How I studied for the ACLM Lifestyle Medicine board exam (and passed!).
Heading into the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) board exam, I had more questions than answers. Having taken two other board exams in the past, I was surprised at how little guidance I could find online for this one. So, if you’re preparing and feeling a little lost—this post is for you.
A Little About Me
I’m a Physician Assistant with about five years of clinical experience, split between family medicine and urgent care. Over time, I became passionate about prevention and sustainable health behavior change, which led me to pursue a health coaching certification in 2022. That experience quickly led to my next goal: becoming board-certified in lifestyle medicine.
Fun fact: I took my National Board Certification for Health Coaching just one month before sitting for the Lifestyle Medicine exam—a crazy end to the year, but a rewarding one!
Overall Exam Thoughts
This exam is detail-heavy. You need to know specifics, not just general concepts.
Here’s what worked for me:
Read the ACLM Review Manual AT LEAST three times.
I used a different color pen each time to underline key points.
I watched every course video at least twice.
I took the exam on December 2, 2023.
How I Studied for the ACLM Board Exam: A Realistic Timeline
In case my timeline and approach helps others structure their study plan, see what I did below. Everyone learns at a different pace—I'd consider myself a slightly above-average speed learner—but this outline can serve as a helpful guide.
September 2023: Getting Started
In the last week of September, I signed up for the exam and purchased access to the Foundations of Lifestyle Medicine Board Review Course via the ACLM website. I spent some time watching the “Getting Started” section while waiting for the review textbook to arrive.
October: Coaching Exam Focus, Then Shifting Gears
I began serious studying during the first week of October, but initially focused on a separate health coaching board exam. I had already read Changing to Thrive, which I highly recommend for anyone aiming to integrate coaching strategies into clinical practice.
By the last week of October, I began studying for ACLM in earnest. I tackled Sections 2 (Behavior Change) and 10 (Positive Psychology and Connectedness)—about 8 hours total that week. I watched course videos while reading, made notes in the margins, and reviewed material carefully.
November: Full Immersion
The first week of November was devoted to final prep for my coaching exam (Nov 6), so I took a short break from ACLM material. After the exam, I resumed LM study full-time.
From here, I structured my weeks around the remaining sections:
Nov 8–12: Sections 3, 7, and 9 — I read the chapters, watched videos, took quizzes, and reviewed until I passed.
Nov 13–19: Sections 4 and 5 — This was a tough week, especially Section 5 (Nutrition), which required 15–20 hours alone due to its specificity.
Nov 20–22: Sections 6 and 8 — Continued with the same review process.
Nov 24–30: Final Review — I re-read all sections, watched all videos again (with the textbook open), and reviewed flashcards. I also skimmed the recommended journal articles, making flashcards for key takeaways.
Dec 1: No Study Day
I always give myself a break the day before a big exam. December 1 was reserved for rest, so I could walk into the test clear-headed and focused.
Thoughts on other study materials:
One of the things I wish I had had access to, and did make some of my own during the process, was more practice questions. I looked at statpearl but they seemed pricey and really challenging. I have looked since and I wouldn’t say they are in line with the difficulty and scope of the actual exam from what I recall…stat pearls is much more challenging in my opinion.
I decided to make a bank of questions for extra practice. If you are interested in extra quiz practice, check out the 50 question practice exam I created here.
My Study Takeaways
Start early: September or October is ideal.
Expect to spend around 100+ hours total, more if the material is new to you.
Focus on:
Psychology content (don’t skip!)
Nutrition specifics
Basic calculations (e.g., METs)
Re-read the manual—this is more valuable than making a ton of flashcards.
Practice quizzes were scarce, so I made my own 50-question practice exam (linked [here]).
Final Thoughts
Overall, I estimate spending 10–20 hours per week throughout November, with longer days (8–10 hours) in the final weekend before review week. This plan worked well for me, and while there are always things I might tweak in hindsight (more time on journal articles, for instance), I felt well-prepared and passed the exam. Compared to other board exams I’ve taken, it was in line with expectations.
If you're prepping for the ACLM exam, I hope this gives you a realistic roadmap.
Best of luck—you’ve got this!