Internationally Qualified Clinical Research Professional - Foundation Level
Internationally Qualified Clinical Research Professional - Foundation Level
The Internationally Qualified Clinical Research Professional - Foundation Level combines the two accreditations – ICH-GCP E6(R3) and Clinical Research Essentials, and is suitable for everyone already working in clinical research wanting to achieve a formal professional recognition, or for individuals who have already completed ICH-GCP E6(R3) and foundation level training or certification and are looking to evidence their competence to help them progress their clinical research career. All IAOCR Accreditations align with the E6(R3) requirements set out in the updated ICH GCP guidelines.
40 CPE Points / 4 Learning Credits
See below for the program timelines:
Register by: 4th September 2026
Program Start Date: 11th September 2026
Submission Deadline: 2nd October 2026
Results Available: 13th November 2026
Note: We will release further cohort dates throughout the year. Please email accreditation@iaocr.com if you want to enquire about alterative dates.
Important – by registering you are confirming (a) you have read and agree to the Terms and Conditions and (b) you are self-certifying that you meet the entry criteria for this accreditation (as detailed below on this page).
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Entry Requirements
Required Experience:
The Internationally Qualified Clinical Research Professional - Foundation Level Accreditation is aimed at experienced clinical research professionals who are seeking professional recognition and independent validation of their competence and credentials. No training is included as part of the accreditation program.
All IAOCR Professional Accreditation Programs include ICH-GCP E6(R3) Accreditation, recognising its critical importance in clinical research. Achieving this additional accreditation formally validates your ICH-GCP expertise and further enhances your professional credentials. All IAOCR Accreditations align with the E6(R3) requirements set out in the updated ICH GCP guidelines. As with the Clinical Research Essentials Accreditation assessment, no ICH-GCP training is included in the program.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Self-Certification Before Enrolment:
Before enrolling for the Internationally Qualified Clinical Research Professional - Foundation Level Accreditation, you must self-certify that your career background, experience and prior training align with the competency areas assessed for both Clinical Research Essentials Accreditation and ICH-GCP E6(R3) Accreditation. You can view the competency areas below.
Competency Areas Assessed
The Internationally Qualified Clinical Research Professional - Foundation Level Accreditation program assesses the following competency areas:
For ICH-GCP E6(R3) Accreditation:
- International Conference of Harmonization – Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP) and the historical reasons for implementation
- The Declaration of Helsinki
- Protection of rights, safety and wellbeing of clinical trial participants
- Ethics committee/Institutional Review Board (IRB) roles in clinical trials
- Regulatory Authorities and their roles in clinical trial inspections
- Importance of data integrity and participant confidentiality in a clinical trial
- Experience and qualifications required by study staff in clinical trials
- Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) in relation to the Investigational Medicinal Product (IMP)
- Randomization and unblinding in a clinical trial
For Clinical Research Essentials Accreditation:
- Key requirements in conducting clinical trials from start up to close out
- Clinical trial regulatory and ethical requirements
- Consent, reporting processes and maintenance of data integrity in clinical trials
- Clinical trial documentation
- Quality management processes and practices involved in clinical trials
- An understanding of the investigational medicinal product and its appropriate management
- Stakeholder management within a clinical trial
- An understanding of decentralized trials
Registration Dates
Please see above for the registration dates for this accreditation.
NOTE: Please ensure you have read the Terms and Conditions of Sale for IAOCR Accreditation Programs, as this contains important information about program completion, cancellations and deferrals. You will be asked to confirm that you have read these before completing the purchase check out process.
Accreditation Process
- Online Assessment: Includes multiple-choice questions and scenario-based questions requiring free text answers
- Certification: Receive your Certificate of Accreditation and Professional Accreditation Mark within 6 weeks of submission
IAOCR Credentials and Quality Assurance
- Mapped to the International Standard Classification of Education Framework developed by UNESCO
- Mapped to relevant Core Global Competency Frameworks
- Dual-stage assessment and verification of competence
- Participants awarded IAOCR Internationally Qualified Professional Status
- Award of 4 x internationally valid learning credits + 40 CPE (Continuing Professional Education) Points.
