EIM Credential Eligibility

The Exercise is Medicine^® Credential contains three (3) levels, designed to serve clients and patients depending upon their health status.The eligibility requirements for the three credential levels vary, based on the following:

• Your current fitness professional certification must be an NCCA or ANSI/ISO 17024-accredited certification. See a list of NCCA-accredited organizations here, and the list of ANSI/ISO 17024-accredited organizations here.

• The level of your current NCCA or ANSI/ISO-accredited certification, and your education level, determines the EIM credential level you can obtain. Those with bachelor's or master's degrees in Exercise Science qualify for higher level credentials.

Level 1

• Patient Population: Individuals at low or moderate risk who have been cleared for independent exercise.

• Credential Requirements:

  • NCCA or ANSI/ISO-accredited fitness professional certification

  • Successful completion of the EIM credential training course and EIM credential examination

  • EIM course and examination exempt for NCCA or ANSI/ISO-accredited fitness certification and approved BS/BA in Exercise Science/Exercise Physiology/Kinesiology

Credential Exemptions:

To be exempt at Level 1, you must answer YES to both of the following:

• I have a bachelor's degree or higher in Exercise Science, Exercise Physiology, or Kinesiology.

• I have a current NCCA or ANSI/ISO-accredited fitness certification.

Level 2

• Patient Population: Individuals at low, moderate, or high risk who have been cleared for independent exercise.

• Credential Requirements:

  • Approved BS/BA in Exercise Science/Exercise Physiology/Kinesiology

  • NCCA or ANSI/ISO-accredited fitness professional certification

  • Successful completion of the EIM credential training course and EIM credential examination

  • EIM course and examination exempt for certifications with an emphasis on special populations (ACSM EP-C, ACSM-CEP, ACSM-RCEP, ACE Medical Exercise Specialist).

Credential Exemptions:

To be exempt at Level 2, you must answer YES to both of the following:

• I have a bachelor's degree or higher in Exercise Science, Exercise Physiology, or Kinesiology.

• I have a current NCCA or ANSI/ISO-accredited certification with an emphasis on special populations (ACSM EP-C, ACSM CEP, ACSM RCEP, ACE Medical Exercise Specialist).

Level 3

• Patient Population: Individuals at low, moderate, or high risk including those requiring clinical monitoring

• Credential Requirements:

  • Approved MS/MA Exercise Science/Exercise Physiology/Kinesiology OR approved BS/BA in Exercise Science/Exercise Physiology/Kinesiology plus 4,000 hours of experience in a clinical exercise setting.

  • NCCA or ANSI/ISO-accredited clinical exercise certification

  • EIM credential course and EIM credential examination exempt for those with ACSM CEP or ACSM RCEP.

Credential Exemptions:

To be exempt at Level 3, you must answer YES to both of the following:

• I have a master's degree in Exercise Science OR I have a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science with 4,000 hours of experience in a clinical exercise setting.

• I have a current ACSM CEP or ACSM RCEP certification.

Regardless of the patient level that the exercise professional is working with, each credential level requires exercise professionals to be certified by a National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) or American National Standards Institute/International Organization for Standardization (ANSI/ISO) accrediting organization. A formal education (B.S. or M.S. degree in exercise science) provides the exercise professional additional opportunities to work with patients who are at higher risk.

Claiming Your EIM Exemption

Those who are exempt from the EIM course and exam must complete this application and submit with payment. Be sure to include your degree name and college or university attended. You may be required to submit transcripts and certificates from other certification organizations to ensure all exemption requirements are met.