Home CertificationGet Certified Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist

CES Scope of Practice
Minimum Requirements
Become an ACSM Alliance Member

Announcement!
The ACSM Exercise Specialist (ES) will be ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist (CES), learn more by reading the FAQ's!

Become an ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist^®

Are you a clinical professional with a college degree who is interested in pursuing a career helping clients with, or at high risk for, cardiovascular, pulmonary and metabolic diseases?   If so, then the ACSM Exercise Specialist^® Certification is for you.

An ACSM Exercise Specialist^® is a health care professional with a Bachelor’s Degree who typically work in cardiovascular/pulmonary rehabilitation programs, physicians’ offices or medical fitness centers. The ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist^® may also provide exercise-related consulting for research, public health, and other clinical and non-clinical services and programs.

It says you have chosen to become certified by the organization that’s leading the way in health fitness and clinical certifications.

Did you know?

• ACSM was the first to certify health fitness professionals … and to date we have certified over 25,000 health fitness professionals in 44 countries.
  
• ACSM establishes the exercise guidelines that all other certifications use for testing … so you know you will be certified by the organization that is setting the standards in the health fitness industry.
  
• ACSM certifications are NCCA-accredited … assuring you that our certifications meet the highest qualifications.

(back to top)

ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist^® Scope of Practice

The ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist^® is proficient in:

• Working with individuals with controlled cardiovascular pulmonary and/ or metabolic disease
• Performing clinical exercise testing and data interpretation
• Conducting and interpreting ECGs at rest and during exercise 

(back to top)

Minimum Requirements for becoming an ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist^®

To become an ACSM Exercise Specialist^® you must meet all of the following minimum requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in an allied health field* from a regionally accredited college or university (you are eligible to sit for the certification exam if you are in the last term or semester of your degree program)

*Examples: Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant, Physical Education, Exercise Science, Kinesiology, Kinesiotherapy, Physiology, Biology, Exercise Physiology, and Human Performance.

• Minimum of 600 hours of practical experiencein a clinical exercise program (e.g. cardiac/ pulmonary rehabilitation programs, exercise testing, exercise prescription, electrocardiography, patient education and counseling, disease management of cardiac, pulmonary, and metabolic diseases, and emergency management)
  
  
• Current certification as a Basic Life Support Provider or CPR for the Professional Rescuer (available through the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross).

Minimum Requirements as of Jan 1, 2011

• Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology, Exercise Science or other exercise-based degree.*
  
  * Candidate must have course work in anatomy, physiology, and a minimum of 18 credits in exercise science course work including courses in exercise physiology, biomechanics (kinesiology), exercise prescription, and fitness testing.
  

• Practical Experience in a Clinical Exercise Program:
  • Minimum of 400 hours from a COAES Accredited Program*
  • Minimum of 500 hours from a Non-COAES Accredited Program*

* Hours of practical experience in a clinical exercise program (e.g. cardiac/ pulmonary rehabilitation programs, exercise testing, exercise prescription, electrocardiography, patient education and counseling, disease management of cardiac, pulmonary, and metabolic diseases, and emergency management)

• Current certification as a Basic Life Support Provider or CPR for the Professional Rescuer (available through the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross).   

(back to top)

Join ACSM as a Professional Member and Save $60 on ACSM Certification!

When you become a member of ACSM you will save $60 on getting certified and receive many other valuable benefits including:

• Subscription to ACSM’s monthly scientific journal, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise® ($400 value)
• Subscription to ACSM’s quarterly review of current research topics, Exercise and Sport Science Reviews ($125 value)
• Subscription to ACSM’s bimonthly e-newsmagazine Sports Medicine Bulletin ($40 value)
• Access to and inclusion in ACSM’s Online Membership Directory
• Discounts on meetings (e.g. ACSM’s Annual Meeting) and conference registrations ($250 value)
• Discounts on ACSM Certification Exams ($60 value)
• Discounts on ACSM self-test fees ($200 value)
• Discounts on insurance and consumer products
• ACSM Membership I.D. card
• ACSM Member Identity Mark for use on your printed materials or website
• Voting privileges within the College

You can join for as little as $80 right now. Click here to learn more and become an ACSM member today!

Enter your name and e-mail address at the top of the page to learn more about becoming an ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist^®  and receive our free Certification Resource Guide.

(back to top)