WIP Board Examination

FIPP & CIPS Certification Info

Find essential information regarding eligibility, examination structure, assessment methods, and preparation resources for the WIP FIPP and CIPS certification examinations.

Mark Tolliver

WIP Certification Program Manager

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FIPP Examination

Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice

Designed to assess the knowledge, clinical judgment, and procedural competence of physicians performing fluoroscopy-guided interventional pain procedures.

Exam LanguageEnglish
FormatWritten (MCQ), Oral & Practical (Cadaver)
Key FocusSpine blocks, neuromodulation, sympathetic blocks, C-arm safety, etc.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Valid medical license and board certification in pain specialty.
  • WIP Associate or Active Membership.
  • Two reference letters from active FIPP holders.
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CIPS Examination

Certified Interventional Pain Sonologist

Designed to assess competence in ultrasound-guided interventional pain procedures, including sonoanatomy, scanning proficiency, procedural planning, and clinical decision-making.

Exam LanguageEnglish
FormatWritten (MCQ), Oral & Practical (Cadaver)
Key FocusSonography of the spine, joints, peripheral nerves, soft tissues, etc.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Valid medical license with ultrasound-guided clinical experience.
  • WIP Associate or Active Membership.
  • Documented ultrasound course training credits (WAPMU or equivalent).
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Highly Recommended: Examinee Education Session

Attendance at the FIPP/CIPS Examinee Education Session on January 23 is highly recommended for all examination candidates. Important information regarding examination logistics, assessment procedures, candidate instructions, and examination guidance will be provided during this session. Questions regarding the examination process may also be addressed during this session.

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Important Notice: Credentials Deadline

All exam application credentials (medical license, board certification, recommendation letters) must be uploaded and submitted online to the WIP Portal. The deadline will be updated soon. Early submissions are highly encouraged as credential verification takes 4-6 weeks.

Application & Guidelines

Application Deadline
Will update soon

The FIPP & CIPS Examinations will be offered on Sunday, January 24, 2027.

For complete examination details, please review the official FIPP Information Bulletin and CIPS Information Bulletin.

How to Apply:To apply for the FIPP exam, please visit the official FIPP Application Page.
To apply for the CIPS exam, please visit the official CIPS Application Page.

* Associate Membership RequirementPlease note that you must be logged in to the WIP website as an Associate Memberto access the application. If you are not already a WIP member, your first year's membership will be included with the payment of your examination fee. Please submit the membership form at worldinstituteofpain.org/join, and then email mark.tolliver@worldinstituteofpain.org to be given access to the online application system.

Board of Examination

Chair
Monique Steegers, MD, PhD, FIPP
Registrar - FIPP
Javier De Andres Ares, MD, PhD, FIPP
Registrar - CIPS
Jee Youn Moon, MD, PhD, FIPP, CIPS
Liaison to WIP
Ricardo Ruiz-Lopez, MD, FIPP