Discover Your Path in IPAC

New cohorts every Fall and Winter.

Queen's Infection Prevention & Control (IPAC) Online Professional Development Course is a fully online program with interactive content for health professionals who are new to or are about to enter into the practice of IPAC. The purpose of the course is to introduce learners to the practice of IPAC and to increase participants’ knowledge and skills for managing the prevention and control of infections and disease.

Need help registering, or looking for group rates?
Contact Our Support Team: queensic@queensu.ca

I have worked for over 2 years as an IPAC lead in LTC. My position was focused almost solely on management of COVID-19 for the first year or so. Once I started having more time to branch into other IPAC issues/topics, I found myself craving more IPAC education. The Queen's IPAC course was perfect for my lifestyle due to its flexibility. . .The content included a wide variety of IPAC topics that I have been able to directly apply to what I do as an IPAC lead. The knowledge that I gained from the course will also help me as I strive to obtain my CIC certification in the next year. It is a great course that I highly recommend!

Leslie, Queen's Infection Prevention & Control Online Professional Development Course Learner

Why should you enroll in this course?

In a world facing evolving health challenges, the importance of infection, prevention and control (IPAC) professionals is more evident than ever. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the crucial role of IPAC professionals in safeguarding public health. As infectious diseases and healthcare-associated infections remain a significant concern, the demand for IPAC professionals is rising. By enrolling in our course, you're not just gaining knowledge and skills; you're joining a growing community of dedicated individuals working towards a safer and healthier future. You will also gain a firm grasp of IPAC principles and practices, ensuring that your resume stands out to potential employers.

Diverse Career Opportunities

The field of infection control is expansive and offers a multitude of career pathways, each with its unique requirements and potential for impact. Learners have a wide range of sectors to consider, including:

These are just a few examples as the field of infection control is yours to explore and shape as you progress in your career. Please note that some of these sectors may require additional certification in infection control or specialized training to meet their specific standards.

Course Benefits

Flexible Learning: Our course blends asynchronous learning and interactive live sessions, allowing you to effortlessly weave the learning into your personal schedule to make the course fit your schedule.
Real-World Expertise: Learn from seasoned experts who are actively engaged in the IPAC field, helping you bridge theory and real-world practice.
Access to Resources: Tap into a wealth of resources, including up-to-date research, best practices in infection control and the APIC text
Transferable Skills: Gain a variety of skills that extend beyond infection control, such as strategic thinking, data analysis, and creative problem-solving.
Certification in Infection (CIC) Control Preparation: Prepare effectively for the CIC Exam with our curriculum which is based on the exam content outline.

Alumni Spotlight:

Navigating IPAC Certification

Join us in this inspiring video testimonial as we hear from one of our accomplished IPAC Alumni who not only completed our online Infection Prevention and Control Professional Development Course but also successfully completed the a-IPC certification exam, for which our course prepared them. Discover their personal journey, insights gained, and how this course has made a positive impact on their work in infection prevention.

Who should take this course?

New infection control practitioners in all Canadian health care settings, including communicable disease staff working in health units. We ask that you have obtained one of the following: RN, RPN, BSc, MD, CRT/RRT, MLT or equivalent. We also welcome registrants who possess credentials in the fields of Public Health, Dental Care, Long-Term Care, Environmental Services, Paramedic Operations, and Occupational Health and Safety.

If you have not obtained one of these credentials we recommend having experience in the IPAC field. We will consider a combination of educational background and work experience, if you have any concerns about your eligibility, please do not hesitate to email us for further clarification.

Course Details

Course Layout

The course will be delivered through a series of 12 interactive online modules over the span of 18 weeks. Each week, a new module topic will become available. Some modules may span one week, while others may span 2-3 weeks. Learners are expected to work through the module along with any additional online resources. Furthermore, there will be weekly quizzes and assignments that must be completed and submitted by specified due dates. There will also be a designated Question and Answer board available for each module topic to facilitate discussion and clarification.

The course will explore the following module topics:

Lifelong Learning: Principles of Adult Learning and Evidence-based Medicine and Literature Searching (1 week)
Infectious Disease Processes: Clinical Microbiology (2 weeks)
Routine Practices and Additional Precautions (2 weeks)
Disinfection, Sterilization and Construction (2 weeks)
Employee and Occupational Health (2 weeks)
Surveillance and Epidemiologic Investigation (5 weeks)
Epidemiology of Health Care Acquired Infections (2 weeks)
Public Health and Education (1 week)
Management and Communication in Infection Prevention and Control (1 week)

Learners should expect to spend an average of 7-12 hours per week on coursework. This includes working through the online modules, discussions, quizzes, and assignments each week. This may vary depending on your comfort level with the module topic and prior experience in the IPAC field.

Assessments

Course assessments will have varying weight percentages, ranging from 2% to 10%, and will encompass a mix of multiple-choice quizzes, assignments, and interactive scenarios. These assessments will be made available alongside the modules and will be due weekly on Sundays at 11:30 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).

