Exam guide
CCP-C® Exam Guide
IBSC Certified Critical Care Paramedic exam: format, blueprint (April 2026 handbook), eligibility, an 8-week plan and IBSC's references
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The exam at a glance
| Feature | CCP-C exam |
|---|---|
| Items | 135: 110 scored, 25 unscored pilot |
| Time | 150 min: two 75-min sections (68 + 67 items) |
| Break | One optional 5-min break, after section 1 |
| Item type | Multiple choice, 3 options (A to C) |
| Format | Fixed length, not adaptive; random order |
| Passing standard | Pass/fail (modified-Angoff); FAQ: 68 of 110 |
| Results | Within 1 hour; only a fail report shows area scores |
| Cost | $385; $285 with an affiliate membership |
| Reschedule | Free over 30 days out, then $100 to $150; no same-day cancels |
| Where | Prometric center, live remote proctor or IBSC onsite (MED) |
| Retake | After 30 days, full fee; 90-day wait after a 3rd fail |
| Valid for | 4 years |
What is on it
Blueprint from the Candidate Handbook (updated April 2026), in scored items. The five medical areas total 50.
| Content area | Items | App subject |
|---|---|---|
| Transport and Safety | 7 | Transport and Safety |
| Airway, Anesthesia and Analgesics | 14 | Airway, Anesthesia and Analgesics |
| General Medical | 11 | Medical |
| Cardiac | 13 | Medical |
| Neurologic | 10 | Medical |
| Respiratory | 11 | Medical |
| Toxic and Environmental | 5 | Medical |
| Trauma/Burn | 12 | Trauma and Burn |
| Maternal/Fetal (incl. neonatal) | 8 | Special Populations |
| Pediatric | 9 | Special Populations |
| Special Populations (bariatric, geriatric) | 5 | Special Populations |
| Professional Considerations | 5 | Transport and Safety |
Who can take it
- Current, unrestricted paramedic license or certification, uploaded when you apply
- No experience minimum; IBSC suggests about 3 years, a critical care course, 6 to 12 months of study and a review course
- Expected: significant knowledge of current ACLS, PALS, Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) and ITLS/PHTLS
- Built for ground critical care transport; FP-C adds flight physiology and safety. No reciprocity
- Apply at least 2 weeks ahead; the eligibility email can take up to 5 business days
- Approval opens a one-year testing window
How to study
Weighted to the blueprint; shift it to your test date.
- Week 1: read the handbook outline and abbreviation list, then take a Mock Exam as a baseline
- Week 2: Airway, Anesthesia and Analgesics, with One-Pagers: Ventilator Modes and Settings, Capnography, ABG Interpretation
- Weeks 3 to 5: Medical (about 45%), with Hemodynamic Normals, Vasopressors and Inotropes, Rhythm Gallery, IABP Management, Impella Heart Pump, ECMO Essentials
- Week 6: Special Populations (22 items, including neonatal)
- Week 7: Trauma and Burn, then Transport and Safety; one timed Mock Exam
- Week 8: a second timed Mock Exam, reviewing every miss; last days, Daily Review and One-Pagers only
Daily: clear Daily Review before new questions. Weekly: drill your Weakest Subject and reread One-Pagers linked from missed rationales.
Test-day tips
- Center: photo ID with signature and your current name exactly as on your IBSC account, plus a copy of your paramedic license
- Remote: run Prometric's system check before you schedule, then sign in to ProProctor at least 30 minutes early
- Pace about 1 minute per item (68 items in 75 minutes)
- On-screen calculator, flag and strike-through; a wipe-off board at a Prometric center (other modes: follow your confirmation)
- No phones or smartwatches
Official resources
- Candidate Handbook (April 2026): outline, sample items, approved abbreviations, rules
- Exam Preparation page: book list, paid TesTrac practice tests; its outline PDF is the old 2016 one
- CAMTS 12th edition (2022), free abridged download; IBSC's FAQ cites the 11th. The 13th (Oct 2026) takes effect Jan 1, 2027
- Recertify every 4 years: retest, or 100 contact hours (75 clinical, 16 from an approved review course). No grace period
| IBSC-recommended reference | Edition |
|---|---|
| Critical Care Transport (AAOS) | 3rd (2022) |
| Patient Transport: Principles and Practice (ASTNA) | 6th (2024) |
| Patient Transport: Medical Critical Care | 1st (2025) |
| The Walls Manual of Emergency Airway Management | 6th (2022) |
| PHTLS (NAEMT) | 10th (2023) |
| AMLS (NAEMT) | 4th (2024) |
| Standards for Critical Care and Specialty Transport (ASTNA) | 3rd (2023); IBSC lists 2019 |
| AAP Neonatal and Pediatric Transport Field Guide | 2019 |
| HEMS Aircrew Survival Manual (Sharpe) | 2020 |
| Human Factors in Air Transport (Seedhouse et al) | 2020 |
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Sources
- International Board of Specialty Certification (IBSC). Certified Critical Care Paramedic Candidate Handbook. Updated April 2026. Link
- IBSC. Retesting Policy. Effective 8/1/16, revised 4/10/25. Link
- IBSC. For Critical Care Paramedics: The CCP-C Examination (exam page). Link
- IBSC. Exam Preparation: CCP-C Study Recommendations, content outline link, application steps and practice tests. Link
- IBSC. Detailed Content Outline (Blueprint) for Certified Critical Care Paramedic. 2016 (PDF created September 2017). Link
- IBSC. Exam Requirements. Link
- IBSC. Exam Fees. Link
- IBSC. FP-C and CCP-C Exam FAQs. Link
- IBSC. Live Remote Proctor (LRP). Link
- IBSC. Certified Critical Care Paramedic (CCP-C) Recertification. Link
- Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS). Accreditation Standards (Medical Transport Accreditation Standards, 12th Edition, 2022). Link
- CAMTS. Open Standard Drafts: 13th Edition CAMTS Transport Standards timeline. Link
- Elsevier. Patient Transport: Principles and Practice, 6th Edition. Air & Surface Transport Nurses Association; Wolfe A, Frakes M, Nayman D, eds. Published December 18, 2023 (copyright 2024). ISBN 978-0-443-10570-8. Link
- Air & Surface Transport Nurses Association (ASTNA). Publications. Link
- Open Library. ISBN 9780323401104 record (Patient Transport: Principles and Practice, Elsevier, 2017). Link
- IBSC/BCCTPC. Trademark and Copyright Guidelines. Updated May 11, 2016. Link
- Prometric. International Board of Specialty Certifications (IBSC) candidate page, archived October 18, 2022 (the live page returns 403 to automated access). Link