Certifications provide assurance of an individual’s competency to do their job.
The first step in preparing for the Certified in Disease Intervention (CDI) exam is to determine your eligibility.
Be sure to review the full list of eligibility requirements below.
You can also use our Eligibility Checker to help you determine if you’re currently eligible.
Eligibility Requirements
NBPHE has developed requirements for CDI eligibility to ensure that the application process is fair and impartial for all applicants. Each eligibility requirement has been established to ensure that individuals certified by NBPHE have an acceptable level of knowledge and proficiency needed to provide the high-quality services expected of a CDI-certified disease intervention professional.
Note to non-U.S. applicants: The CDI exam was developed in the context of disease intervention in the United States. The skills and knowledge assessed on the CDI exam may not be transferable to other contexts. Non-US candidates are encouraged to use the CDI Study Resources to fill any knowledge gaps that may exist as a result.
Candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria:
To sit for the CDI Certification exam, an individual must have at least one year of experience in a role where the primary purpose is infectious disease intervention.
Activities that qualify as infectious disease intervention experience for the purposes of the CDI include:
Performing case investigation interviews with people diagnosed with reportable infectious diseases for the purposes of identifying risk factors, eliciting contacts, and referring for appropriate services.
Collecting surveillance data through disease investigations.
Contact tracing or partner services to identify, locate, notify, and refer partners or contacts for appropriate testing, treatment, and prevention services.
Conducting field investigations to locate cases or contacts for interview or notification.
Providing field-based testing and treatment services for reportable infectious diseases.
Planning and conducting outreach activities in community and non-traditional settings to respond to outbreaks of infectious diseases.
Collaborating with medical and social service providers for the management of confirmed or suspected cases of infectious disease.
Participating in emergency preparedness activities for infectious disease prevention and control.
In addition to one year of disease intervention experience as defined above, candidates must attest to having a minimum of a High School Diploma/GED or international equivalent (transcripts are not required)
HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA/GED
Calculation of Work Experience
The following criteria should be considered when calculating work experience:
Work experience should be equivalent to the required number of years of applicable experience and may be calculated based on less than full-time employment. For example, a part-time position of 20 hours per week for 4 years is equivalent to a full-time position of 40 hours per week for 2 years.
Experience can be acquired through formal paid employment or through voluntary activities such as AmeriCorps, unpaid internships, Peace Corp, or other volunteer work provided it meets the criteria listed below.
Disease Intervention Work Experience
To meet the requirement of at least one year of experience candidates must have experience in disease intervention roles that most closely align with the knowledge and skills assessed on the CDI exam include, but are not limited to:
Communicable/Infectious Disease Epidemiologist who conducts disease investigations
Community Health Worker who supports identification and management of infectious diseases
Disease Intervention Specialist (DIS)
Harm reduction or syringe services program staff
HIV/STI Prevention and Testing professionals
Linkage to Care Coordinator for HIV/HCV or other infectious diseases
PrEP/PEP Navigator
Public Health Nurse who does conducts disease investigations
Ryan White Case Manager
Surveillance Coordinator
TB Outreach/DOT worker
Sign Up for the NBPHE Quarterly Newsletter
Stay current with the most recent news and information regarding certifications from NBPHE.
Our newsletter is packed with all of the most recent updates regarding certification and upcoming events.
Certification Portal 