If you have any concerns regarding accessibility, please reach out to the coordinator at queensic@queensu.ca to discuss options prior to processing payment.

Live Sessions

This course has a synchronous component where learners are expected to attend a minimum of three live sessions via Zoom. These sessions will be scheduled at various times and dates, and a finalized schedule will be shared with learners on the course page. There are two types of synchronous sessions:

PubMed Webinars: These sessions will take place during the first week of the course.
Ask Me Anything! Sessions with Instructors: These sessions will vary in length, lasting from 1 to 2 hours. The instructor may present on a specific topic or keep the conversation open for questions. They offer an opportunity for learners to connect with instructors, seek clarification on course content, discuss assessments, or simply tap into the expertise of our instructors.

At the conclusion of the course, learners will be required to submit a brief reflection about their live session experience.

Course Certificate Requirements

To successfully complete the course and receive your certificate of completion you must achieve an overall final grade of 70% or higher and complete all assessments (including live session reflection).

Please note that completion of this course does not certify the learner as an infection control practitioner. For more information on Certification in Infection Control (CIC), please refer to the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology’s website.

Learning Outcomes and Other Requirements

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Identify fundamental concepts of epidemiology and microbiology as they relate to IP&C
Examine and investigate scenarios to practice problem-solving for IP&C
Practice critical thinking and management skills for engaging in:
- routine practices and additional precautions,
- surveillance,
- outbreak control of infections and disease within clinical and public health settings
Apply research, teaching, and life-long learning skills through engagement within a case-based, online learning community

IPAC Canada has endorsed this course which is reviewed annually to update the Infection Prevention and Control content and to reflect current pedagogical strategies. The course will cover all the IPAC Canada/APIC (Association for Practitioners in Infection Control and Epidemiology) professional practice standards. The curriculum is also based on the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology's (CBIC) Examination Content Outline, available on the CBIC website.

Program Structure

Our course is structured around three core pillars that are central to every learning activity and its objectives:

Knowledge gathering occurs by a wide variety of methods: assigned readings, self-directed research, etc.
Knowledge practice involves assigned case studies of infection control problems, reflection questions, and online quizzes and assignments.
Knowledge sharing is a huge part of this course. Students' progress through the phases of knowledge gathering, practice and sharing will be continuously monitored. Your assignments will be graded and you will receive feedback on your performance throughout the course.

Language Requirements

English is the language of instruction for the Online Infection Prevention and Control Professional Development Course and will be the language used by the participants and by the instructors of this course to communicate orally as well as electronically. All applicants accepted into this course must have a level of comprehension in the English language that will enable them to communicate effectively with their instructors and fellow classmates.

Upcoming Dates

Course Dates

Fall 2024: September 30, 2024 - February 23, 2025

Winter 2025: Annoucement coming soon.

Please sign up for the Queen's Infection Prevention & Control Online Professional Development Course Mailing list to receive information on upcoming course dates and registration details.

Fees and Refund Policy

Course Fee: $1599.00 CAD

In order to confirm a place in this course, you must pay the full fee at the time of registration. Only online credit card payments will be accepted. Payments will be taken through our online registration system. There is currently no option for installment payments.

Our office is exploring funding support opportunities to increase access to this course. If you are interested in this professional development program, but unable to register due to financial limitations, please complete this form.

If funding becomes available, we will assess requests and will be in contact if support is available. Please note that funding support is not guaranteed.

Discounted Group Rates

Save 10% by registering a group on a single invoice. Please contact queensic@queensu.ca for details.

Refund Policies are firm and strictly enforced.

Refund requests are to be sent to queensic@queensu.ca by September 29, 2024. Please be aware that a $240 admin fee will be charged per person for any refund. Unawareness of the deadline or its consequences will not be accepted. Refunds are not available for promotional codes that were not applied at the time of registration. Registrations are non-transferable and deferrals are not offered.

If a learner withdraws prior to September 29, 2024, the course fee will be refunded less the admin fee of $240.
If a learner withdraws after the refund deadline, the course fee is not refundable.

Only those who are intending to and can complete the course in its entirety should proceed with registration. If you cannot fully commit to all course components, please do not proceed with payment.

Weekly Dedicated Time is Necessary

Please be aware that, on average, this IPAC course requires a commitment of 7-12 hours per week on coursework which includes online modules, discussions, quizzes, and assignments. One module opens per week and learners progress through the course together as a cohort; there is no opportunity to work ahead. No special financial consideration is given to those who were unaware of this time commitment.

Policy on Privacy and Confidentiality

For information on our policies regarding the retention of academic and financial data, please refer to the Office of Professional Development and Educational Scholarship (ODPES) Policy on Privacy and Confidentiality. This policy is accessible on the OPDES website under the Policies section.

Review of all IPAC Course Information

Prior to registering for the course, please ensure that you have thoroughly reviewed and understand all the course details. If you have any questions or uncertainties about the course structure, please reach out to queensic@queensu.ca.

