Frequently Asked Questions
What
is the best credential for me?
What are examples of allied health
degrees?
What should I expect when taking the
examination?
How can
I register for an exam?
What are
workshops?
Am I
required to attend a workshop?
How can I found out where workshops are
located?
Do I have to be CPR certified prior to a
workshop?
What study tools are available for me?
I cannot attend the workshop that I registered for. Can
I reschedule?
Will I be
assessed a fee?
I cannot attend the test that I registerd for. Can I
reschedule?
How can I find a list of testing sites in my
area?
What is the
ACSM ProFinder and what are the benefits?
After I
earn my certification, what are the requirements to maintain
it?
How can I earn continuing education
credits?
After
completing the exam, when will I receive my results?
If I do not
pass the exam, how quickly can I take a re-test?
What is the best
credential for me?
In order to determine the appropriate credentialing
for you, consider the requirements for each level of certification.
Certified Personal TrainerSM
Minimum Requirements
A high school diploma or equivalent, at least 18 years of age, AND
Possess current Adult CPR certification that has a practical skills
examination component (such as the American Heart Association or the
American Red Cross).
Health/Fitness Instructor®
Minimum Requirements
An Associate’s Degree or a Bachelor’s Degree in a
health-related field from a regionally accredited College or University
(one is eligible to sit for the exam if the candidate is in the last
term or semester of their degree program), AND Possess current Adult CPR
certification that has a practical skills examination component (such as
the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross).
Exercise Specialist® Minimum
Requirements
A Bachelor’s Degree in an allied health field* from a regionally
accredited college or university (one is eligible to sit for the exam if
the candidate is in the last term of their degree program ); AND Minimum
of 600 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); AND Current certification in Basic
Life Support (BLS).
Registered Clinical Exercise
Physiologist® Minimum Requirements
Master’s Degree from a college or university in exercise science,
movement science, exercise physiology, or kinesiology.
Current Certification as a Basic Life Support Provider or CPR for the
Professional Rescuer. One of the Following:
ACSM Exercise Specialist® certification (current or expired)
OR
600 hours of clinical experience
Recommendation of hours for clinical experience:
-
Cardiovascular: 200 hours recommended
-
Pulmonary: 100 hours recommended
-
Metabolic: 120 hours recommended
-
Orthopedic/Musculoskeletal: 100 hours
recommended
-
Neuromuscular: 40 hours recommended
-
Immunological/ Hematological: 40 hours
recommended
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What are examples
of allied health degrees?
Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy,
Physician Assistant, Physical Education, Exercise Science, Kinesiology,
Kinesiotherapy, Physiology, Biology, Exercise Physiology, and Human
Performance.
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What should
I expect when taking the examination?
The examination for each level of certification is
composed of multiple choice questions drawn from the KSAs found in the
Seventh Edition of ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and
Prescription. Each level of certification includes "trial" questions
that are being tested for use in future examinations. These trial
questions are randomly distributed throughout the exam and will not be
counted in the final results.
You will not be allowed to bring any materials or
equipment into the examination area. A calculator will be provided
within the exam as it is needed.
"Metabolic Calculations for the ACSM Health/Fitness
Instructor and ACSM Exercise Specialist exams will be provided as they
are listed on page 289 of ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and
Prescription, 7th edition. Candidates should select the Exhibit X key
within the exam to access the calculations. For a better understanding
of the availability of the metabolic calculations, please watch our exam
tutorial at www.acsm.org/certification/ACSMSampleExamTutorial.wmv"
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How can I register for an
exam?
For ACSM Certified Personal TrainerSM,
Health/Fitness Instructor®, or Exercise
Specialist® register:
ACSM Members, please contact the ACSM national office
prior to registering for the exam at 317-637-9200 to receive your
membership discount voucher.
For RCEP exams:
Applications
must be submitted to the ACSM National Center
ACSM National Center,
Certification
Department 6002
Carol Stream, IL
60122-6022
Candidates who have ACSM Exercise
Specialist® include with your application:
-
An official copy of your university transcript
noting the degree completion
-
A summary description of the program study as
written in the university catalog
-
2 photocopies of your application, transcript,
summary description
Candidates who have not completed ACSM Exercise
Specialist® include with your application:
-
An official copy of your university transcript
noting the degree completion
-
A summary description of the program study as
written in the university catalog
-
Completed Clinical Experience Documentation
-
2 photocopies of your application, transcript,
summary description and clinical documentation
If you are approved to take the exam, you will
receive a unique ACSM identification number to register with Pearson VUE
for the exam. Application review takes approximately 3-4 weeks.
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What are workshops?
Workshops are offered for all certifications. ACSM
workshops are designed to develop and enhance the knowledge base and
practical skills of the participants. The curriculum has been developed
so that didactic material and its practical application are scheduled in
concert. In this way, the participant is better able to assimilate
theory and practice.
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Am I required to attend a
workshop?
Workshops are not a prerequisite; however, they
provide a review of the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) and a
forum for the acquisition of new knowledge and skills.
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How can I find
out where workshops are located?
List of workshop dates and locations
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Do I have
to be CPR certified prior to a workshop?
Candidates do not have to have CPR certification to
participate in a workshop. However, candidates must be CPR certified
before taking an exam.
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What study tools are
available for me?
