Ted Singer is president of PeerView Institute for Medical Education, Inc. (PVI), a jointly accredited continuing medical education provider. In his role, Ted collaborates with a talented team to manage the organization’s efforts, including educational design development, grant request creation, delivery of a variety of live and on-demand activities and outcomes measurement and reporting. In this Q&A, he talks about pursuing the CHCP credential and his recent recertification.

How long have you worked in CME/CPD?

I’ve worked in CME since 1995.

What motivated you to pursue the CHCP credential initially?

My former Medscape colleague, Judy Ribble, was the pioneer and founder of the credential. My original motivation was to support her efforts, but I also believed that it was important for people working in our industry to develop and demonstrate competencies in the various domains such as instructional design, compliance and the like.

Why did you decide to recertify?

I decided to recertify because, during the insanity of 2020, I accidentally let my credential expire. 

What is the most important benefit of being a CHCP to you as a CME/CPD professional?

Having the CHCP demonstrates a certain level of expertise and investment in one's chosen profession. It is a sign that you take your work seriously.

What value does your CHCP designation bring to your organization?

I think earning the CHCP, and supporting members of my organization to pursue their CHCP, is a signal that we want to keep getting better at what we do — relentless improvement. 

How did you prepare for the exam?

This time around, I used many of the materials available on the Alliance website. I paid to take the practice exam, a step I highly recommend, and then I studied the various areas where I got questions wrong. The Alliance website has a nice content outline to guide studying.

Did you notice a difference in preparing for or taking the exam this time compared to your initial exam?

When I first took the exam, I had no formal training in either accreditation or instructional design. Since then, I have not only worked closely on our own joint accreditation self-study but I have also been through the excellent instructional design training provided by CALIBRE. As a result, I felt much more prepared. I must admit, though, it had been over 10 years since I sat for an exam, and 160 multiple choice questions made my eyes water after a while. It made me sympathize with our learners answering the assessment questions we are always asking them.

What advice would you give someone considering pursuing the CHCP designation or recertification?

As if nearly 30 years in CME doesn't date me enough, I'll throw out an old ad slogan from the 1980s, "Just do it!"

To find out more about the CHCP credential, the practice exam and other resources to prepare for the exam, please visit the Alliance website.