Program Highlights
- Global Industry Recognition - Developed and endorsed with global industry experts. This certification will truly set you apart in your profession
- Internationally Accepted Certification - Mapped to UNESCO’s International Standard Classification of Education framework. 40 CPE Points and 4 Internationally Valid Learning Credits
- Independent Verification - IAOCR’s unique 2-step verification ensures the most robust accreditation and respected accreditation in the industry
- Comprehensive Assessment - Validates essential core global competencies.
- Professional Certification - Earn the title of Internationally Qualified Clinical Research Professional (F-IAOCR)
- Commitment to Professional Development - 4 Learning Credits & 40 CPE Points
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Accreditation assessment involve?
After program registration and enrolment, you will be sent a link by email to access your online assessment portal. You will normally receive this link one working day before your program start date. The assessment for both programs is a series of multiple-choice questions designed to test your competence in the key foundation areas of clinical research and ICH-GCP (See entry requirements). This assessment becomes your ‘Portfolio of Evidence’.
Upon completion of your assessment, your portfolio will be sent to the IAOCR Assessment team for review and independent verification. If you have successfully passed both accreditations you will be awarded the following:
- Certificates of Accreditation for Foundations in Clinical Research, for ICH-GCP and F-IAOCR Internationally Qualified Clinical Research Professional.
- Electronic Accreditation Marks displaying your award date and your professional registration number for Clinical Research Essentials and ICH-GCP
- An electronic Professional Accreditation Mark with the designatory letters F-IAOCR Internationally Qualified Clinical Research Professional - Foundation Level, also displaying your award date and professional registration number.
- 40 Continuing Professional Education (CPE) points and 4 accredited learning credits
How long will it take to complete the assessment?
On average, both assessments take 2 to 4 hours to complete in total (approximately 1 to 2 hours for each assessment). You can complete the assessments in your own time, but you must ensure that your final submission adheres to the deadline for assessment submissions according to your registration date.
Why do I need this accreditation?
The ICH-GCP Accreditation and Foundations in Clinical Research Accreditation are the essential foundation stones for anyone already working in the clinical research industry, or looking to step into a clinical research career having already completed foundation level training*.
Participants successfully achieving both accreditations can can advance their career and increase employability by providing evidence to employers and the industry that they can demonstrate the core competencies required by all clinical research professionals.
The Foundations in Clinical Research Accreditation is a key foundation stone for everyone working in clinical research, regardless of their position. Participants who successfully achieve this accreditation have demonstrated a solid understanding of the clinical research landscape.
ICH-GCP is an international ethical and scientific quality standard developed to protect the rights, safety and welfare of participants participating in clinical research. Whether you’re working in delivery or support, you play an important role in protecting participants. Therefore competence in Good Clinical Practice is essential for everyone working in the clinical research sector. To successfully complete this accreditation, participants must provide evidence that they can demonstrate all the relevant ICH-GCP core competencies expected of a competent clinical research professional.
These independently accredited programmes use assessment criteria mapped to the International Standard Classification of Education developed by UNESCO, which is recognizable by educational establishments and employers globally.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
1) Please note that IAOCR does not provide training. The purpose of our accreditations is to competence verify individuals who have received training through another provider, and/or gained the necessary ‘on the job’ experience to complete the accreditation assessment. (See entry requirements for further details).
2) All our accreditation programs are developed from global core competency frameworks ratified by the industry for that specific role. However, they do not assess competency in local/country laws or regulations that may be applicable to your role in your region/country. Please ensure that you take responsibility to be competent in any relevant local/country legislation in addition to receiving IAOCR international accreditation.
Please note: These programs are also available to purchase individually here for ICH-GCP E6(R3)and here for Clinical Research Essentials. This combined program of both foundation courses achieves a saving compared to purchasing the programs individually.