Certification Guide & Application Cycles
Certification Guide & Application Cycles
START YOUR CDMS® CERTIFICATION JOURNEY TODAY!
Review the Certification Guide to learn about eligibility requirements, instructions for completing the application, the exam structure, exam preparation, scoring, certificates, fees, and more!
EXAM APPLICATION CYCLES
Find upcoming exam application window open/close dates, when to expect application approval/denial notifications, and the designated testing periods using the chart below.
| Exam Cycle | March | September |
|---|---|---|
| Application Window Opens | November 1 | April 1 |
| Application Window Closes | January 31 | June 30 |
| Approval / Denial Notification By | February 29 | July 31 |
| Exam Administration | March 14 - 21 | September 12 - 19 |
- 9 ACTION ITEMS TO BECOME A CERTIFIED DISABILITY MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST
- CDMS CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
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As a CDMS, your goal is to facilitate an employee's physical recovery, rehabilitation, and return-to-work process while seeking to control the escalating costs of injury, disability, and absence for employers, insurance carriers, and government. As a CDMS certificant you must also function in an objective and ethical fashion within a context of competing interests. Each CDMS must abide by the CDMS Code of Professional Conduct. Certified professionals must also adhere to any other professional codes of conduct to which they are bound.
To support and guide CDMS certificants, the CDMS Code of Professional Conduct is a vital resource in daily practice and sets the tone for determining how to approach ethical conflicts. The Code also puts forth a grievance and appeals process to protect the consumer.
- CERTIFICATION PROMOTES CONSUMER PROTECTION
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Competency. Collaboration. Assurance. This is the CDMS promise to consumers.
Disability management specialists who hold the CDMS credential affirm that as professionals, they have a measurable, enhanced level of competence, knowledge, and expertise. They’re equipped and ready to help others get back to well, back to work and back to life.
Using common practice standards, the CDMS credential draws practitioners from a wide variety of disciplines. CDMS holders must remain current in their field through ongoing continuing education, and they must adhere to a strict Code of Professional Conduct. These requirements remind CDMS certificants of their obligation to the individuals they serve who are ill, injured, and/or have disabilities. The Code establishes a grievance and appeals process to protect the consumer. Complainants may use the complaint form in the Code to submit a grievance to the Commission for consideration.
Underscoring the importance of consumer protection is accreditation of the CDMS certification process by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). The role of the NCCA is to ensure the health, welfare, and safety of the public through accreditation of certification programs and organizations that assess professional competence.
PAY FOR CERTIFICATION
Learn more about the opportunities The Commission offers to help those who qualify pay for certification.