If you need help studying for the ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist (CEP) exam or just want some more information about what the test is like, you’ve come to the right place!
Exam Eligibility
Before you can register to take the ACSM-CEP exam, you’ll need to obtain a BLSP or CPR certification. You’ll also need to meet ONE of the following education/experience requirements:
- You need a master’s degree in clinical exercise physiology and at least 600 hours of hands-on clinical experience
- You need a bachelor’s degree in exercise science or exercise physiology and at least 1,200 hours of hands-on clinical experience
If you meet the requirements, you’re set to begin the registration process!
What’s on the Exam?
First, let’s talk about the questions on the exam. There are 115 multiple-choice questions total, but only 100 of the questions will count toward your score. Why is that?
The 15 unscored questions on the exam are called “pretest” questions. These are added to the exam to determine if they’re good enough questions to add to future versions of the test.
The trick is that you won’t have any way of knowing which questions are scored and which ones are pretest. They will appear just like the scored questions throughout the test.
Each question falls under one of the following three cognitive levels:
- 🧠 Recall: The recall questions test your ability to recall/recognize information.
- 🛠️ Application: The application questions test your ability to apply knowledge to given situations.
- 🔍 Analysis: The analysis questions test your ability to analyze and evaluate solutions.
Let’s take a closer look at the different sections of the exam.
1. Patient Assessment
0% of the exam
- Assessing a patient’s medical record for information related to their visit
- Interviewing patient regarding medical history for their visit and reconcile medications
- Obtaining and assessing resting biometric data
- Determining a sufficient level of monitoring/supervision based on a preparticipation health screening
- Assessing patient goals, needs, and objectives
2. Exercise Testing
45% of the exam
- Selecting, administering, and interpreting submaximal aerobic exercise tests
- Selecting, administering, and interpreting tests to assess musculoskeletal fitness, mobility and balance
- Selecting, preparing, and administering maximal, symptom-limited exercise tests
- Evaluating and reporting results from a symptom-limited maximal exercise test to medical providers
- Identifying relative and absolute contraindications for test termination
3. Exercise Prescription
23% of the exam
- Developing individualized exercise prescription to support patient needs and goals for various exercise environments
- Communicating the exercise prescription, the proper use of exercise equipment, and the importance of promptly reporting any adverse reactions or symptoms
- Explaining and confirming patient understanding of exercise intensity and measures to assess exercise intensity
- Evaluating and modifying the exercise prescription based on the patient’s compliance, signs/symptoms and physiologic response to the exercise program
4. Exercise Training and Leadership
23% of the exam
- Discussing and explaining exercise training plan, patient, and clinician expectations and goals
- Identifying, adapting, and instructing in cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, coordination, and agility exercise modes
- Providing patient monitoring and supervision during exercise
- Evaluating the patient’s contraindications to exercise training and associated risk/benefit and modifying the exercise/activity recommendations accordingly
- Evaluating, documenting, and reporting patient’s clinical status and response to exercise training in the medical records
- Discussing clinical status and response to exercise training with patients and adapting and/or modifying the exercise program
- Promptly reporting new or worsening symptoms and adverse events in the patient’s medical record and consulting with the responsible healthcare provider
5. Education and Behavior Changep
10% of the exam
- Continually evaluating patients using observation, interaction, and industry-accepted tools
- Assessing patient’s understanding of their disease and/or disability and conducting education to teach the role of lifestyle in the prevention, management and treatment of the disease
- Applying health behavior change techniques based upon assessment of readiness to change
- Promoting adherence to healthy behaviors through a patient-centered approach
6. Legal and Professional Responsibilities
5% of the exam
- Evaluating the exercise environment and performing regular inspections of any emergency equipment and practice emergency procedures
- Following industry-accepted scopes of practice, ethical, legal, and business standards
How to Register
Once you’ve ensured that you meet all of the eligibility requirements, you can register for the exam.
To get started, you’ll need to submit an application on ACSM’s website. The application will ask you for your contact information and any documentation to prove your eligibility (among other things).
When you submit the application, you’ll also need to submit the testing fee, which is $410. If you’re an ACSM member, you will only have to pay $310.
ACSM Study Guide and Flashcards
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Exam Scores
The test is scored using a scaled scoring method. Here’s how it works:
For every question you answer correctly, you get one point added to your raw score. At the end of the test, your final raw score will be converted to a scaled score. This scaled score will range somewhere between 200 and 800.
The reason your raw score is converted to a scaled score is because everyone who takes the test is given a slightly different set of questions. Since everyone has a different arrangement of questions, and because some questions are harder than others, converting your raw score to a scaled score ensures a more even playing field.
Retaking the Exam
If you didn’t get a passing score on your first try, that’s okay! You can retake the test after a 15-day waiting period.
Keep in mind that you will have to pay $205 re-testing fee every time you retake the test.
FAQs
How many questions are on the ACSM-CEP exam?
The exam contains 115 questions.
What is the time limit for the ACSM-CEP exam?
The exam is timed at 3.5 hours.
What is the passing score for the ACSM-CEP exam?
You’ll need to get a final scaled score of at least 550 to pass.
How much does the ACSM-CEP exam cost?
The testing fee is $410 ($310 for ACSM members).