World Institute Of Pain Foundation, Inc.

What World Institute Of Pain Foundation, Inc. does

The World Institute of Pain Foundation, Inc. (WIP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional organization founded in 1993 and headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (Federal ID 95-4579119). It is the international credentialing body for interventional pain medicine, administering two registered-trademark certifications through its Board of Examination: the Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice (FIPP), in operation since 2001, and the Certified Interventional Pain Sonologist (CIPS) for ultrasound-guided procedures. WIP's core products are its certification examinations, a portfolio of in-person training events including the biennial World Congress (next: Mexico City, September 19-21, 2026), the annual Gabor Racz Advanced Interventional Pain Conference and Workshop in Budapest (29th edition, August 24-27, 2026), and regional symposia in Istanbul, São Paulo, Seoul, and other locations. The organization also publishes Pain Practice, an official peer-reviewed journal, in partnership with Wiley.

WIP operates a global federation of 24+ regional sections spanning Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East, coordinated through a Section Policy Manual and elected section leadership. Its business model is membership-based: annual associate membership priced at $195 in higher-income countries and $100 in lower-middle-income World Bank countries, with tiered FIPP-certified regular membership conferring voting and board eligibility. Revenue is generated from membership dues, conference and workshop registrations, certification exam fees, journal subscriptions (bundled with membership), event sponsorship from medtech and pharma companies (Medtronic, Abbott, GE Healthcare, Fujifilm Sonosite, Saluda Medical, Menarini, Epimed, Regenexx, Elliquence), and endorsed educational events. Members gain access to the Media Library (valued at $800+), the Pain Practice Journal, and discounted registration across the event portfolio. WIP holds no venture backing, has no parent company, and operates as an independent nonprofit under an elected Executive Board led by President Miles R. Day (MD, DABA-PM, DABIPP, FIPP), with directors of Education, Examination, and journal Editorship drawn from Radboudumc Medical Center, Amsterdam UMC, and Harvard Medical School.

The organization's go-to-market relies on content marketing via the WIP Newsmakers blog, organic social (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter/X), email newsletters, and event-driven member engagement. Distribution is direct through the WIP website and through the regional sections network, which coordinates local educational initiatives, elections, and professional networking. WIP's primary customer segment is interventional pain medicine physicians seeking internationally recognized credentials, with secondary segments comprising pain clinic directors seeking EPP Award certification for their facilities and academic medical centers hosting WIP-endorsed preparatory programs. The organization maintains strict endorsement requirements — FIPP/CIPS-certified chairs, more than 50% certified faculty, and more than 75% WIP-member faculty — that reinforce the certification ecosystem's exclusivity.

Name

World Institute Of Pain Foundation, Inc.

Legal name

World Institute of Pain Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://worldinstituteofpain.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

World Institute of Pain is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1993 that administers the FIPP and CIPS certifications — the gold-standard international credentials for interventional pain physicians — across 24+ regional sections worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Professional Certification and Education

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Policy, Data Governance & Cybersecurity Standards Cooperation (BPADANAH)

Keywords

• Pain medicine certification
• Interventional pain practice
• Medical education training
• Professional medical society
• Physician continuing education

Headquarters

HQ city

Winston Salem

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

World Institute of Pain Foundation, Inc. (WIP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional organization that administers internationally recognized certifications (FIPP and CIPS) for pain medicine physicians specializing in interventional pain practice. It delivers educational resources, hands-on cadaver training workshops, biennial World Congresses, and annual conferences, while publishing the peer-reviewed Pain Practice Journal in partnership with Wiley. Members access certification pathways, continuing education, professional networking through 24+ global regional sections, and a digital media library of interventional pain technique videos.

Product overview

The World Institute of Pain is a non-profit professional organization providing education, certification, and networking for pain medicine specialists. Its core offerings include two international certification examinations: FIPP (Fellowship in Interventional Pain Practice) and CIPS (Certified Interventional Pain Sonologist), which serve as gold-standard credentials for interventional pain physicians. The organization supports certification through annual workshops with cadaver training and mock exams, and hosts major conferences including the biennial World Congress and the annual Gabor Racz Advanced Interventional Pain Conference. Members receive access to the Pain Practice Journal (official journal), a digital media library of instructional videos, and discounted registration to all WIP educational events. The portfolio is organized as membership-based access to certification programs and educational resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FIPP Examination (Fellowship in Interventional Pain Practice) International certification credential for pain physicians, assessing competency in interventional pain management techniques. For pain medicine physicians and specialists.
• CIPS Examination (Certified Interventional Pain Sonologist) Certification examination that certifies physicians in ultrasound-guided interventional pain procedures. For pain medicine physicians and specialists.
• WIP World Congress Biennial international congress bringing together physicians and basic science experts in pain medicine for education, networking, and certification opportunities. 13th edition scheduled for Mexico City, September 19-21, 2026.
• Gabor Racz Advanced Interventional Pain Conference and Workshop Annual hands-on training conference and workshop for interventional pain techniques, held in Budapest, Hungary, featuring cadaver workshops and FIPP/CIPS certification exam preparation.
• Pain Practice Journal Official peer-reviewed journal of WIP published by Wiley, providing research and clinical guidance in pain medicine. Digital subscription included with membership.
• WIP Annual Workshop and FIPP/CIPS Exam Annual educational workshop (e.g., São Paulo, Brazil) providing review courses, hands-on cadaver workshops, and mock exams for physicians pursuing FIPP or CIPS certification.
• Media Library Members-only digital library containing web-streamed videos of interventional pain techniques (valued at $800+ for associate members).
• Associate Membership Entry-level annual membership providing access to educational resources, discounted conference registration, digital journal subscription, and discounted DVD purchases.
• Regular FIPP Membership Full membership tier for FIPP-certified physicians, including voting rights, eligibility for board positions, and maximum discount benefits.

