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ACSEP Specialist Training Program

ACSEP SPECIALIST TRAINING PROGRAM

This page contains useful information for prospective Registrars about the ACSEP Specialist Training Program (Training Program).

If you are a Specialist International Medical Graduate (SIMG), visit the SIMG page here.

Key information:

WHAT IS THE TRAINING PROGRAM?

ACSEP is the only organisation in Australasia accredited to provide training in the specialty of Sport and Exercise Medicine in Australasia. ACSEP delivers this training through the Training Program. The Training Program equips Registrars with the knowledge, skills and attributes to become competent Sport and Exercise Physicians.

The Training Program is a competency-based, advanced program where Registrars progress through the Training Program in three stages. The Training Program can completed in a minimum of three years and seven months of full-time training and must be completed in a maximum of ten calendar years.

To find out more about a career as a Sport and Exercise Physician, click here.

For a summary of the Training Program stages and requirements per stage, click here.

AM I ELIGIBLE TO JOIN THE TRAINING PROGRAM?

Applicants for the Training Program must complete a selection process to join the Training Program. Selection is conducted once per year from approximately July to October and the Training Program commences on 1 February each year. To be eligible to apply, applicants must meet the eligibility criteria outlined in P013 - Training Program Selection and Deferral Policy available on the policies page here.

For more information on selection, visit the Admission to the Training Program page here.

what will i learn on the training program?

The Training Program is guided by the ACSEP Curriculum, which was updated to reflect best practice in 2024. By the end of the Training Program, Registrars will be able to:

  • Develop and maintain clinical knowledge relevant to the practice of sport and exercise medicine.
  • Apply knowledge when consulting with individual patients, sporting groups or teams, taking into consideration the specific needs of particular populations such as female athletes, children, older people, para-athletes and those from a culturally diverse background in a variety of environments.
  • Assess and manage acute, chronic or traumatic injuries, and medical problems arising from, or affecting physical activity, in a broad range of patients from the recreational exerciser to the elite athlete.
  • Prescribe exercise programs for patients to:
    • Minimise injury and illness
    • Reduce risk factors of chronic disease, and
    • Support the management of medical and mental health problems, including chronic disease.
  • Provide patient-centred care, demonstrating effective communication skills and professionalism.
  • Develop the skills of self-awareness and reflection to reduce the effect of bias on clinical practice.
  • Take a leadership role in the education of patients, the public, sporting groups and teams, on the benefits of sport and exercise and other sport and exercise related issues.
  • Contribute to committees and organisations to facilitate change to enhance healthcare services and outcomes in sport and exercise medicine and the wider community.
  • Manage the care of sporting groups and teams at all levels from community through to elite and professional.
  • Manage issues relevant to sport and exercise medicine for professional sporting clubs, national sporting organisations and events.
  • Provide advice and representation to all relevant stakeholders on all issues regarding doping in sport.
  • Support travelling athletes and teams prior to departure and while interstate or overseas and provide follow up care after arriving home.
  • Participate in professional development activities and contribute to the expanding body of sport and exercise medicine knowledge by participating in research projects relevant to the specialty.

WHERE WILL I TRAIN?

Registrars spend most of their time training in ACSEP Accredited Training Practices (AATPs). AATPs are located throughout Australia and New Zealand. Unlike many other specialties where most training is conducted within a hospital setting, most ACSEP training is undertaken in private, community-based practices run by ACSEP Fellows. For a practice to be seemed as a suitable and recognised training practice for ACSEP Registrars, the practice must undergo an accreditation process. Registrars may also spend some time in sport and exercise medicine-focused, non-AATP settings such as emergency medicine clinics, hospital surgeries or sporting clubs.

Registrars must move AATPs during training at least once to gain exposure to a breadth of supervision, patient mix and training environments. Prospective Registrars must be aware of this requirement ahead of applying for the Training Program.

Upon entry to the Training Program, the College place Registrars at an AATP based on a preference matching process. After entry, Registrars can move to an AATP of their choice when they are required to move AATPs, dependent on factors such as supervision capacity at that AATP.

To find out more about AATPs, visit the Accredited Practices page here.

what will i do on the training program?

