CAAHEP accreditation of a clinical research program is the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs' review of an educational program in clinical research against the CAAHEP Standards and Guidelines for that profession, carried out through the Committee on Accreditation of Academic Programs in Clinical Research (CAAPCR). It is for colleges, hospital education departments and training organizations that offer clinical research programs, when they create a program or prepare for initial or continuing review. Integral Healthcare Solutions (IHS) builds the self-study workplan and evidence index for CAAHEP accreditation; your faculty own the curriculum.

Last reviewed: October 2026.

What is CAAHEP accreditation for clinical research programs?

CAAHEP states: "At the heart of the CAAHEP accreditation system are our nationally-recognized Standards and Guidelines," and "CAAHEP Standards have common elements with discipline-specific requirements for training entry level practitioners in that profession" (CAAHEP, Standards and Guidelines). CAAHEP describes itself as "the largest specialized accreditor of allied health education programs in the United States, representing 32 professions" (CAAHEP, Program Director FAQs).

The governing texts for this profession:

• The CAAHEP Standards and Guidelines for the Accreditation of Educational Programs in Clinical Research, listed on CAAHEP's standards page as "Approved 8-20-26" (CAAHEP). Check the posted document for its exact title and effective dates.
• The CAAPCR "Policies & Procedures Manual (2024)," listed on the committee's page (CAAHEP, Clinical Research Professional).

The committee page states that CAAPCR "promotes and advances the quality of educational programs for clinical research programs," and lists the "Consortium of Academic Programs in Clinical Research (CoAPCR)" as the program sponsor organization (CAAHEP). CAAHEP notes that standards are revised through a process that includes "input from the communities of interest, a public open hearing, and approval by the Committee on Accreditation (CoA) and its sponsoring organization(s)" (CAAHEP).

CAAHEP lists its accreditation process in these steps (CAAHEP, Accreditation Process):

1. "Submission of the Request for Accreditation Services Form (RAS)"
2. "Submission of a Self-Study Report by the Program"
3. "Review of Self-Study Report by the CoA"
4. "Site Visit by the CoA"
5. "Program's Response to Site Visit Findings"
6. "CoA's Review of Program's Compliance with Standards and Accreditation Recommendation"
7. "Special Procedures for Recommendations Requiring Due Process"
8. "Accreditation Status Decision by the CAAHEP Board of Directors"
9. "Ongoing Quality Review"

Who needs it and what triggers it

Programs that train clinical research professionals and want programmatic accreditation from CAAHEP. The usual triggers:

• A new program, which involves a self-study report and a Request for Accreditation Services (RAS) form that CAAHEP says is submitted "within 30 days of submission of the self-study report to the Committee on Accreditation" (CAAHEP, Accreditation Process).
• A continuing review, since CAAHEP's process ends in "Ongoing Quality Review" rather than a one-time decision.
• A standards revision. The clinical research standards on CAAHEP's page carry an August 2026 approval date, so a program written to an earlier version should be checked against the current text.

How IHS helps

IHS works from the CAAHEP clinical research standards and the CAAPCR manual your program holds. The process:

1. Gap assessment. IHS reads your program against each standard and lists what is missing or undocumented.
2. Self-study workplan. IHS turns the gaps into a dated plan with owners for the self-study report.
3. Standards-to-evidence index. IHS builds a crosswalk from each standard to the record that shows it.
4. Drafting. IHS drafts curriculum mapping records and experiential learning agreement templates for your faculty to review and approve.
5. Program evaluation evidence. IHS organizes the records of how your program evaluates itself, and coordinates revisions and approvals across your institution.
6. Mock review. Before the site visit, IHS reviews the evidence against the standards.

What your program supplies: the standards, curriculum, placement partners, and the faculty and program director who own content, teaching and assessment. Your program files the RAS form and self-study and hosts the site visit. IHS drafts; your program submits.

The limit: the profession's standards need qualified program leadership. IHS supplies process and evidence work, not clinical research teaching.

See how this fits with our other programs on the Accreditation Consulting page.

What to have ready

This list draws on CAAHEP's Accreditation Process, Standards and Guidelines and Clinical Research Professional pages.

