What did it take to get board certified in Lifestyle Medicine?
First off, if you are thinking of getting board certified in Lifestyle Medicine-way to go!
It is amazing to see how many healthcare providers are interested in offering tips, advice, and expertise on how to prevent and treat chronic health conditions through lifestyle changes (not just pills and procedures).
Along with any board certification comes, of course, a board exam.
There is a Lifestyle Medicine Facebook group with some tips and advice from those who are currently taking the exam and those who have taken it before.
Examination specifics from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine:
Exam duration: Maximum 4 hours
Exam items/questions: 150 multiple choice questions for Lifestyle Medicine physicians; 120 multiple choice questions for Lifestyle Medicine professionals and Lifestyle Medicine practitioners
Format: proctored exam at a Prometric testing center of your choice.
How did I study?
I took the Foundations of Lifestyle Medicine Board Review Course online.
Some folks do take the Core Competencies Course instead or in addition to the Board Review Course.
For me, I felt the Board Review Course was sufficient.
I went through two modules per week starting 3 months prior to the exam (there were about 10 modules + a key article section). Each module had questions at the end and the book that comes with the course has questions as well. I did these at the conclusion of each module.
1 month prior to the exam I went through those modules again and re-reviewed those questions. This time I made a word document highlighting details/facts that simply had to be memorized prior to the exam such as:
· Which foods have the most amount of antioxidants?
· How many calories are in a gram of protein?
· Specific studies and their relevance to different aspects of Lifestyle Medicine (key articles section)
The board exam is all about details and specifics so it is key to try and review these in the 1-2 weeks leading up to the exam.
I wouldn’t overlook the insights they give on motivational interviewing (MI). These are key components on how to practice lifestyle medicine and each section goes into detail on how to do MI for various aspects such as exercise, diet, and substance use.
I hope these pointers helped! And let me know if you get certified in Lifestyle Medicine, would love to have more colleagues to consult with!
