I'm not a new event marketer, but I'm new to the healthcare field. What certificates or certifications should I get?

Your first foray into the world of healthcare events and exhibiting can feel more than a little bit daunting. But one of the best ways to banish that feeling and bring yourself up to speed in your new chosen field is to obtain a certificate or certification that is specific to the healthcare industry.

Because two heads are better than one, I reached out to my friend Jackie Beaulieu, who holds a Healthcare Meeting Compliance Certificate and is active in various industry associations and certificate programs. We came up with some recommendations.

First things first, though — what's the difference between a certificate and certification? A certificate typically denotes completion of a short course or series of courses focused on a specific skill or subject area. A certification signifies meeting specific criteria, which are typically set by a professional organization or governing body, that validate an individual's competence and expertise in a field through examination or assessment. While certificates indicate completion of training, certifications demonstrate mastery and proficiency.

Medical Meeting Professional (MMP) Certificate
Offered by Meeting Professionals International, the MMP certificate can be obtained via MPI coursework and is geared around the book “How to Plan Medical Meetings and Events.” Certification, which runs roughly $514 for members and $714 for nonmembers, covers planning, terminology, processes, and compliance regulations for healthcare meetings. Those who hold the certificate should be able to execute myriad planning functions for medical meetings, including sourcing food and beverage, exhibits, transportation, budgeting, billing, and more.

Healthcare Meeting Compliance Certificate
Similar to the aforementioned MMP Certificate, the Healthcare Meeting Compliance Certificate is offered by MPI and features the same fee structure (i.e., $514 or $714). However, it's centered around the book “Breaking the Code to Healthcare Compliance,” and it offers a broad understanding of regulatory topics. Providing the knowledge and experience to navigate complexities of the biotech, medical-device, and pharmaceutical industries, the four-hour program is aimed toward medical meeting professionals and their partners.

Certified Meeting Professional — Healthcare (CMP-HC)
The Events Industry Council offers a Certified Meetings Professional designation, which has to be completed before obtaining the healthcarespecific add-on designation: Certified Meeting Professional — Healthcare (CMP-HC). This designation recognizes professionals in healthcare meetings who have demonstrated mastery of the regulations and best practices of the industry niche. To apply for the certification exam, applicants must have 36 months of experience in healthcare meeting management and have completed five hours of related professional development within the last five years. The application fee is $155, and the exam fee is $280.

Others to Consider
The Virtual Event and Meeting Management Certificate (VEEM), offered by the Event Leadership Institute, isn't healthcare specific, but it's a valuable addition to any marketer's arsenal if they plan virtual events. Another to consider is the Certified Trade Show Marketer (CTSM) designation, which is offered by Exhibitor Group and offers event marketers elective courses that teach about healthcare exhibiting.