6 Top Study Tips for the CSEP-CEP Exams

Dear future or current CSEP-CEP candidate,

When I was preparing to study for the CSEP-CEP exams, I remember asking everyone I know who had their certification: How did you find the exams? How did you study? What material did you use? I always got the same vague responses: They weren’t too bad. Just make sure to study and prepare. I can’t remember what I used for study material… as if it needs to be a mystery for everyone to figure out. Super helpful right?

Well, whether it was intentionally vague or not, I too struggled to summarize my thoughts about studying for the exams when others asked me. Did I want others to struggle like me? No! Absolutely not!

If you haven’t yet, make sure to check out my previous blog post, Beginners Guide to the CSEP-CEP Certification Process. It dives deeper into the entire CEP process from start to end.

*Note: I challenged the exams in 2021, so if you have noticed any changes to the process since then please feel free to share! This is the study style/material that worked for me. This is in NO WAY the only way to study for the exams.

What the CSEP-CEP Exams Entail

Practical Exam:

The practical exam is where the CSEP-CEP candidate demonstrates the required practical skills and knowledge in an applied setting with a CSEP-Instructor Examiner. This exam is assessed on a pass/fail basis. CSEP provides a schedule for practical exams located across Canada on their website, so candidates can schedule their preferred location and date for taking the exam.

The practical exam consists of three 40 minute scenarios: Two clinical populations (i.e., a man with diabetes who was told to come by his wife) and one apparently healthy population (i.e., busy mom who wants to start exercising). You will not be given the details of the scenarios until the exam and then you will be provided about five minutes to prepare before each. Unless you are being tested on information gathering skills, you are given a scenario sheet that outlines all required information about the client.

During each scenario, the candidate is tested on 19 practical skills under the 8 core competencies. You are only tested once on 17 of the practical skills while two practical skills (under the professionalism umbrella) are observed throughout the entire testing process. The examiner will tell you what skills you must demonstrate during the given scenario. For example, during a scenario, the CSEP-instructor examiner might ask you to obtain resting blood pressure and heart rate, take a waist circumference measurement, perform a fitness assessment, and create a resistance training prescription suitable for the client.

What happens if you fail a practical skill during the exam? If a candidate fails less than five practical skills they can return at another date and time to complete one scenario covering the failed skills. If a candidate fails five or more practical skills they must return at another date and time and complete the full exam again (and pay for it). See below an infographic of the 8 core competencies (bolded) with the 19 practical skills under them (numbered).

Mentor’s Tip: Depending on being in the right place at the right time, previously the CSEP-Instructor Examiner would look for volunteers to be subjects for the practical exam. This can give you great insight into what the exam process looks like.

I remember feeling so nervous for the practical exam and as most do. Five minutes did not feel like enough time to prepare after reading the scenarios. Sometimes your nerves will get to you and you might blank out things you know are crucial to do or say. One area that is important but slipped my brain was asking about family history in the first scenario! However, the examiners are human too and can tell when candidates are nervous. Don’t worry. They want to see you succeed and try to help calm your nerves whenever they can.

Theory Exam:

The theory exam is taken at a third-party testing center such as Pearson VUE or online. If you choose the online option, you can write the exam from the comfort of your home through the Pearson testing system.

During this exam, you will have three hours to complete 120 multiple-choice questions. You need a minimum score of 70% to pass. The questions cover all areas relating to the 8 core competencies but there are five case studies, so make sure to know your special populations (youth, clinical, pregnant) well.

I remember that the theory exam felt all over the place with the amount of material. When writing the theory exam, try to think: How would CSEP answer this question? In this field, oftentimes there can be more than one right answer when given a problem. Try to not overthink the material as that was likely my biggest downfall. Some questions were wordy and I fell victim to it I’m sure. Be understanding of yourself and know you will not be able to remember EVERYTHING you are told to study but know the majority of it and find the BEST answer!

What Can I Bring to the Exams?

Practical: What most people don’t know going into the exam is you are expected to come prepared as if you were meeting with the client yourself. This means that you should bring all of the notes, normative tables, tracking sheets, etc. that might be needed for the various scenarios. Essentially, the test is open-book to be able to use the forms you need and within your five minutes prepare yourself for the scenario. Bring that binder full of materials!!

Theory: You can’t bring anything into the exam room with you, but there are lockers provided at testing centers. But don’t panic! You are provided a pen and paper for the exam, a calculator, and general ACSM equations for submaximal testing, treadmill walking, etc.

6 Top Tips for Exam Preparation

1) Make a study schedule

It may sound silly, but it is something that can be easily neglected when adding exams to the “To-Do List” while still dealing with other studies or work. I was able to solely focus on studying for these exams as I was finishing up my Masters and was not working at the time. I did NOT study 24/7. Instead, I added it to my daily routine so that it was a part of my schedule, but not taking over my life.

If you are working/studying, it may be helpful to reduce the course load and cut back on extracurriculars where possible. It may work best to study during your semester breaks or when your degree is completed. You definitely can’t cram for the exam and also pull an all-nighter every night to study if you want to take care of yourself. Allow yourself to have more than enough time to prepare.

