CBIC Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the CBIC exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
CBIC exam key facts
- The CBIC CIC exam is a multiple-choice exam of 150 questions, and 135 of them count toward the score. Source
- The CBIC CIC exam gives candidates three hours of testing time, split into two 90-minute sections, inside a 3.5-hour appointment. Source
- Candidates need a scaled score of at least 700, on a scale of 300 to 900, to pass the CBIC CIC exam. Source
- The CBIC Certification in Infection Prevention and Control (CIC) exam requires a $445 USD examination fee submitted with the application. Source
- Candidates who fail the CBIC CIC exam must wait 90 days from their last exam before they can reapply. Source
- CBIC CIC certification is valid for five years and is extended in five-year intervals after each successful recertification. Source
📋 CBIC Exam Format at a Glance
📚 CBIC Topics to Study (38)
✍️ Sample CBIC Questions & Answers
1. What is the minimum exposure time for steam sterilization (gravity cycle) at 250°F (121°C) for wrapped instruments?
A gravity displacement steam cycle at 121°C requires a minimum 30-minute exposure time for wrapped items.
2. In descriptive epidemiology, the triad of 'person, place, and time' is used primarily to accomplish which goal?
Characterizing cases by person (who), place (where), and time (when) generates hypotheses about the cause, source, and mode of transmission that guide subsequent analytic investigations.
3. What role does collaboration play in isolation precautions for CBIC professionals?
Collaboration leverages diverse perspectives and combined expertise to achieve better outcomes than any individual could alone.
4. A prospective study follows 500 uninfected patients for 6 months; 50 develop SSI. What is the cumulative incidence of SSI?
Cumulative incidence = new cases / total at-risk population at the start = 50 / 500 = 0.10, or 10%, over the 6-month follow-up period.
5. Which anatomical site is MOST commonly used for MRSA decolonization therapy?
The anterior nares (nostrils) are the primary reservoir for MRSA colonization, making intranasal mupirocin the standard site for targeted decolonization therapy.
6. Which laboratory result should prompt an ASP team to consider discontinuing empiric antibiotics in a hospitalized patient?
Negative cultures from appropriate sites after adequate incubation suggest a non-bacterial etiology, supporting antibiotic discontinuation.
🎯 Free CBIC Practice Tests
📖 CBIC Guides & Articles
What Practice Test Geeks adds beyond an AI chat for CBIC
An AI chatbot can quiz you, but it can't reproduce the exam conditions or keep your record. Here you get:
- A timed, full-length CBIC mock exam — 110 questions in 180 minutes with a 70% pass mark, modeled on the official exam's question count and time limit, followed by a score report broken down by exam domain.
- A fixed CBIC question bank: the same test every attempt, so your score is comparable from one try to the next instead of changing with every regenerated quiz.
- Progress saved on your device: completed tests, scores and missed questions stay in My Progress, so you can retake only what you got wrong.
- A printable CBIC cheat sheet you can print or save as a PDF.
- CBIC flashcards built from the same question bank.
- Free CBIC practice tests with the correct answer shown after each question.
How this page was made: written with AI tools and published by Nathan Beja, founder of Practice Test Geeks, who is responsible for its content. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy
Sources & references
Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy
- cbic.org — Time limit, retake fee, retake policy, score release, score validity, renewal, eligibility, test delivery, fees, exam format · verified Oct 2026