Academy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP)
The Academy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP) is the peer-reviewed, accomplishment/portfolio-based certification and career development program for health information professionals.
Academy New and Renewal Applications scheduled to be available July 15
| Join more than 1,000 colleagues who are members of the Academy of Health Information Professionals! |
Academy membership indicates that your peers have certified that you have met a standard of professional education, experience, and accomplishment and demonstrates that you are committed to career development.
Future, new, and renewing AHIP members: please send us your questions about the program in general or about your application in particular. We are always happy to assist.
What AHIP Members Say
What is the Value of an Academy Credential?
Career Planning, Advancement, and Promotion
- Average salaries of respondents with academy membership have been 15% to 18% higher than salaries of non-Academy colleagues across multiple MLA salary surveys (2008, 2012, 2017 MLA salary surveys sampled)
“The preparation required to attain and continue as an AHIP member has provided me with a road map to help plan out my career to this point. I can’t imagine how much more difficult it would have been to have been promoted without it.”
“Striving to be an Academy member motivated me to not only complete continuing education courses and professional development, but to participate in association activities that made me step out of my comfort zone. Having my AHIP gave me the requirement I needed, above all the other candidates, for my current position, which is a job I love.”
- The 2016 AHIP survey, to which over 50% of members (560) responded, also found the following:
- 65% of respondents agreed that AHIP membership helped them advance their career.
- 50% reported that Academy membership was required or recommended by an employer or supervisor.
- 52% said that AHIP was required or recommended for a position they’ve held or applied for or a raise they sought or attained.
Increased Professional Stature
- 95% of the 2016 Member survey respondents agreed that their Academy membership shows their commitment to the profession and their professional accomplishments and skills to peers and others.
“Many of my colleagues have formal credentials that show their professional standing. My membership in the Academy is proof that I have earned a prestigious credential.”
- Over 100 respondents gave examples of how AHIP increased their professional stature by increasing their professional credibility and offering a public mark of accomplishment and parity with other professional groups offering credentialing.
“I include [AHIP] in my official signature as a mark of distinction in my profession. It has parallels throughout the health sciences disciplines and has helped me be seen by those colleagues as an expert in my field. It goes beyond just documenting my professional development, to gaining recognition for it.”
Career Commitment and Planning
- Academy membership shows peers and employers that your career and professional development is a priority.
“When I recently applied for job promotion, the AHIP accreditation was consistently mentioned by potential supervisors as a demonstration of my commitment to professional development and our profession.”
- 20% of respondents reported that Academy membership helped them in their career development
Mentorship
- New and early career professionals: New to the health information profession or have fewer that five years of professional experience? We match you with an academy mentor who will give you expertise and guidance in selecting activities to advance your career.
- 70% of respondents agreed that a relationship with an Academy mentor benefited them professionally.
“As a fresh out of grad school librarian new to the world of hospital librarianship, my AHIP mentor librarian was indispensable in helping me get established in my career and was there for me again ten years later when I got approved at the distinguished level. Having an AHIP designation is professionally advantageous and personally rewarding.”
- Professionals at all levels: Academy requirements and tools give you a “roadmap” for professional development. Any AHIP member may request a mentor.
AHIP members have reported other benefits from their Academy membership, including:
- Access to networking opportunities
- A sense of personal accomplishment
- Access to opportunities to give back to the profession
- Increased employer support for professional development
Note: All quotes in this section taken from 2016 survey participants.
Many employers know about AHIP. The 2016 AHIP member survey found that over 75% of the 560 respondents said their employer is aware of AHIP, and 60% said that AHIP was required or recommended for a position they’ve held or applied for or a raise they sought or attained. Employers who have not yet learned about AHIP may want to know the answers to these questions.
Tell me, what is AHIP?
The Academy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP) is the certification and career development program for medical librarians and other health information professionals. AHIP certification is equivalent to certifications in other professions, such as Human Resource (HR) certification, perioperative nursing certification, and medical-surgery nurse certification. AHIP is the only certification available to health information professionals.
What are the requirements for obtaining AHIP certification?
Obtaining AHIP certification required me to demonstrate to my peers, who have evaluated my portfolio, that I have met standards for formal education and for continuing education and individual accomplishment in areas such as teaching, publishing, conference presentations, and professional association activities. My certification is valid for five years. To maintain certification I must continue to demonstrate professional accomplishments, and the requirements become more demanding as I move up in level of Academy membership.
What is the value to my organization in hiring a professional with AHIP certification over a professional who lacks AHIP certification?
This is the question I hoped you would ask! While professionals in every field are a diverse lot and no certification guarantees every distinction of certification, in general, when you hire someone with AHIP certification you get:
- A professional who meets a standard of professional education, experience, and accomplishment
- A professional committed to their professional development and to staying current in their profession. AHIP members must reapply every five years, which requires them to stay current through continuing and formal education, contributing to scholarship in the field, and attending professional meetings, which offer hundreds of scholarly and practical presentations and the latest from vendors.
- A professional committed to the health information profession. AHIP members give back as mentors, instructors, and leaders.
This is what one library director said about AHIP:
When I became a Director, I made the strategic decision to require AHIP at hire for all medical librarians on staff, with the exception of entry-level positions. Entry-level medical librarians are required to get their AHIP within the first year of employment. This has made a positive difference within our organization when justifying positions and salaries commensurate with the specialized nature of medical librarians. It also encourages my medical librarians to retain their sense of curiosity to learn new things and seek experiences that further their professional development and understanding of the environments and populations that we serve.
If you are asked about the Academy or wish to explain it and its value in meetings, presentations, or around a water cooler, here are some messages you can convey:
Tell me what AHIP is?
The Academy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP) is the certification and career development program for medical librarians and other health information professionals.
It is equivalent to certifications in other professions, such as Human Resource (HR) certification, perioperative nursing certification, and medical-surgery nurse certification. AHIP is the only certification available for health information professionals.
What does AHIP certification say about you?
My AHIP certification means I have that I have demonstrated to my peers, who have evaluated my portfolio, that I have met standards for formal education and for continuing education and individual accomplishment in areas such as teaching, publishing, conference presentations, and professional association activities.
My AHIP certification means that I am committed to staying current in my field by meeting requirements for ongoing professional development and accomplishment.
What can AHIP certification offer health information professionals?
- A boost to a health information professional’s career. Many employers know about AHIP, and many of them show they value it by requiring or recommending it for hirings, promotions, and raises. Three salary surveys have documented a 15-18% average greater salary for AHIP members.
- Increased stature and prestige. AHIP membership is a sign of stature and credibility in the health information profession and provides parity with other professional groups that have credentials.
- Demonstration of a commitment to professional growth. AHIP membership shows peers and employers that your professional development is a personal priority.
- Support and guidance in career planning and development.
See AHIP Help & FAQ to get your questions answered and find out about chapter funding for AHIP applicants.