Related Learning Opportunities at Queen's

Master of Public Health IPAC Track

Queen's Health Sciences is pleased to offer two, unique programs in Infection Prevention and Control to meet your educational and professional needs.

Is this IPAC Online Professional Development Course or the longer, degree-granting Master of Public Health IPAC Track program right for you? View our course comparison module to learn more.

Online Professional Development

Browse our full menu of online professional development opportunities on our Get Your CPD webpage.

Since I work full time, I liked how I was able to follow the course material at my own time. This allowed me the ability to do some work in the early mornings which for me was a lot better for my schedule. I found the modules great since it provided a lot of examples that I have been exposed to working in the health field. The discussion boards were also very helpful and responsive which made the class a lot less stressful.

Kathir Puveendran, Program Coordinator, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Course Director

Dick Zoutman, MD, FRCPC, CCPE, C. Dir, Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases & Medical Microbiology. Emeritus Professor, Pathology & Molecular Medicine, Medicine, Public Health Sciences, Biomedical & Molecular Sciences, and of Nursing, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario. Past Co-Chair Ontario Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee (PIDAC), Past Physician Director Infection Prevention and Control Canada (IPAC Canada).

More information

Course Advisor

Jim Gauthier, MLT, CIC, Instructor of Pathology & Molecular Medicine, Infection Control Practitioner, Queen's University

Course Instructors

Sandra Callery, BScN, MHSc, CIC, Director of Infection Control, Public Health Ontario Toronto, ON

Sandra Halliday, MSL, Public Services Librarian, Bracken Health Sciences Library, Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen's University

Kathleen Poole, RegN, MScN, CIC, COHN(c), Occupational Health, Providence Care, Kingston, ON

David Ryding, BHSc, BASc, CPHI(C), CIC, MPH, Infection Control Consultant, Public Health Ontario, Regional Infection Control Network – South Eastern Ontario

Prameet Sheth, MSc, PhD, D(ABMM) Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical & Molecular Sciences and Pathology; Clinical Microbiologist, Division of Microbiology, Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Kingston, Ontario

Stephanie W. Smith, MD, MSc (Epi), FRCPC, Associate Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Director, Infection Prevention and Control, University of Alberta

Denise Stockley, PhD, Professor, Teaching & Learning Centre, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario

Dick Zoutman, MD, FRCPC, CCPE, C. Dir, Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases & Medical Microbiology. Emeritus Professor, Pathology & Molecular Medicine, Medicine, Public Health Sciences, Biomedical & Molecular Sciences, and of Nursing, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario. Past C0-Chair Ontario Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee (PIDAC), Past Physician Director Infection Prevention and Control Canada (IPAC Canada).

As a full time working healthcare professional and parent to two small children I enjoyed the flexibility of the course structure and the generous reference materials provided. I was able to work at my own pace and felt very supported by the course instructors and staff when I had questions about the course material. The course itself was very well organized and used relevant examples that were directly aligned with my field of practice and provided me with actionable solutions that I implemented in my place of work. In addition to this, the foundations provided in this course both prepared and qualified me for the CBIC LTC-CIP certification exam which is a legally mandated requirement of my profession.

I strongly recommend this course to any health professional who wants to strengthen or grow their understanding of infection prevention and control principles and public health as a whole.

Samantha Di Piero, RN, BScN, PMP, IPAC & Compliance Manager, Halton Region Services for Seniors

Infection Prevention & Control Online Professional Development Course

Discover Your Path in IPAC

New cohorts every Fall and Winter.

Is a Career in IPAC for you?

Fall & Winter Cohorts!

Need help registering, or looking for group rates? Contact Our Support Team: queensic@queensu.ca

Get ready for Winter 2025!

Need help registering, or looking for group rates? Contact Our Support Team: queensic@queensu.ca

To receive updates, including announcements for upcoming intakes please click the envelope icon above.

Discounted Group Rates

Save 10% by registering a group on a single invoice.

Discounted Group Rates

Save 10% by registering 5 or more learners on a single invoice. Please contact queensic@queensu.ca for details.

Unlock Your Potential

Alumni Spotlight:

Navigating IPAC Certification

Need help registering, or questions about this program?Contact Julia: queensic@queensu.ca

Course Information

Course Layout

Assessments

Live Sessions

Course Certificate Requirements

Intended Learning Outcomes

Program Structure

Language Requirements

Course Dates

Course Fee: $1599.00 CAD

Discounted Group Rates

Refund Policies are firm and strictly enforced.

Weekly Dedicated Time is Necessary

Policy on Privacy and Confidentiality

Review of all IPAC Course Information

Master of Public Health IPAC Track

Online Professional Development

Course Leadership

In the News

Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) Accredits Queen's IPAC Professional Development Course for 90 Credits.

Need help registering, or looking for group rates?
Contact Our Support Team: queensic@queensu.ca

Need help registering, or looking for group rates?
Contact Our Support Team: queensic@queensu.ca

Need help registering, or questions about this program?
Contact Julia: queensic@queensu.ca