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Excerpt
Well, if it's true, then a bright future awaits the various certifications offered through ACSM. Specifically, over these past 18 months, there has been much change in the services and products provided by the ACSM Certification Department-and more is planned for 2006.
From my perspective as an individual intricately involved with the ACSM Committee on Certification and Registry Boards (CCRB), all of these changes have been for the better.
Before sharing some of the major initiatives accomplished to date and providing a brief glimpse of what lies ahead, let me take a moment and describe three of the important forces currently influencing or shaping the certification industry. These forces have stimulated ACSM to respond with a broad and sweeping agenda aimed at both continuing its role as an industry leader and expanding the products we offer to best serve professionals in both the public health and clinical arenas.
The forces I'm referring to come from within ACSM (internal) or are market/industry driven (external). The primary internal force finds its roots in the strategic priorities recently established by ACSM leadership for the College. Specifically, one of ACSM's strategic priorities is to advance the fitness and exercise profession. The message conveyed here is clear-ACSM takes serious its role to advocate on behalf of and to prepare and support exercise and fitness professionals. This priority involves all levels of delivery including health care, fitness centers, worksites, and public programs.
As mentioned above, there are external forces at work as well. Two important ones are (a) a market-driven need for increased numbers of certified general fitness and clinical exercise professionals and (b) industry and client demand for professionals that are competent and qualified. Neither of these forces is surprising and both are highly consistent with what ACSM has been offering in the way of its certification products for more than 30 years. Specifically, ACSM strives to prepare the highest quality health/fitness professional and does so using a rigorous evidence-based approach.
With that information as a background, it's now easier to summarize many of the important changes that have taken place within ACSM certification programs these past 18 months. Doing so should help you better appreciate and understand the steps being put into place by ACSM to better serve you in the future.
These changes are just a few of the many that took place in 2005, and I'm happy to report that exciting plans and projects await us in 2006. Of special interest is the important initiative that both the ACSM Exercise Specialist® and ACSM Health/Fitness Instructor® certifications will be offered using computer-based testing, starting January 2006. Just like our ACSM Personal TrainerTM and ACSM Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist® exams, these two exams will become highly accessible to our candidates and provide instant results. Overall costs for travel, time off from work, and the exam itself will be lower for candidates.
One other change I should probably mention is that as of July 1, 2005, I formally stepped down as Chair of CCRB to assume other responsibilities in the College. I truly enjoyed my tenure with the CCRB and remain forever grateful to both past and current ACSM staff and professional volunteers who work so hard to advance all of the certifications we offer. I'm happy to report that future committee leadership could not be in better hands, with Mr. Dino Costanzo stepping into the chair's position. Mr.
