CIC developing new certification
The Convention Industry Council is in the process of developing the industry’s first health care meetings certification. The organization expects a health care subspecialty to the Certified Meeting Professionals program to be available by this coming summer. “The once niche area of health care meeting management is growing and CIC is prepared to meet the demand with the creation of a health care certification,” says Karen Kotowski, CAE, CMP, chief executive officer of CIC. Kotowski says the development process includes an in-depth job analysis, assessment of professional qualifications, selection of continuing education requirements and an examination. The certification will be built upon the CMP foundation; therefore, candidates interested in achieving certification must first obtain their CMP.
The International Medical Meetings Professionals Association first approached CIC about a certification for health care planners. “Meeting professionals in the health care segment face the stiffest and most complex government regulations of any industry,” says Pat Schaumann, CMP, CSEP, DMCP, founder of IMMPA. “With required reporting and transparency, understanding compliance is critical for anyone involved in health care meeting management.” CIC will look to IMMPA members, as well as other health care meeting experts, to provide expertise in the development of the certification.
