The ACSM CES is an assessment.

Candidates can choose to have formal assistance with their preparation by purchasing a guided learning programme comprising of phone tutorials.

The guided learning programme consists of a home study guide and the opportunity to arrange individual tutorials to assist your preparation for the certification exam.

The purpose of the CES guided learning programme to present specific information that will help prepare professionals to assist in the preparation for the national certification examination for Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist ^® as presented by the ACSM by presenting and discussing many of the appropriate Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) as outlined in the 8^th edition of the ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (GETP8) and the 6^th edition of the ACSM’s Resource Manual for Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (RM6).

CES guided learning(or the workshop) is not a prerequisite to ACSM CES Certification. Accordingly, this guided learning or the workshops are not intended to provide the participant with the full set of knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for ACSM certification. However, the guided learning and/or the workshop should assist the participant in preparing for the certification exam.  Every attempt will be made by staff to discuss consideration of taking the CES examination with anyone, especially if they appear to have an inadequate knowledge base.  These individuals can be counseled regarding further preparation for the examination.

This guided learning programme format includes study guides and tailored tutorial support sessions. Each tutorial will have a specific topic (see topic area choices) or there a one-off general introductory tutorial option

PLEASE ENQUIRE DIRECTLY TO HFI for guided learning as packages are tailored. 

Tutorial topics are available:

HFI Course Category / Level

Post-graduate level

Clinical Exercise

Qualification Introductory Information

An ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist is a healthcare professional certified by the ACSM to deliver a variety of exercise assessment, training, rehabilitation, risk factor identification and lifestyle management services to individuals with or at risk of cardiovascular, pulmonary, and metabolic disease(s). These services are typically delivered in cardiovascular/pulmonary rehabilitation programmes, physicians' offices or medical fitness centres. The ACSM Clinical Exercise Specialist is also competent in providing exercise-related consultations for research, public health, and other clinical and non-clinical services and programmes.

The ACSM CES workshop is a 3-day intensive workshop covering practical and theory ACSM CES. The workshop focuses on preparation for the ACSM CES certification exam. So as to maximise the learning opportunities, there is a period of guided learning prior to the workshop.

Who is this qualification/course suitable for?

The workshop is available to any graduate participant but there are clinical work experience pre-requisites for the assessment. We tend to see more progressive, hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation nurses and physiotherapists taking this qualification. However more and more we see clinical exercise specialists enrolling who have not come through the nursing or physiotherapy degree route.

The fact that there are no workshop pre-requisites allows non-nursing/physiotherapy graduates to attend the workshop as a starting point into clinical exercise as a career. Some very experienced personal trainers attend the workshop as a CPD opportunity and as a way gain the extra clinical knowledge they want to feel more confident when working with their controlled-disease populations.

Prerequisite Information for ACSM CES Exam Candidates

A Degree in an allied health field** from a regionally accredited college or university

And

500* minimum hours clinical work experience in a **clinical exercise programme for the ACSM Clinical Exercise Specialist Certification

Practical Experience in a Clinical Exercise Program:

• Minimum of 400 hours from a COAES Accredited University Curriculum Program * OR

• Minimum of 500 hours from a Non-COAES Accredited University Curriculum Program* (this option will apply to UK universities)

•  

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

*It is permissible to take the workshop without the pre-requisites in place but these must be met prior to the taking the exam (certification). The workshop can be a route to good quality CPD for this fascinating and rewarding career path. Previous candidates have secured clinical work placements alongside this qualification with very favourable clinical exercise career outcomes.

AND

Current certification in Basic Life Support (BLS)

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

Where Next?

ACSM RCEP

Course Format Options

The ACSM CES workshop is a 3-day attendance workshop.

The ACSM CES certification exam is an assessment. Candidates can attend the ACSM CES 3-day workshop to assist their preparation for this HFS certification exam of they can use it as an excellent CPD opportunity and at the same time get a taster of phase I/II clinical exercise.

ACSM CES study guides can be purchased from HFI

Recommended Competencies

Demonstrable competence in the KSAs required of the ACSM Clinical Exercise Specialist, Health/Fitness Instructor as listed in the 8th edition of the ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription.

What Does This Mean in Practice?

In the UK a first degree in Sport/Exercise science, Nursing or an appropriate Allied Health Profession OR a Diploma in Nursing or appropriate Allied Health Profession would be required. If in doubt, please email alison@hfigroup.com

At the time of the assessment (not necessarily the workshop), you need to have worked in a Cardiac Rehabilitation, Pulmonary Rehabilitation or Clinical Exercise Testing environment (e.g. a cardiorespiratory laboratory or sports medicine testing facility) for at least 600 hours. This can include supervised training and work experience. Some MSc programmes (eg Cardiac Rehabilitation) may qualify as hours or practical/work experience.

It is essential that you have experience of conducting Graded Exercise Tests in a clinical setting including the acquisition and interpretation of 12 lead ECG. Working solely within a Phase 4 exercise programme or Exercise on Prescription environment is unlikely to have provided the appropriate knowledge and experience to obtain ACSM Exercise Specialist Certification.

ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist Certification can be achieved by appropriately experienced and knowledgeable practitioners who have prepared thoroughly using the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) listed in the Appendices of ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 8th edition, 2009, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.

Certification (Examination)

The examination is 3.5 hours in length and consists of approximately 135 multiple-choice questions. The KSAs tested are those stated for the ACSM Certified Personal Trainer, the ACSM Certified Health Fitness Specialist and the ACSM Certified Exercise Specialist®. The written examination will include questions from the areas listed below. Across from each topic is the approximate number of questions from that specific area that will be included on the examination:

Anatomy and biomechanics 5

Exercise Physiology 18

Human development and aging 1

Pathophysiology and risk factors 13

Human behaviour and psychology 4

Health appraisal and fitness testing 23

Safety & injury prevention 7

Exercise programming 11

Program Administration and Management 1

Electrocardiography 17

To read more about the full syllabus please look at the ACSM CES KSA

Assessment

ACSM CES is a 3.5 hour computer-based assessment.

ACSM assessments can be taken on demand, any day, in most UK cities through HFI.

Awarding body and recognition

ACSM

UK and Internationally recognised

CPD

20 CPD

Enquire about this qualification for your graduate clinical exercise specialists