The National Commission for Certification of CME Professionals has announced the launch of its long-awaited certification exam for CME professionals. The inaugural certification exam will be given between June 13 and June 30 at more than 200 testing centers across the U.S. and Canada. The exam will be offered four times each year.

Certificates will be presented to the first class of certified CME professionals on October 21, preceding the opening reception at the National Task Force on CME Provider/Industry Collaboration conference in Baltimore.

Information about how to apply and prepare for the exam can be accessed in the Candidates Handbook, which is available at www.nccme.org. The Web site also contains eligibility requirements and a content outline of the exam. The exam is one portion of the credentialing process, which also includes the applicant's experience, formal education, and continuing education.

This is the first certification program available to CME professionals. At a time when the integrity of the CME profession is being questioned, this program is of critical importance, says Karen Overstreet, EdD, RPh, FACME, president-elect, NC-CME. It is designed to assure employers, funders, and attendees that the person directing the content of a CME activity has a certain level of experience and knowledge, she said.