Credentialing Public Health Leaders
The Certified in Public Health is the mark of a public health professional. Demonstrate your knowledge of key public health sciences and join the ranks of public health leaders by sitting for and successfully passing the CPH exam. Distinguish yourself from your peers by showing employers that you can meet and maintain a national standard in public health through continuing education focused on emerging and established public health issues.
Be the public health professional that the public needs.
Be CPH certified.
COVID19 credits

The NBPHE has extended the availability of COVID19 recertification credits through the end of December 31, 2023. CPH can report up to twenty recertification credits for work directly related to COVID. More information here: https://www.nbphe.org/stay-certified/
Partner with NBPHE

Is your organization interested in creating a certification in a public health field? Consider partnering with the NBPHE. Contact us at info@nbphe.org
Overview of CPH

Check out this video that provides basics of the CPH certification process from eligibility to examination to recertification.
CPH Exams
CPH exam is offered all year round by Live-Online Proctor and at Computer-Based Testing Centers
Fee: $385.00 (Discounts Apply)
Eligibility Requirements
CPH Exam Content
The Certified in Public Health (CPH) exam covers the areas of knowledge relevant to contemporary public health and general principles. The examination was crafted to assess a person’s knowledge of these competencies, regardless of his or her area of expertise. Below are the content areas that you need to have mastered within your career.
2019 CPH Content Domain Areas | |
---|---|
Evidence-based Approaches to Public Health (10%) | Program Planning and Evaluation (10%) |
Communication (10%) | Program Management (10%) |
Leadership (10%) | Policy in Public Health (10%) |
Law and Ethics (10%) | Health Equity and Social Justice (10%) |
Public Health Biology and Human Disease Risk (10%) | Collaboration and Partnership (10%) |
Testimonials
The CPH is highly sought after within the DHHS & USPHS. As a Health Service Officer, I am required to complete continuing education to remain a competent public health professional. The CPH is the perfect fit to meet this requirement due to earning my MPH, CPH and current position as a Public Health Analyst within the DHHS.
The CPH is not just a credential to me; it is a tool to help me make thoughtful decisions and a wonderful way to stay on top of new research and practices within the field. With the CPH, I am able to focus on the most vital things when making decisions intended for a healthier community.
My years of experience working for the IHS and Public Health Service in various locations and clinical roles provides me with a unique perspective that was immensely useful throughout the credentialing process
The CPH shows my employer that I am set apart in my field. In a sea of qualified applicants, this distinction helps me to stand out from the competition, establishing a precedent that communicates that I am able to rise above the minimum work necessary and raise the standard for my work and professionalism.
I decided to become CPH certified to join a leading community of public health professionals and leaders. I am confident that the CPH demonstrates knowledge-based competency in public health that will place me ahead of others while applying for high-ranking and competitive positions in government institutions or top-tiered academic centers.
With over 10 years of experience in international public health education, research, and service, my competencies from earning the CPH and the continued professional development which goes with it has served to benefit my students and the communities I serve. Remaining relevant to the evolving and developing challenges and needs, as well as skill sets and tools required, is of necessity in public health practice, which is met with assurance as a CPH.
Being a CPH in many ways validates one’s knowledge, skills and competence, and fosters life-long learning through continuing education. The CPH recertification opportunities have been helpful in keeping me current and are always encouraging me to keep focused.
As a member of our local board of health, the CPH demonstrates to our community, a fundamental understanding of the practice and competencies necessary for public health. The CPH has helped to navigate the increasingly complex nature of public health and to equip me with the necessary tools to pursue solutions at the policy level. In addition, as a community pediatrician, the CPH has helped to integrate clinical practice with public health principles towards promoting health of all children in our community.
As an adjunct instructor in public health, the continuing education requirements to maintain the CPH, not only keep me apprised of current public health issues, but also reinforce my enthusiasm in public health. Continued education has been an important component in furthering my career in teaching innovative graduate courses in public health. While a certification enhances a resume, the CPH enhances one’s profession and personal life.
Having a national certification stands out to employers. In my experience, public health professionals come from a variety of backgrounds and unlike other medical related professions, public health usually doesn’t have a licensing or educational requirement. The NBPHE has helped to make this shift in the field, along with creating a standard for all public health professionals, giving future employers confidence in an individual’s abilities.
It was almost an immediate decision to pursue the CPH, as I felt it would add value and credibility to my role here in our health department. I proudly list the CPH after my name and know it was well earned, after my long career in public health. Thank you for this opportunity to shine in the public health field.
After completing my MPH and passing of the CPH exam, I was promoted from laboratory-based research to clinical research under the same investigator. The CPH continues to reinforce my contributions to the field, earning recertification credits through publications and presentations at annual scientific meetings. For graduates of public health, I would recommend taking the CPH exam to show your dedication to the field. It is well worth the effort!