Continuing Professional Education

Category D - Participation in Profession

Certificants are strongly encouraged to actively participate in the professional societies and organizations that exist in each relevant field. These activities are typically conducted outside the certificant's normal workplace. This category may be used for a maximum of 20 CPE credits per year. Activities in this category are reported on the Category A-D Reporting Form

One activity is reported per form. Activities that can be claimed include:

Memberships: Establishing membership in a professional organization is an important step in participating in a profession. It implies access to resources and materials that the organization makes available to its members, and increases the certificant's knowledge of trends and activities in the field. Memberships may be claimed for 10 CPE credits per year, and must be claimed as of their effective date. The credits claimed in this category for memberships is based on the presumption that the member of such an organization receives benefits and continuing education as a result of that membership; either through attendance at meetings or through reading of literature and information provided by the organization. Therefore, presentations attended at meetings should not be claimed a second time under Category A - Education.
Committee or special interest group: Involvement can be as an officer, board member, committee member, or volunteer in a professional organization related to some aspect of the relevant certification body of knowledge. One hour of CPE credit is awarded for each hour of qualifying participation.
Proctoring certification examinations: Certification being tested must be related to the certificant's designated Body of Knowledge, and no more than 2 CPE credit hours may be claimed for any one examination.

Examples of activities that might be claimed in this category include:

Membership in the American Society for Quality.
Proctoring a certification examination.
Conducting committee work outside of regular organizational meeting times.
Coordinating an activity or project within the professional organization.
Preparing materials for use by others in the organization.

Examples of activities that should NOT be claimed in this category include:

Corporate memberships in professional groups.
Simple attendance at organizational meetings with no particular function or involvement.
Activities directly related to the performance of the certificant's job (e.g. assessments, audits, reviews).

Common reasons why claimed hours are often rejected in this category:

Hours are claimed in excess of the 20 hours allowed per year.
Memberships claimed in the wrong year (must be based on effective date of membership).
Memberships are for the certificant's company, not for the individual.

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