A Registrar's primary education during the Training Program is via patient consultation in a clinical practice setting. This can occur in an AATP or non-AATP setting with a sport and exercise medicine focus. Registrars must meet requirements in a range of areas including:

  • Completing a minimum amount of Training Time
  • Working in Clinical Practice seeing patients
  • Demonstrating competency through completing Entrustable Professional Activities (competencies that must be demonstrated in the Training Program)
  • Completing Workplace Based Assessments
  • Providing Event and Team Coverage to sporting teams and events
  • Attending weekly tutorials (both online and in-person)
  • Completing e-learning modules in sport and exercise medicine-related topics such as biomechanics, nutrition, psychology and pharmacology
  • Attending conferences
  • Completing a research-based activity portfolio
  • Completing regular Progress Reviews with people involved in your training such as Clinical Training Supervisors
  • Passing Fellowship Examinations

The Training Program is a competency-based, advanced program where Registrars progress through the program in three stages. Each stage has a minimum and maximum amount of time that can be spent in that stage with certain requirements that must be completed before progressing to the next stage. Competency is demonstrated through completion of 11 Entrustable Professional Activities, which are assessed through completing Workplace Based Assessments and Event and Team Coverage.

Registrars can also optionally gain experience in governance via the Registrar Representative Group. Registrar Representatives sit on College committees and one Registrar Representative sits on the ACSEP Board of Directors where you can learn about how governance works, and advocate during decision-making in the Training Program and at the College more broadly.

HOW CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT SPORT AND EXERCISE MEDICINE?

If you are interested in a career in sport and exercise medicine, you could start to learn more through:

  • Membership with ACSEP as a Student, Associate or CPD Homes Member to gain access to sport and exercise medicine education through SEM Academy, courses, conferences and more. For more information, visit the membership page here.
  • Engaging with ACSEP Fellows to understand their careers as Sport and Exercise Physicians.
  • Engaging with ACSEP Registrars to understand their experience on the Training Program.

CONTACT

Please contact registrars@acsep.org.au if you have queries.

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What would my future in Sport and Exercise Medicine look like?

You can visit the A Career in SEM page on the website to read about career prospects for a Sport and Exercise Physician. Engaging with ACSEP Fellows to understand their careers may also be helpful.

How competitive is the selection process?

Selection process competitiveness depends on several factors including number of applicants and number of placements available in a given year. Selection process success was 43% and 57% in 2024 and 2023, respectively.

How can I be competitive in the selection process?

All information on selection can be found on the Admission To The Training Program page on the website.

Can I train part-time?

Yes, you can train part-time for periods of time on the Training Program. Prospective Registrars should consult P020 - Flexible Training, Withdrawal and Termination Policy for more information.

Is recognition of prior learning available?

Yes, recognition of prior learning is available for some Training Program requirements. Prospective Registrars should consult P021 - Recognition of Prior Learning Policy for more information.

What fees do I need to pay in the Training Program?

A comprehensive list of all fees for ACSEP members can be found in the ACSEP Fee Schedule. The cost to complete the ACSEP Training Program is less than training programs in many other specialties. Fees that must be paid before or during the Training Program include:

  • A fee to sit the ACSEP Entrance Examination
  • A fee to apply for the Training Program
  • A one-off Student Amenities Fee paid upon acceptance to the Training Program
  • An annual ACSEP Registrar Member fee commencing on 1 February in the first year of training and payable at the start of each financial year
  • A research-based activity fee
  • Purchase of five Academic Modules
  • Registration fee for the Management of Sports Trauma (MOST) Course
  • Registration fee for the MSK Ultrasound Course
  • Registration fee for the Registrar Conference and ACSEP Annual Scientific Conference at the required frequency for a given Stage of Training
  • A fee to sit the Written Fellowship Examination and Clinical Fellowship Examination

Other fees may exist in unique circumstances such as recognition of prior learning applications, appeals and examination withdrawals.

Prospective Registrars should be familiar with the fee schedule ahead of application and commencement on the Training Program.

Registrars may incur other costs while on the Training Program external from ACSEP such as journal publication fees, insurance costs, medical registration costs and travel costs, which are the responsibility of the Registrar.

How do I earn income while on the Training Program?

Registrars may earn income through a range of options while on the Training Program. As training occurs largely in private practice, arrangements between practices and Registrars can vary from practice to practice. Options for earning income may include:

  • Consultancy fees when seeing patients
  • A salary if the Registrar is employed at their practice
  • Through STP funding if the position is STP-funded
  • Working with sporting clubs and teams
  • Working in other settings (e.g., hospitals)