The ACSM Committee on Certification and Registry Boards (CCRB) is committed to keeping its certification programs aligned with the latest professional standards and industry best practices. To achieve this, the CCRB conducts regular Job Task Analyses (JTAs) every five to seven years and continually updates exam policies, procedures and continuing competence requirements. The last major revisions to the ACSM JTAs occurred between 2017 (ACSM-CPT and ACSM-EP) and 2018 (ACSM-GEI and ACSM-CEP). 

Key Updates to ACSM Certification Exams 

Updates to ACSM exams described below will take effect July 1, 2025. The 2024 ACSM certification JTAs reflect greater clarity in professional competencies. The updates place a stronger emphasis on effective communication with clients and interdisciplinary care teams. 

Certification-Specific Changes 

• ACSM Certified Personal Trainer^® (ACSM-CPT): Most of the 2024 ACSM-CPT JTA changes are text revisions that improve clarity and remove redundancies in competency statements. There are expanded competencies in client communication, consultation and education. View 2022-2024 ACSM-CPT JTA Crosswalk

• ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist^® (ACSM-EP): The majority of the 2024 ACSM-EP JTA changes are also text revisions to improve clarity. There is a modest increase in competency statements related to client communication and education. View 2022-2024 ACSM-EP JTA Crosswalk

• ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist^® (ACSM-CEP): The majority of the 2024 ACSM-CEP JTA revisions are likewise text revisions to improve clarity. The ACSM-CEP program broadens competencies for working with clinical populations, emphasizing clinical exercise testing, risk management and collaboration with multidisciplinary health care providers. This reflects the increasingly specialized role of the ACSM-CEP in managing exercise prescriptions for patients with complex health needs. View 2022-2024 ACSM-CEP JTA Crosswalk

Preparing for the Updated Certification Exams 

Starting in 2025, ACSM will provide a list of commonly used equations in the ACSM Candidate Handbooks. ACSM recommends that faculty and candidates familiarize themselves with these equations and ensure they are well-versed in the professional standards and guidelines as outlined in the current ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription. 

ACSM’s commitment to regularly updated JTAs ensures that its certifications remain the gold standard in the health and fitness industry. 

Francis Neric, M.S., MBA, currently serves as the associate vice president of certification and credentialing at the American College of Sports Medicine® (ACSM). With professional credentialing experience spanning 16 years, Francis has been instrumental in leading strategic initiatives to enhance the certification, advanced certificate and exam preparation programs to meet the needs of the domestic and international stakeholders of ACSM. Francis holds an MBA in business management from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs; an M.S. in clinical exercise physiology from California State University, Fullerton; and a B.S. in exercise science from California State University, Long Beach. Francis combines academic and industry knowledge to drive innovation and excellence in the health fitness industry. Francis is a passionate advocate for raising the bar for professionalism in the health fitness industry and expanding opportunities for exercise professionals in health care.