UPDATE (Aug. 26, 2022)-- The policy has been extended until the end of 2022 with revision to full hours at the time of CEP application in 2023.

ACSM’s Committee for Certification and Registry Boards (CCRB) has approved the following new policies: 

• Due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on clinical internships, the CCRB has again extended the amended requirements for taking the ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist® (ACSM-CEP) exam. ACSM-CEP candidates may now sit for the exam if they have at least 50% of their clinical internship hours completed when they apply. Outstanding clinical hours must be submitted within 12 months from the time of passing their exam. This policy will remain in effect until the end of August 2022. 

• ACSM-CEP candidates are required to provide documented clinical experience (master’s prepared, 600 hours; bachelor’s prepared, 1,200 hours). Clinical experiential hours must be gained exclusively from a clinical setting. Additional restrictions and experience requisites are provided in the Candidate Handbook, pages 5-6. Clinical hours may be earned through internships, volunteer hours and/or work experience. Virtual counseling hours are accepted. Virtual counseling hours must document active participation in exercise counseling, prescription and support. Virtual counseling can comprise no more than 50% of required clinical experience hours. As with all clinical experience, observation-only hours are not accepted toward eligibility.