Steven Roncaioli, MPH, CIC

1. Why did you choose a career in infection prevention and control?

I was drawn to infection prevention because it inhabits a unique niche within the field of healthcare. This career allows me to positively impact the lives of both patients and staff, making me a valuable resource to everyone in the hospital.

2. What advice would you give someone who is interested in an infection prevention and control career?

Don’t ever think you aren’t qualified or knowledgeable enough for a position. There are many different paths that lead to infection prevention and each one offers a unique perspective that is invaluable to an IP team.

3. What does being a CIC® mean to you?

Being a CIC® gives me the confidence to know that I am providing the most up-to-date evidence-based guidelines to staff and patients regarding infection prevention and control.

4. What was the best studying method for you when preparing for the initial certification examination?

Get exposure to as many practice questions as possible and more importantly read the rationales to the questions to understand why one answer was right while the remaining options were incorrect. Practice exams give you a feel for the structure of test questions and topics that come up repeatedly will often be areas to focus your studying as you know you will get a few of these questions on the actual exam.

5. What advice would you give someone pursuing certification?

Do not rush the process. The most valuable part of your certification is the knowledge learned while preparing, not the 3 letters after your name.

6. How do you stay up-to-date on infection prevention and control practices?

State and local health departments are a tremendous resource for current best practices as well as any potential infection prevention related outbreaks in your area.

7. Are you part of an APIC or IPAC Canada chapter?

If so, would you recommend it to others? I am not but I am planning to join a local APIC Chapter in the near future.

8. How has the CIC® helped you grow professionally and in your career?

The CIC® has allowed me to bridge my knowledge gap between research and clinical practice in infection prevention. This growth has opened many doors within my facility as I can now provide advice on a wide variety of IP topics.

9. Are there any CIC® stories that keep you up at night?

This can be related to the examination or a specific patient story that stands out. For the longest time I feared that there would be a question on my exam that I had never seen before so I would meticulously prepare for all potential subjects. This was exhausting and I felt liberated once I realized it’s impossible to be fully prepared for the CIC® examination. I found it essential to focus on the key topics and then relying on my critical thinking skills for the unknown.