2) Use a mix of group and solo studying

This one may seem like a stretch, but I found it to be the MOST beneficial tip from my experience. While I was challenging the exams, I had a few others in my masters cohort who were also thinking about taking the exam. We tried to make a schedule to practice the practical skills and review any questions about the process we were confused about. It was extremely helpful to have the “sessions” together to discuss, collaborate and even practice how much I already knew by trying to explain ideas to others.

Once the group was too busy to meet any further, I switched to solo studying (what I usually do anyways). Solo-studying allows you to focus your attention on studying material that is the most challenging for you (instead of reviewing areas you understand well but others may not in a group setting) because you have only yourself leading the reigns for the studying sessions. This was more beneficial for the theory exam, but the group setting helped astronomically for the practical exam.

3) Practice your practical skills with others and/or attend a workshop

Since an entire 3-hour exam is dedicated to practical skills, taking the time to practice all 19 of them will be crucial. If you can, book a lab or gym space. Use friends who may not be in kinesiology as practice subjects to better learn how to explain the testing (this makes it a lot more realistic and will help you improve your explanations) and/or you can practice with a group who is also planning to take the exam. Depending on your comfort level and experience with the practical skills, a CSEP workshop offered by the examiners may be beneficial for you. It does come at a cost ($300-$600) but if you didn’t get the practice during your degree, then it will be a game-changer. Lastly, creating case-study scenarios will also be helpful for the practical exam since there will be three different scenarios that you must work through. See below the study material I found helpful for this.

Mentor’s Tip: When practicing the practical skills, be sure to explain the tests you are doing to the client, talk them through the process, demonstrate and work on cues for strength exercises, and even try practicing your motivational interviewing skills! It will all be assessed in the exam.

4) Take practice theory exams and practical scenarios

Practicing questions that relate to the material you study can be extremely beneficial. It can also help if you are nervous about completing 120 questions in a 3-hour time limit. You may be wondering where to find materials to use for practice. Here is a summary of what I found beneficial during studying and what is out there:

CSEP-CEP Study Guide - I found the study guide helpful even though some parts were vaguer than a class syllabus. It still provided me with ideas of what areas I should review, some of which I would not have thought of without it (I personally had no notes about CSEP materials through my undergrad). It also provided a thorough breakdown on the entire process for applying (see my previous blog for this!), what kinesiology topics that should be known, and practice questions/scenarios for both exams.

Mentor’s Tip: If you have purchased the study guide, go through the study guide bullet point by bullet point, highlight the areas that you feel confident with and any that you are not. Then, do the research to find the answer within your study material rather than ignoring it and hoping for the best. Hopefully by the time you are done studying you will have almost every bullet point highlighted and feel confident going into the exam.

CSEP - PATH and CSEP-Candidate Modules - I rarely looked through the CSEP-PATH, but it does have useful resources such as the health benefit ratings, GAQ form, testing protocols, etc that can be used during the practical exam . However, you may have been given such material throughout your studies, so you can check there if you don’t already own a CSEP-PATH. The online modules provided by CSEP may also be a consideration depending on your comfort with specific topics. I personally did not use them, but believe that they may benefit some so I have included it here. For example, the ECG module can be helpful if you have never covered this material in a previous course. *not sponsored*

ACSM Study Guide - The reason I used this book was only for the practice test at the end. I used an older version (2009) and was able to find it online. Even though it is ACSM, there is some overlapping material with the CSEP-CEP (don’t worry too much about the heavy heart content). It offers more test questions if you want more practice, but I wouldn’t say that it’s a necessary resource.

ACSM Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription - I did not use this too much during my studies, but I know some of my classmates did. If you have never taken a clinical exercise physiology class or exercise prescription for clinical populations this may be helpful to learn how to write an appropriate exercise program for your case-studies. It also includes the ACSM equations if you don’t have them from class work.

Class Notes from MKin Degree - Sorry I can’t hyperlink my degree notes, but most of you likely have been obtaining notes from different kinesiology classes that can be helpful when writing the exam. Check out the recommended course map to see if the classes you are taking or have taken are helpful for the exam.

5) Show self-compassion and don’t compare yourself to others

Firstly, when we are students or preparing for a big exam/event in our lives, we tend to forget to take care of ourselves. Personally, I have never been able to pull an all-nighter but I do know that it is usually more detrimental than helpful. So allow yourself to rest and give yourself time to do other things than just study! Just add it to your routine as I mentioned above.

Secondly, not every person studying for an exam will study the same. In the end, there is no better method. Do not compare the techniques that work for you with others. The tips that I found useful may not work for you… and that’s okay! Respect that and do what you need to do.

6) Don’t try to memorize the material… LEARN IT

The practical exam involves a lot of applied knowledge to scenarios provided to you by the examiner. Do not focus solely on memorization. Being able to understand the material and adapt it to what is presented before you is crucial. This is where the practice case-studies can be helpful. Always ask yourself why the answer is what it is, whether you get it right or wrong. In the end it will only prepare you more for the real world, too. It’s a win-win!

And that’s all folks! If you have any further questions about the exams, feel free to contact any of the mentors. Best of luck on your exams!

Sincerely,

Your Kines Mentor