The Certified Wound Specialist Physician CWSP® certification is offered by the American Board of Wound Management (ABWM®). The CWSP® certification is an accredited wound care certification that is valid for ten years.
CWSP® Certification Information
- 84.4% Pass Rate
- $995 Exam Application Fee
- 180 Questions
- Ten year certification
- Nationally accredited
- Offered by ABWM®
- Passing score = 116/150
- MD, DO, DPMs can be eligible
Who is Eligible for CWSP® Wound Certification?
MDs, DOs, and DPMs with three or more years of experience can become CWSP® certified. Many physicians and podiatrists become CWSP® certified to market wound management as a service and to create their niche specialty.
Candidates with a professional license applying for ABWM® wound certification exams must possess a full and unrestricted license in at least one state and in all states in which the candidate currently practice.
Prepare for the CWSP® Exam with WoundEducators
Wound Certification is a big undertaking – we recommend full preparation before taking your exam. WoundEducators online wound care course for Physicians covers every aspect of wound care management to help you prepare for the CWSP® exam. Our online wound certification prep course offers e-textbook(s), flashcards, CWSP® study guides, and more. Protect your application investment by ensuring you have the confidence and information you need to pass your certification test.
Physicians can also begin their wound management expertise with us and leverage more experience through their current employer. Our course completion certificate will show your employer that you have successfully completed an advanced wound management course.
CWSP® Certification Exam Information & Cost
The CWSP® wound certification exam cost is $995. There are 180 questions on the CWSP® wound care exam, with a passing score being 116/150. (Some of the questions on the exam are ungraded.) The CWSP® exam passing rate is currently 84.4%.
How to Apply for the CWSP® Exam
Follow these simple steps to apply for the CWSP® exam.
- Download and review the Certified Wound Specialist Physician (CWSP®) Candidate Handbook
- Create an account and complete your application online.
- Apply for the CWSP® exam
- Once your application to sit for the certification examination has been approved, you may schedule your exam for any time in the following 90 days, based on availability at your local testing center.
- Upon completing the exam, a score report will be generated immediately.
Additional CWSP® Certified Wound Specialist Physician Certification Requirements
In order to sit for the CWSP® exam, candidates must have at least 3 years of wound care experience. Wound care does not have to be your primary responsibility to meet the requirement of 3 years of experience, just so long as you have a cumulative total of three years of experience in wound care-related roles. Candidates will demonstrate their roles related to wound care through the different parts of their application.
What Should You Do If You Not Have Enough Professional Experience to Become CWSP® Certified?
If you do not meet the minimum requirement for experience, you can begin your expertise by taking our certification prep course, and using your certificate of completion to leverage more hands-on job experience. Your course completion certificate will show your employer that you have successfully completed an advanced wound management course. Taking initiative on your own and proving your knowledge beforehand can help you to get more wound care experience on the job.
ABWM® CWSP® Candidate Program Option – New!
In recent years, the ABWM® has also created a CWSP® Candidate option for Certification, created for those that have less than three years of wound care experience. The CWSP® Candidate program corresponds to the full certification once eligible. The goal of the Candidate pathway is to provide healthcare professionals with another unique option to stay on-track to becoming fully certified once their remaining experience requirement is met.
A Candidate is still required to sit for the exam and maintain a full, unrestricted and active license. The testing fee for a Candidate application is the same as the Certification application since it is transferrable once the experience requirements are accomplished.
Other ABWM® Wound Care Certification Options
To learn more about the ABWM® and all certifications offered by the ABWM®, visit our wound care certification information page. If you need more information on which certification is right for you, contact us! We love to help our students and future students become certified and find wound management jobs after certification.