This page is for clinical research coordinators, associates, investigators and other study staff preparing for an ACRP certification exam: the CCRC, CCRA, CPI or ACRP-CP, or the ACRP-PM and ACRP-MDP specialty exams. It has free practice sets grouped by topic, the exam format and fees from the ACRP handbook, sample questions with full explanations, and a study plan built around the official content areas.
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions (ACRP-PM, ACRP-MDP) | 60 multiple-choice questions[1] | Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) / ACRP Academy · Oct 24, 2026 |
| Number of questions (CCRC, CCRA, ACRP-CP, CPI) | 125 multiple-choice questions[2] | Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) / ACRP Academy · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Time limit (ACRP-PM, ACRP-MDP) | 90 minutes[1] | Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) / ACRP Academy · Oct 24, 2026 |
| Time limit (CCRC, CCRA, ACRP-CP, CPI) | 180 minutes[2] | Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) / ACRP Academy · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Passing score | Scaled score of 600 (maximum 800)[3] | Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) / ACRP Academy · Oct 24, 2026 |
| Exam fee (ACRP-PM, ACRP-MDP) | $250 members / $300 nonmembers, no application fee[3] | Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) / ACRP Academy · Oct 24, 2026 |
| Retake fee (ACRP-PM, ACRP-MDP) | $250 members / $300 nonmembers[3] | Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) / ACRP Academy · Oct 24, 2026 |
| Retake fee (CCRC, CCRA, ACRP-CP, CPI) | $300–$325 members, $350–$400 nonmembers[3] | Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) / ACRP Academy · Oct 24, 2026 |
| Retake policy | Retest after 60 days or in the next window; new application after two failed attempts[3] | Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) / ACRP Academy · Oct 24, 2026 |
| Renewal | Every 2 years: 24 points + maintenance fee ($225–$325)[4] | Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) / ACRP Academy · Oct 24, 2026 |
| Eligibility (ACRP-PM, ACRP-MDP) | Must already hold an ACRP certification (CCRC, CCRA, CPI or ACRP-CP)[1] | Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) / ACRP Academy · Oct 24, 2026 |
| Eligibility (CCRC, CCRA, ACRP-CP, CPI) | 3,000 hours of verifiable clinical research work experience[2] | Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) / ACRP Academy · Oct 27, 2026 |
According to Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) / ACRP Academy, “The ACRP-PM® exam consists of 60 multiple choice questions that must be answered within 90 minutes.”[1]
The Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) certifies people who work in clinical research. It offers core exams (CCRC, CCRA, CPI and ACRP-CP) and specialty exams (ACRP-PM and ACRP-MDP).
Format and scoring. Each core exam has 125 multiple-choice questions and a time limit of 180 minutes. The specialty exams have 60 multiple-choice questions and a time limit of 90 minutes. Results are reported as a scaled score. You pass with a scaled score of 600, and the highest possible score is 800. A scaled score is not the same as the percentage of questions you got right.
Eligibility. To sit a core exam you need 3,000 hours of clinical research work experience that can be verified. The specialty exams are only open to people who already hold a CCRC, CCRA, CPI or ACRP-CP certification. Specialty exams cost $250 for members and $300 for nonmembers, with no application fee.
Retakes. If you fail, you can retest 60 days after your original appointment or during the next available testing window. After two failed attempts you have to submit a new application. A specialty retest costs $250 for members and $300 for nonmembers. Core exam retests cost $300–$325 for members and $350–$400 for nonmembers, depending on the exam.
Renewal. You renew every 2 years by recording 24 points and paying a maintenance fee of $225–$325.
Fees and policies change, so check the current ACRP Certification Handbook at acrpnet.org before you apply.
The content areas below are copied from the official ACRP content outline published by Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) / ACRP Academy. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Practice on this site |
|---|---|
| Clinical Trial Operations (GCPs)[5] | ACRP Good Clinical Practice Practise applying Good Clinical Practice to everyday trial tasks: who is responsible for what among investigator, sponsor and IRB, and how essential documents are kept. |
| Data Management and Informatics[5] | ACRP Data Management Practise how data moves from source documents to case report forms, how queries are raised and resolved, and how electronic records are kept attributable and auditable. |
| Ethical and Participant Safety Considerations[5] | ACRP Informed Consent Practise the informed consent process from start to finish, when to re-consent, and how adverse events are identified and reported to protect participants. |
| Product Development and Regulation[5] | ACRP Regulatory Requirements Practise the regulatory steps a product goes through and the duties regulations place on sponsors and investigators, including handling of the investigational product. |
| Scientific Concepts and Research Design[5] | ACRP Study Design Practise telling study designs apart, understanding randomization, blinding and endpoints, and reading basic statistical results correctly. |
| Study and Site Management[5] | ACRP Site Management Practise site start-up, recruitment and retention, delegation of duties, monitoring visits and study close-out. |
Prepare for the ACRP - Association of Clinical Research Professionals exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: In Association of Clinical Research Professionals, what does "evidence-based practice" mean?
