Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! Physicians can report on their own health benefits of implementing lifestyle medicine practices into their lives and record different metrics (blood results, blood pressure, weight, etc). You are also welcome to work with friends or family members. All case studies will remain confidential. It’s a way for you to reflect on what you have learned and also use techniques to implement new tools in practice. Health professionals do not need to complete a case study but are welcome to do so if they would like the practice of implementing tools in practice.

Case study template

Not as long as you think! You need to provide proof of completing 30 hours of online course material and 20 hours of attending a live or online event. We recommend that you get started on your online learning (the Foundations of Lifestyle Medicine Board Review (NO CME/CE) is strongly recommended) sooner rather than later, to give yourself plenty of time to review the material. More information is available on our website.

The 50-hour commitment to complete our program is intentionally designed to be achievable for busy health professionals while still delivering rigorous, high-quality learning. In fact, compared with other programs that may require up to 80 hours, our streamlined approach focuses on the most clinically relevant, evidence-based content—so less time doesn’t mean less value. On the contrary, participants complete the program with a globally recognised certification that reflects both efficiency and excellence.

Yes! Any of our in-person events or online webinars that are no older than 36 months from the date they are held will be counted towards the 20 hours of live CME. For more information on other events that you can attend, head to our prerequisites page.

Yes! This will be supplied to all exam candidates towards the second half of the year. This code will allow you to watch the entire ACLM LM conference virtually for only US$99.

You don’t need to watch the entire thing to obtain your prerequisites, just a total of at least 20 hours. When you log in and begin watching the sessions, live or recorded, select AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ to go towards the 20 hours of live CME.

In order to receive your certificate of completion, you must first fill in the General Conference Evaluation Survey. Once you have downloaded your certificate, please email it to us as proof of completing 20 hours of live CME.

Possibly. If you choose to use the Foundations of Lifestyle Medicine Board Review (NO CME/CE) (strongly recommended), you will receive special pricing of US$499 as a DFN registrant. Likewise, if you attend the ACLM LM26 conference virtually, there is a cost of US$99 (discount code is provided to exam candidates). Depending on where the exam is held, you may have some travel expenses to attend the exam. With all this taken into consideration, the International Lifestyle Medicine Certification Program through DFN continues to be the most affordable lifestyle medicine qualification in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, with other programs charging thousands of dollars more.

No, however, the International Lifestyle Medicine Certification Program (IBLM) through DFN is the most affordable lifestyle medicine certification in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. There are some additional costs involved in completing prerequisites and travelling to the exam; however, even with these, our certification is still the most affordable option. Contact us if you’d like to discuss the latest date to register and pay fees for the exam

First log in to your member account. Then visit the Certification Steps page and click the relevant enrol button. The certification will be added to your cart with your 10% member discount automatically applied. You can then proceed to checkout as usual.

Yes! Contrary to the wording displayed on the ACLM website, the Foundations of Lifestyle Medicine Board Review (NO CME/CE) course DOES count towards CME for the certification in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

Once you have enrolled and completed your prerequisites, you can study the downloadable manual supplied with the Foundations of Lifestyle Medicine Board Review (NO CME/CE) course. Some exam candidates also find it useful to purchase the Lifestyle Medicine Question Bank – a powerful tool for exam prep.

You should also attend the Doctors For Nutrition Lifestyle Medicine Conference before the exam to learn more about this global movement in healthcare and connect with like-minded people in the community.

Please note: the exam questions are rigorously developed by IBLM yearly and are not based on the study material outlined above. The questions are developed on the core competencies first published in JAMA in 2010, and now updated by the Lifestyle Medicine Global Alliance in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. For more information is available on the weightings and core competencies page on our website.

Not in Australia. As the global board‑certification body, the International Board of Lifestyle Medicine (IBLM) strives to standardise, verify, and protect the credibility of the credential across countries and professions. As a result, holding a proctored, in-person exam is imperative to ensure a rigorous and objective assessment of knowledge. The examination process avoids subjectivity that can occur with assignment-based testing. As a global certification, the IBLM aims to ensure that every candidate, regardless of location, takes the same exam under the same conditions.

No. DFN will hold the exam at a different location each year, mostly in Australia’s major cities. This will usually coincide with an in-person event, giving you the opportunity to fully immerse yourself in lifestyle medicine, network with experts in the field, and be inspired by this powerful movement in medicine.