Quantifiable outcome

• Since 1995, WIP courses have been the gold standard for promoting safe, high-quality practice in interventional pain management
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• AAPM (American Academy of Pain Medicine)minorOthersListed as a useful link partner organization on WIP website. AAPM is a medical society focused on pain medicine education and research.
• SIS (Spinal Intervention Society)minorOthersListed as a useful link partner organization on WIP website. SIS focuses on spine-related interventional pain procedures.
• ASIPP (American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians)minorOthersListed as a useful link partner organization on WIP website. ASIPP is an organization for interventional pain physicians in the USA.
• GE HealthcareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of WIP Orlando Workshop (April 2022). GE Healthcare provided OEC Elite CFD C-arm equipment demonstration during the event.
• Fujifilm SonositeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of WIP Orlando Workshop (April 2022). Provided ultrasound equipment for CIPS preparatory courses.
• RegenexxminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of WIP Orlando Workshop (April 2022). Regenerative medicine company specializing in orthobiologics.
• EpimedminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of WIP Orlando Workshop (April 2022). Medical equipment supplier for pain management.
• MedtronicminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of WIP 11th World Congress Budapest (2022). Global medical technology company in pain management and neuromodulation.
• ElliquenceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of WIP Orlando Workshop (April 2022). Surgical radiofrequency technology provider.
• Saluda MedicalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of WIP Orlando Workshop (April 2022) and exhibitor at WIP events. Developer of Evoke Spinal Cord Stimulation System with ECAP-controlled closed-loop technology.
• Wiley (Pain Practice Journal)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWIP's official journal partner. Pain Practice is the official peer-reviewed journal of the World Institute of Pain, published by Wiley. Digital subscription included with membership.
• Menarini GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of WIP 11th World Congress Budapest (2022). Global pharmaceutical company.
• AbbottminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of WIP 11th World Congress Budapest (2022). Global medical devices and healthcare company.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP): The leading global professional forum for pain research and practice. Comparable as the largest international pain-focused scientific society, offering congresses, journals (PAIN), and credentials across all pain disciplines rather than just interventional.
• American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP): US organization for interventional pain physicians, offering education, certification, and practice standards. Direct peer — WIP lists ASIPP as a partner organization, and ASIPP serves an overlapping interventional pain medicine constituency.
• American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM): US medical society for pain medicine physicians. Directly comparable as a professional society offering education, certification, and conferences for the same physician audience; WIP already lists AAPM as a partner organization.
• European Pain Federation (EFIC): Multidisciplinary European professional organization in pain medicine. Comparable as a regional pain medicine federation hosting congresses and educational programs; some overlap with WIP's European sections (UK, Iberia, Italy, Benelux, Central & Eastern Europe).
• North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS): US-focused society for neuromodulation, including spinal cord stimulation — a core interventional pain modality. Comparable as a specialty society hosting annual meetings and offering fellowship training in overlapping clinical domains.
• Spinal Intervention Society (SIS): International society focused on spine-related interventional pain procedures. WIP lists SIS as a partner; both organizations credential interventional pain physicians in overlapping procedure categories.

Regional players

• Korean Pain Society (KPS): South Korean national society for pain medicine, jointly hosting WIP Seoul 2027 with WIP. Comparable in mission — pain medicine education, certification pathways, and an annual congress — but focused on the Korean market.
• British Pain Society (BPS): UK multidisciplinary professional society for pain medicine. Comparable as a national pain society hosting annual scientific meetings and providing pain education and standards, overlapping with WIP's UK and Ireland sections.
• Faculty of Pain Medicine (ANZCA): Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists' faculty that trains and credentials pain medicine specialists. Comparable in mission (pain medicine credentialing) but operates under a college model and serves a defined ANZ geography overlapping with WIP's Australia and Indonesia sections.

Broad incumbents

• American Pain Society (APS): Long-standing US interdisciplinary pain science and practice organization. Comparable as a broad-incumbent professional society in pain medicine with overlapping research, education, and advocacy missions, though with a wider scientific rather than purely interventional focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/WorldInstPain
• Facebookfacebook.com/worldinstituteofpain
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/world-institute-of-pain1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about World Institute Of Pain Foundation, Inc.