1. The current CAAHEP clinical research standards, listed as "Approved 8-20-26."
2. The CAAPCR "Policies & Procedures Manual (2024)."
3. A completed Request for Accreditation Services form. CAAHEP states: "The program submits the RAS form electronically through the CAAHEP website within 30 days of submission of the self-study report."
4. A self-study report, the second step in CAAHEP's process: "Submission of a Self-Study Report by the Program." CAAHEP lists the RAS first but says it is submitted after the self-study report.
5. A crosswalk from each standard to its evidence, built for the CoA's "Review of Self-Study Report."
6. Curriculum and experiential placement records, and the agreements with placement partners.
7. Program evaluation records, ready for the "Site Visit by the CoA."
8. A named owner for the "Program's Response to Site Visit Findings."

If you want to talk through where your program stands on this list, the introductory call is the place to start.

How it compares

CAAHEP standards have "common elements with discipline-specific requirements" (CAAHEP), and each profession has its own Committee on Accreditation. The process steps are shared; the standards and the committee differ. This table describes the CAAHEP professions covered on our pages; it does not say which applies to your program.

What it costs

Two parties set fees: CAAHEP and the Committee on Accreditation. CAAHEP states: "Each CoA sets its fees, which generally include application, annual, site visit, and other maintenance fees" (CAAHEP). CAAPCR does not publish a fee schedule on the pages we reviewed. CAAHEP's fee page says each CoA assesses its own program fee and links to each CoA's website (CAAHEP).

CAAHEP's own fees, from its governing documents (fetched October 2, 2026):

CAAHEP also lists a "$200 administrative fee for Accredited Program Fee Invoices that are not fully paid by August 1" and a "$150 fee per submitted Request for Accreditation Services (RAS) form due at the time of submission. The RAS verification fee will be assessed starting July 1, 2027." Verify current fees with CAAHEP and with CAAPCR.

IHS scopes each engagement after a free introductory call.

What this is not

• IHS is not an accrediting body and does not grant, influence or predict a CAAPCR recommendation or a CAAHEP Board decision.
• IHS does not file the RAS form, submit the self-study or correspond with CAAHEP or CAAPCR on your behalf. IHS drafts; your program submits.
• This page is not legal advice, and IHS does not judge clinical research curriculum or student competence.

Frequently asked questions

What is CAAHEP accreditation for a clinical research coordinator or associate program?

It is programmatic accreditation of a clinical research education program against the CAAHEP Standards and Guidelines for clinical research. CAAHEP describes its standards as having common elements with discipline-specific requirements for training entry level practitioners. The committee for this profession is CAAPCR.

Which committee reviews clinical research education programs under CAAHEP?

The Committee on Accreditation of Academic Programs in Clinical Research (CAAPCR). CAAHEP's committee page lists the Consortium of Academic Programs in Clinical Research (CoAPCR) as the program sponsor organization and a CAAPCR Policies and Procedures Manual dated 2024.

What are the steps to CAAHEP accreditation for a new clinical research program?

CAAHEP lists the Request for Accreditation Services form, the program's self-study report, the CoA's review of the self-study, a site visit, the program's response to findings, the CoA's review and recommendation, special procedures where due process applies, the CAAHEP Board's status decision, and ongoing quality review. CAAHEP states that the RAS form is submitted electronically within 30 days of submission of the self-study report.

How long does CAAHEP accreditation take for a clinical research program?

The CAAHEP pages we reviewed do not state a total time. CAAHEP lists nine steps from the Request for Accreditation Services form to ongoing quality review, and says the RAS form is submitted electronically within 30 days of submission of the self-study report.

What goes into the CAAHEP self-study report?

CAAHEP lists the self-study report as the second step in its process, followed by the CoA's review of it. The pages we reviewed do not list its contents; the posted clinical research standards govern. IHS builds a standards-to-evidence index for the self-study.

How much does CAAHEP accreditation cost?

CAAHEP's Accredited Program Fee for one program at a location is $660 per program for 2026 to 2028 and $726 for 2029 to 2031, with lower per-program rates when more programs share a location. A $150 RAS fee applies starting July 1, 2027. CAAPCR sets its own fees, and we did not find them published; verify current fees with CAAHEP and CAAPCR.

What does the CAAHEP site visit review?

In CAAHEP's process the site visit is conducted by the CoA after it reviews the self-study report, and the program then responds to the site visit findings. The pages we reviewed do not list the visit agenda. IHS's mock review checks your evidence against the standards before the visit.

What changed in the clinical research standards approved in August 2026?

CAAHEP's standards page lists the clinical research standards as approved August 20, 2026. We have not summarized the changes here; read the posted document. IHS can compare your program against the current text in a gap assessment.