The following core resources are recommended by
the ACSM to aid in the preparation of each exam:
Certified Personal Trainer
ACSM’s Resources for the Personal Trainer, 2nd ed
ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 7ed
ACSM’s Certification Review, 2ed
Health/Fitness Instructor
ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and
Prescription, 7ed
ACSM’s Resource Manual for Guidelines for Exercise Testing and
Prescription, 5ed
ACSM’s Certification Review, 2nd ed
Exercise Specialist
ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription,
7ed
ACSM’s Resource Manual for Guidelines for Exercise Testing and
Prescription, 5ed
ACSM’s Clinical Certification Review, 2nd ed
Registered Clinical Exercise
Physiologist
ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription,
7ed
ACSM’s Resource Manual for Guidelines for Exercise Testing and
Prescription, 5ed
ACSM’s Resources for Clinical Exercise Physiology:
Musculoskeletal, Neuromuscular, Neoplastic, Immunologic, and Hematalogic
Conditions
For a complete listing of recommended and optional
books, and to order books, please call 1-800-486-5643 or visit the www.lww.com.
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I cannot
attend the workshop that I registered for. Can I re-schedule or transfer
to another day?
Yes. Requests for cancellations and transfers must be
submitted to the ACSM National Center via mail, fax, or email. Please
note that transfer requests are contingent upon the enrollment
limitation of the transfer site.
Will I be assessed a fee?
-
A processing fee of $75.00 will be assessed for
applicants requesting to transfer sites or cancellation prior to the
enrollment deadline.
-
A fee of 50% of the original workshop will be
assessed for applicants requesting a transfer or cancellation after the
enrollment deadline, but prior to the workshop.
-
Applicants requesting a transfer or cancellation
after the first day of the workshop with not receive a refund.
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I cannot
attend the test that I registered for. Can I re-schedule?
Requests to cancel or transfer the ACSM Certified
Personal TrainerSM, Health/Fitness
Instructor®, Exercise Specialist® or
Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist® exam must be
made at least one business day in advance of the appointment. If the
candidate does not reschedule or cancel, he/she will be billed for
the exam. All requests must be made either by calling Pearson Vue at
1-888-883-2276 or at www.pearsonvue.com. If the candidate does not
arrive within 15 minutes of the scheduled start time, then the candidate
is considered a no-show and has forfeited the exam, and will be charged
for the exam.
Cancellations for the ACSM Registered Clinical
Exercise Physiologist® application and exam will be
charged a $75.00 processing fee which will be handled through the ACSM
National Office. Requests for cancellation can be emailed to certification@acsm.org.
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How can I
find a list of testing sites in my area?
Contact Pearson VUE at www.pearsonvue.com/acsm or call
(888)-VUE-ACSM or (888) 883-2276.
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How are the exams scored?
The passing score for all ACSM certification exams is
set in advance and applied to all candidates' exam results. Similar to
exam scoring for a wide variety of other high stakes, national
standardized exams (e.g., GRE, SAT, GMAT, etc.), ACSM certification
exams are reported on a 200-800 score scale.
Specifically, all candidates are expected to meet the
passing standard of a scaled score of 550 in order to receive a "Pass"
on any respective ACSM certification exam. This passing standard is
based upon the expectations of the subject matter experts/test
developers across all topics of the competency areas, as related to each
respective credential's examination blueprint. Passing candidates are
expected to answer a sufficient number of test questions correctly that
demonstrates a summative amount of knowledge at a level of at least
minimal competency or the lowest acceptable score to pass the exam.
Finally, each content area is weighted
proportionally, based on the results of a periodic comprehensive job
task analysis/role delineation study. In other words, some content areas
are more important (thus, have more questions) and count more with
respect to the overall score than other content areas. On the score
report, candidates receive their overall score, their pass/fail status,
as well as a breakdown by each specific content area.
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After completing the exam, when
will I receive my results?
You will receive your results immediately upon
completion of the exam.
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If I do not pass the exam, how
quickly can I take a re-test?
Re-test candidates with receive a re-test voucher
number from Pearson VUE. You may retake the exam 15 days following your
initial exam and every 15 days following.
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What is the ACSM ProFinder and
what are its benefits?
ACSM Profinder is a resource which can be used by
ACSM credentialed professionals to post their contact information for
potential employers or professional peers. It can be used as a marketing
tool, allowing prospective clients to located experts who have earned
the “Gold Standard” among credentialing.
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After I earn my certification,
what are the requirements to maintain it?
You have three years to accumulate the required
number of Continuing Education Credits (CECs), Continuing Medical
Education (CMEs), Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and/or the
equivalent based on your certification. In addition, you must pay a
required recertification fee and maintain your CPR certification. See
below for credit and fee requirements.
| Level of
Certification |
Credits |
Fee |
|
ACSM Program DirectorSM
ACSM Health/Fitness
Director®
|
90 credits |
$65 |
|
ACSM Exercise
Specialist®
ACSM Health/Fitness Instructor®
ACSM Registered Clinical Exercise
Physiologist®
|
60
credits |
$45 |
| ACSM Certified Personal
Trainer™ |
45 credits |
$30 |
ACSM Exercise Test
Technologist®
ACSM Group Exercise
Leader®
ACSM Exercise Leader/Army |
30 credits |
$30 |
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How can I earn
continuing education credits?
You can earn CECs through participation in any of the
following activities:
-
ACSM National Meetings
-
ACSM Regional Chapter Meetings
-
ACSM Endorsed Programs
-
ACSM Self-Tests
-
Meetings sponsored by other professional
health/fitness & clinical organizations
-
Clinic/Hospital Grand Rounds
-
University/College Courses (10 CECs per credit
hour, i.e.-a 3 credit hour course is worth 30 CECs. Course must be
health/fitness or clinical related and completed with a grade of "C" or
better.)
-
Publications (10 CECs for publication(s) in
peer-reviewed professional journals, books, or accepted abstracts
authored or co-authored)
-
Academic Teaching/Professional Lecturing (1 CEC per
hour. For repetitive classes, credits only granted once in
recertification time frame.) *Only 30 percent of your total credit hours
can be obtained by these activities.
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