World Institute of Pain

Certified Interventional Pain Sonologist (CIPS) Examinations

Thank you for your interest in our CIPS Examination! If you have not done so already, please review the CIPS Exam Information bulletin, available here.  This document contains comprehensive information about the exam.

For 2025, we are still finalizing the exact dates for most of the meetings, but the general timing of the events below should be accurate (all exam dates would be preceded by workshops):

  • 19 January 2025 – Taipei, Taiwan
  • Mid/Late March 2025 – Orlando, FL, USA
  • June 2025 – Campinas, Brazil
  • Late August 2025 – Budapest, Hungary
  • Mid October 2025 – Istanbul, Turkey

If you wish to apply for the examination, you may do so using the online application button. Once we confirm examination dates/locations we will contact you about final scheduling at a specific examination site.  Please note that you must be logged in to the WIP website as an Associate Member in order to access the application.

If you are not already a WIP member, your first year’s membership will be included with the payment of your examination fee.  Please submit the form at https://www.worldinstituteofpain.org/join/, and then e-mail [email protected] to be given access to the online application system.

Study Aids

Ultrasound for Interventional Pain Management- An Illustrated Procedural Guide Editors: Peng, P., Finlayson, R., Lee, S.H., Bhatia, A. (Eds.) – Springer 2020

Sonographic Peripheral Nerve Topography – A Landmark-based Algorithm Editors: Gruber, Hannes, Loizides, Alexander, Moriggl, Bernhard (Eds.) – Springer 2019

Atlas of Sonoanatomy for Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Eds. Manoj K. Karmakar, et al. McGraw Hill, 2018,

Silvestri, Enzo & Martino, Fabio & Puntillo, Filomena. Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral Nerve Blocks. Springer 2018

Basics of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound James M Daniels, William W. Dexter; Springer 2013

Regional Nerve Blocks in Anesthesia and Pain Therapy Danilo Jankovic, Philip Peng, Springer 2015

Atlas of Peripheral Nerve Ultrasound With Anatomic and MRI Correlation Editors: Peer, Siegfried, Gruber, Hannes (Eds.) – Springer 2013

Peng PWH, Shankar H. Ultrasound-Guided Interventional Procedures in Pain Medicine. RAPM 39;5; 2014; 368-380

Ultrasound- Guided Interventional Procedures in Pain Medicine – Series of articles Published in Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine 2009-2016

Web Sites:
Anatomy Illustrations (Netters) – http://www.netterimages.com/
Peripheral Regional Anesthesia – http://www.nerveblocks.net/
NY School of Regional Anesthesia – http://www.nysora.com/
Ultrasound for Regional Anesthesia – http://www.usra.ca/
Ultrasound Guided Regional Anesthesia – http://neuraxiom.com/
LipidRescue – http://www.lipidrescue.org/

FIPP Testimonials

Philippe Mavrocordatos MD, FIPP WIP Honorary Secretary Lausanne, Switzerland

MD, FIPP


Lausanne, Switzerland

Dear Friends,

I was recently asked what I would say to someone who was considering taking the Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice (FIPP)® Examination. When I took my FIPP exam in 2007, I already had 10 years of interventional pain practice, excellent training, and felt quite confident in my daily routine. By chance, I met some colleagues who suggested me to take the FIPP exam. I did not feel I really needed it, but found the idea interesting. Well, I didn’t know how much this exam would change my professional life.

Locally, my daily practice improved significantly. The FIPP certification made me feel more confident, I was up to date with my readings and also with my techniques. Interestingly, it also had an important impact on my referrals, as local physicians knew they had a real specialist to talk to and not just another anesthesiologist doing pain.

Nationally, it helped me build up our interventional pain society, and I based our post-graduate education on clear and validated criteria to set up and develop the pain specialty. I also knew I could count on the support of my FIPP peers for questions and exchanges.

Internationally, it was probably for me the biggest surprise. I got invited to teach, and to examine colleagues who now are close friends, people with whom I have frequent exchanges. We have common projects and learn from each other.

For me, the FIPP exam and the WIP organization in general changed my understanding of pain and made me a part of a worldwide network; I now feel part of this professional family!

I hope these words will encourage you to study for and take the Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice (FIPP)® Examination in the near future. It changed my life, and will change yours as well!

Cheers,

philippe

Contact the Board of Examination

Write to us or call with any questions.

Registrar of Examination

Monique Steegers, MD, PhD, FIPP
Email:   [email protected]

Examination Program Director

D. Mark Tolliver, MA
Email: [email protected]