Answer: A. Integrating best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient preferences
Explanation:
A is correct. Evidence-based practice means combining the best available research evidence with the clinician's own expertise and the patient's values and preferences. No single input is enough by itself.
Rule to remember: evidence-based practice has research evidence, clinical judgment and the patient's wishes all working together. An option that drops any of them is wrong.
Question: The key distinction between source documents and case report forms (CRFs) in clinical research is:
Answer: B. Source documents contain original data; CRFs capture data transcribed or entered from those source documents
Explanation:
B is correct. A source document is where a piece of data is first recorded, such as a clinic note, lab printout or participant diary. A case report form (CRF) holds data copied or entered from those sources so it can be reported to the sponsor.
Rule to remember: source data comes first, and the CRF is the copy. When a monitor does source data verification, they check the CRF against the source, never the other way round.
Question: What is the primary objective of informed consent in Association of Clinical Research Professionals?
Answer: A. To ensure competence and proficiency in core informed consent concepts
Explanation:
A is correct. The question asks why candidates study informed consent as a topic. The answer is to build real competence in its core concepts so they can run the process properly and safely at a site.
Rule to remember: informed consent itself exists so that a person agrees to take part voluntarily, after being told the study's purpose, risks, possible benefits, alternatives and their right to withdraw at any time. Consent is an ongoing process, not just a signature. It is documented on an approved, signed and dated form, and repeated when new information could change someone's decision.
Start with the official outline. Download the ACRP Certification Handbook and the content outline for your exam. Read the official content areas and mark the ones you rarely deal with at work. Those are where you should spend the most time.
Take a first pass through the sets. Do the practice set for each area in the table above without notes. Write down every question you missed or guessed, and which content area it belongs to. Coordinators often score well on site management and lower on biostatistics or regulatory requirements. Your own results will show your gaps.
Fix the gaps from primary sources. For each missed question, find the rule in ICH Good Clinical Practice or the regulations it comes from, and write it in your own words. Then redo that set, along with related sets such as safety reporting, ethics committee and source documentation and data integrity.
Practise under time pressure. Before test day, sit a mixed session in one go at exam pace. That means 125 questions in 180 minutes for core exams, or 60 questions in 90 minutes for specialty exams. Review every wrong answer afterwards, then check the handbook again for scheduling and ID rules.
The CCRC exam has 125 multiple-choice questions, and you have 180 minutes to answer them. The CCRA, CPI and ACRP-CP exams use the same format. The ACRP-PM and ACRP-MDP specialty exams are shorter, with 60 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes.
You need a scaled score of 600, and the highest possible score is 800. Because the score is scaled, it does not translate directly into a percentage of questions answered correctly. Aim to understand every content area well rather than working toward a target number of correct answers.
You need 3,000 hours of verifiable clinical research work experience to sit the CCRC, CCRA, CPI or ACRP-CP exam. For the ACRP-PM or ACRP-MDP specialty exams, you must already hold a CCRC, CCRA, CPI or ACRP-CP certification. Check the current handbook for what counts as verifiable experience.
You can retest 60 days after your original appointment or during the next available testing window. After two failed attempts you need to submit a new application. Specialty retests cost $250 for members and $300 for nonmembers. Core exam retests cost $300–$325 for members and $350–$400 for nonmembers.
You renew every 2 years. You record 24 points in the online maintenance application and pay a maintenance fee of $225–$325. The Maintenance of Certification Handbook on the ACRP website lists which activities earn points.
No. We wrote all the questions on this page with the help of AI tools, to cover the same topics as the official content areas. They are not taken from any ACRP exam. Use them to find and fix weak spots, and use the ACRP handbook and content outline as your authority on what the exam covers.
How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.