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Earn certification as a lifestyle medicine professional

“Becoming lifestyle medicine certified demonstrates your knowledge, skills, and active engagement in providing evidence-based care that supports whole person health and empowers patients to take intentional action toward health restoration.”

Jessica Matthews, DBH, NBC-HWC, DipABLM, FACLM

Join thousands of health professionals worldwide who are leading the way to a healthier future 

Demonstrate specialized expertise in chronic disease care

Becoming board-certified in lifestyle medicine demonstrates your leadership and mastery in the science of treating, reversing, and preventing chronic disease with official acknowledgement from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

Get unique career advantages

Lifestyle medicine is (and will continue to be) a highly sought after specialty. With your DipACLM designation, you will gain recognition as a subject matter expert in one of the fastest-growing fields of medicine, gaining a competitive advantage in team-based settings.

Rediscover purpose-driven care

By addressing the root causes of disease and putting the patient at the center of their own care, lifestyle medicine reconnects you with healing and fosters deeper relationships with your patients, their networks, and the community at large.  

The pathway to certification for health professionals

The American College of Lifestyle Medicine offers certification to healthcare professionals. To become certified as a Lifestyle Medicine Professional, you must hold a Masters or Doctorate in a health or allied health discipline. U.S. based and international candidates may apply. The American Board of Lifestyle Medicine administers the lifestyle medicine certification exam on behalf of ACLM.

Learn

Professional candidates must complete 30 hours of online CE from an approved course. Most professionals fulfill this requirement with the Foundations of Lifestyle Medicine Board Review course. A complete list of approved courses can be found at ablm.org.

Attend

Professional candidates must complete 20 hours of CE from an approved event or a combination of approved events. Most professionals meet this requirement by attending ACLM’s annual conference, which is available both in person and online. A complete list of approved events can be found at ablm.org.

Register

Register for the exam at ablm.org by paying the certification fee and your non-refundable registration fee. The deadline to register is September 30 at 6:00 p.m. PT.

Shortly after registration closes, you’ll receive an invitation from Prometric to reserve a seat at a testing center of your choice.

Submit

Submit your prerequisite documentation to the ABLM at least 30 days before the exam date using the instructions provided to you via email.

Test

Finally, take and pass your 4-hour exam, which consists of 120 multiple choice questions written to NBME standards.

Practice

Congratulations! You’re now a Diplomate of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (DipACLM). Put your credential into practice and maintain your certification by enrolling in the Lifestyle Medicine Maintenance of Certification (LMMOC) pathway. You’ll receive an invitation within the first three months of the year following your certification. If already enrolled, be sure to submit your annual payment by March 31 and meet all program requirements to stay current. 

Examples of eligible  health disciplines

To be eligible for LM Professional certification, a Master’s degree (or higher) in a health-related field is typically required. However, some professions are grandfathered in due to previous educational standards that allowed for practice with a Bachelor’s degree. These include Physical Therapists (PTs), Occupational Therapists (OTs), Registered Dietitians (RDs), Nurse Practitioners (NPs), Physician Assistants (PAs), and Pharmacists.

Not sure if your degree qualifies?

We’re happy to help! Reach out to Rebecca Deutsch, Certification Manager, at rebecca.deutsch@ablm.org with any questions about eligibility.

*This is not an exhaustive list and your profession may not be listed – please contact us if you have questions.

  • Clinical Psychology
  • Counseling Psychology
  • Marriage and Family Therapy
  • Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  • Social Work (Clinical)
  • Physical Therapy
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Speech-Language Pathology
  • Audiology
  • Orthotics & Prosthetics
  • Rehabilitation Counselor
  • Neuropsychologist
  • Physician Assistant (PA)
  • Advanced Practice Nursing
  • Dentists
  • Pharmacists
  • Registered Dietitians
  • Exercise Physiologists
  • Epidemiology
  • Biostatistics
  • Health Informatics
  • Public Health

Certification timeline and major dates

Consider becoming an ACLM member to access discounts on CE, MOC, and exam fees—plus up to 6-8 hours of complimentary MOC credits annually. Membership also connects you with a supportive professional network.

A flexible process that meets your busy schedule

While many health professionals complete the certification process within one year, we understand that schedules vary. CE components may be completed up to 36 months before taking the exam, allowing candidates to complete the prerequisites and sit for the exam as part of a multi-year plan.

Schedule

September 30, 2025

Exam registration closes at 6pm PST

October 1, 2025

Prometric sends seat reservation invites

October 22, 2025

Prerequisites due (30 days before exam window begins*)

November 22, 2025

Exam weeks begins

December 7, 2025

Exam weeks end

December 22, 2025

Exam results released

January 1, 2026

LM Maintenance of Certification intake opens

March 31, 2026

LMMOC intake closes

*Important Note: LM2025 (scheduled for Nov. 16-19, 2025) may be used to fulfill the event CE prerequisite for this year’s exam, even though it takes place after the prerequisite submission deadline. Attendees should submit their LM2025 CE certificates as soon as possible after the conference.

Financial investment

ACLM Membership

$149

Foundations of LM Course

Members: $675

Non-members: $899

Annual Conference (in-person or online)

Members: $449-$1,049

Non-members: $749-$1,349

Exam Registration

Members: $1,369

Non-members: $1,498

Total

Members: ~$2,600

Non-members: ~$3,100

Prepare for your exam

Complete your online ce

The Foundations of Lifestyle Medicine Board Review Course builds your foundation, fulfills the 30-hour CE requirement, and gets you exam-ready.

Learn More

Attend an approved event

ACLM’s annual conference is the premier option to earn event CE, bringing together thousand of professional for the latest research and practical tools.

Learn More

Gain Confidence

ACLM has compiled 200 practice questions designed to help you prepare for the exam, complete with explanations and supporting references for each question.

Learn More

ACLM scholarships

We are committed to expanding access to lifestyle medicine. Through our scholarship opportunities, we support physicians and other healthcare professionals to pursue certification and advance their lifestyle medicine careers.

Learn more

Maintaining your lifestyle medicine certification

Staying certified through the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) is simple and affordable—especially if you enroll in the ABLM-administered Lifestyle Medicine Maintenance of Certification (LMMOC) pathway.

Learn More

Enroll in the LMMOC program by March 31 after your initial certification.

Submit your annual LMMOC payment by March 31. 

Read three expert-selected articles and pass associated quizzes (80% passing score; unlimited attempts) by December 31.

Maintain your ACLM membership to receive discounts on ABLM MOC credits, including 6-8 free credit hours provided annually.

Complete 30 hours of Lifestyle Medicine-specific CE during your 5-year cycle. 

Submit CE documentation by December 31 of your 5th year.

Staying on the LMMOC pathway eliminates the need for a 10-year recertification exam and costs roughly half as much.

If you choose not to participate in the LMMOC pathway, you must recertify every 10 years by:

  • Completing 30 hours of online CME/CE
  • Completing 20 hours of event CME/CE
  • Retaking the certification exam

Important: If you enroll in the LMMOC pathway but fail to meet requirements (including payments), you’ll be removed from the program and cannot rejoin. You’ll automatically return to the 10-year recertification track.

We use a three-tier pricing system to adjust for global differences in purchasing power. Rates vary by location.

Your guide to lifestyle
medicine certification

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to certification today.

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