Dr. Yohann White, MBBS, PhD, DTM&H, CIC

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

Because the field of Infection Prevention and Control has become an organized, structured professional practice that brings an evidence-based approach to clinical practice and quality of patient care, it has always appealed to me as a career Physician-Scientist. I have been involved in research since before graduating medical school in Jamaica in 2007, and I had the good fortune of being able to pursue my Doctor of Philosophy degree in Japan and a post-doctoral research fellowship at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in the USA, all related to immunology and infectious diseases, and so I care a lot about an evidence-based approach to medicine and about infections.

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

My advice to someone interested in a career in Infection Prevention and Control is to recognize that they will be part of an exciting, dynamic and highly relevant field of practice and part of a growing global community of fellow IPC professionals. You will be part of an exciting global movement to protect the health of persons, including patients and your colleagues, and to improve the quality of healthcare. 

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

As an educator, mentor, and a senior healthcare professional often called upon for advice and guidance in IPC and public health surveillance, I regularly impress upon colleagues the importance of lifelong learning and seeking globally recognized credentials. As such, although I have other qualifications such as in immunology, Tropical Medicine, and so on, I felt it was important to also go through that CIC preparation journey and the examination, as now I am able to better mentor and guide my colleagues. CIC also means globally recognized competencies and being a part of a growing global community of passionate and dedicated world-class IPC professionals.

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

The most important method for me in preparing for the initial certification exam was reading the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) Online Text book in different ways, including printed chapters, on my laptop, on a desktop, on my phone, on a tablet, and just having that material with me almost everywhere I went. I had to read every day, and I took particular pleasure in reading some of the references at the end of the chapters. 

5. What advice would you give someone pursuing certification?

My advice to someone pursuing the certification is to read every day, do practice exams such as from the APIC CIC Study Guide, read Appendix A from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and regularly (perhaps once per week) take something from your reading and put that into practice at your place of work. A lot of reading is required, and so it is important to carve out time to do this.

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

I like to read, and so I regularly read published peer-reviewed scientific articles including on IPC, especially if they are examining the effectiveness of certain practices that may be directly or indirectly related to IPC. Additionally, I am often involved in training other healthcare professionals and preparing guidelines and standard operating procedures, and so I have to keep abreast by reading text books and current guidelines in IPC such as from APIC, CDC, and the World Health Organization (WHO).

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

The CIC credential has reaffirmed for me that clinical practice can be standardized and evidence-based, and that no matter where in the world you are located there are principles and practices that can be adhered to and that can have a positive impact on the quality of healthcare services, and on patient outcomes and healthcare worker well-being. Through my preparation for and since attaining the CIC, I have been able to network and build meaningful and lasting friendships with persons from all over the world who are themselves CIC and experienced IPC professionals.