• Do you need help motivating your patients to increase their physical activity levels? 
• Are you concerned about your patients, who are either at risk of, or have established chronic disease, beginning a new exercise program? Are you concerned about them exercising independently?
• Do you lack time to identify appropriate physical activity community resources for your patients?

The new Exercise is Medicine Canada (EIMC) Recognition Program helps you identify highly qualified exercise professionals in your community. These professionals are critical allies helping your patients reach their physical activity goals for the prevention and management of chronic disease.

EIMC recognizes exercise professionals at 2 levels:

• EIMC Level 1 professionals have a minimum 2-year college level or university exercise science background
• EIMC Level 2 professionals have an undergraduate or higher-level exercise science degree. 

EIMC Recognized exercise professionals have the knowledge, skills and competencies to motivate and support your patients through the behaviour change process. They can work with healthy inactive patients, as well as work competently with patients at risk of, or with established chronic disease who are medically cleared for independent or supervised exercise prescription.

EIMC Patient Categories:

1. Apparently healthy individuals with no constraints for regular participation in physical activity and exercise;
2. Asymptomatic individuals with a single chronic disease/condition controlled with physician-prescribed therapies; and
3. Patients who have a higher risk than those in categories A and B above including those who have more than one chronic disease or who may require clinical monitoring during exercise.

How do I know which EIMC Professional Level to refer to?  

1. Level 1 EIMC recognized professionals can safely and effectively prescribe physical activity to patients in categories A and B. The benefits of physical activity outweigh any risks.
2. Level 2 EIMC recognized professionals have advanced knowledge and expertise in exercise management for those with chronic disease.  Level 2 EIMC recognized professionals can safely and effectively work with patients in categories A, B and C. 

Which Exercise Professional Certifications and Qualifications do EIMC Recognize?

How will I identify EIMC Recognized Exercise Professionals?

EIMC Recognized Exercise Professionals may:

• Indicate their level following their professional credentials, e.g., Jane Doe, CSEP-CEP, EIMC Level 2
• Use the EIMC Professional Network logo in their professional materials including LinkedIn pages
• Post their EIMC certificate in their work space.
• Add their EIMC level to their organizational online member directory (e.g. CSEP or other)
• Stay tuned to exerciseismedicine.ca – we are developing an online database to help you identify local EIMC recognized exercise professionals ready to serve you and your patients. 

You may also wish to refer your patients to other regulated health professionals such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, sport chiropractors, sport and exercise medicine physicians or Registered Kinesiologists (Ontario).

EIMC provides national leadership promoting physical activity as a chronic disease prevention and management strategy to improve the health of Canadians.

Help us attain our vision that “Physical activity is an integral part of prevention and treatment of chronic disease in the Canadian health care system”