your abilities in the following areas:

• Collaborating with employee/occupational health to evaluate infection prevention data
• Assessing the risks of occupational exposure to infectious diseases
• Assessing screening and immunization programs
• Educating on safe work practices
• Consulting on the use of alternative infection prevention options
• Collaborating with employee/occupational health to identify healthcare personnel who may present a transmission risk

5. Management and Communication (14 questions)

The questions in this section assess your knowledge and skills in the following areas:

• Planning the infection prevention program
• Communication
• Quality performance improvement and patient safety

6. Education and Research (12 questions)

The questions in this section assess your abilities in the following areas:

• Developing goals and measurable objectives for preparing educational offerings
• Implementing strategies that engage the patient in activities aimed at infection prevention
• Providing immediate feedback to healthcare workers when lapses are observed
• Prepare and present educational content
• Assessing the effectiveness of education and learner outcomes

7. Environment of Care (14 questions)

The questions in this section assess your knowledge and skills in the following areas:

• Environmental safety
• Recognizing and monitoring safe care environment elements

8. Cleaning, Disinfection, and Sterilization of Medical Devices and Equipment (18 questions)

The questions in this section assess your abilities in the following areas:

• Collaborating with stakeholders to evaluate products
• Auditing the process documentation to ensure requirements are met
• Identifying and evaluating appropriate practices based on intended use
• Identifying and evaluating critical steps of cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization

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CIC Exam Registration

To register for the exam, you must first submit an online application. This application must include the following:

• Proof of your diploma/degree
• A current, completed, and signed attestation statement form that validates your eligibility
• An official job description signed by your supervisor
• The $410 examination fee

Once your application is approved, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on scheduling your exam appointment with Prometric.

CIC Online Prep Course

If you want to be fully prepared, Mometrix offers an online CIC prep course designed to give you everything you need to succeed!

Here’s what you’ll find in the CIC course:

Everyone learns differently, so we’ve tailored the CIC online prep course to ensure every learner has what they need to prepare for the CIC exam.

Click below to check it out!

Test Day

In-person Testing

You should plan to arrive at the testing center 30 minutes early. Once you arrive, you will be asked to provide one form of valid, government-issued photo ID.

Though it is recommended that you leave all personal items at home or in your car, a small locker will be provided for any items you bring. This includes your cell phone, watches, jackets, books, food items, and bags/purses.

Before the exam begins, you will be given a small whiteboard and dry-erase marker to take notes with. You will then be led to your testing area and be given a 10-minute tutorial before the exam begins.

During the exam, there will be a scheduled 16-minute break after 90 minutes have passed.

Remote Testing

The day before your exam, you will need to check the compatibility of your computer’s audio, video, and webcam components. Best practice is to ensure any system update is postponed from the time you schedule to the time you complete your exam.

On the day of your exam, ensure that your testing area is clear of reference materials, your cell phone, electronics, and any food or drink items. There will be a digital notepad for taking notes, so no scratch paper is allowed on your desk/table.

Before the exam begins, you will be asked to present one form of valid photo ID for inspection and use your webcam to scan your surroundings.

You can launch the examination up to 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment. You cannot leave the webcam’s view during your exam, use other monitors, or talk to anyone. If the proctor observes questionable behavior, your exam will be canceled.

How the CIC Exam is Scored

The exam is scored using a scaled scoring system, which takes your raw score (the number of questions you answered correctly) and converts it to a numerical score on a scale of 300-900. The passing score for this exam is 700.

If you pass the exam, you will receive a message immediately following the exam that simply confirms your passing status. You will only see your numerical score if you fail the exam.

If you wish to retake the exam, you must wait 90 days and then start the application process for a new exam appointment.

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By Kate Nockunas

Kate has been Mometrix’s Nursing and Medical Editor for over four years. She has a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Vanderbilt University, a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Marymount University, and a master’s degree in Education from Johns Hopkins. Kate is a critical care registered nurse who still works occasionally in the ICU and PACU.