Functional Medicine Certified Professional (FMCP)™

Earning a functional medicine credential establishes you as a leader in the field. Current patient demand far exceeds the number of providers available. Certified practitioners are recognized as clinicians whose rigorous training and evaluation places them in the top tier of functional medicine practitioners. Certification does not expand or reduce a practitioner’s scope of practice, and all certified practitioners are expected to practice only within the scope of their healthcare license. 

• The new Functional Medicine Certification Program™ administered by IFM has been developed after several years of a comprehensive program evaluation, including a formal job analysis, input from subject matter experts and credentialing industry consultants, and a survey to thousands of functional medicine practitioners. It’s also being developed in accordance with testing industry accreditation standards so that the program will represent best practices for developing and administering a fair and valid professional certification.
• In addition to developing two new credentials and their respective exams, we are evaluating the technology and other systems that support candidates through the certification process to ensure that we can offer a best-in-class experience for earning and maintaining certification.  
• The evolution of the program and the candidate experience is something we take seriously; thus, we are taking much care to be intentional in evaluating current systems, policies, and processes, conducting gap analyses, selecting and implementing the right technology, and making updates and improvements where they are needed. This work takes time, and we are committed to communicating all new updates as soon as we can. We appreciate your patience as we share more information as the program continues to develop.  

No. If you are currently certified as an IFMCP, there is no action that you need to take. You will be automatically transitioned into the new program and awarded the designation that is aligned to your degree/licensure type. Transitioning into the new program will happen automatically, and you will not be required to retake the exam.  

The new certification program will launch in 2026, with specific dates to be announced. We anticipate that currently certified IFMCPs will transition into the new program and be awarded their new credential in early 2026. 

Once you are transitioned into the new program and awarded your new designation, you will renew your credential under the new program’s maintenance of certification (MOC) requirements. Learn more about maintenance of certification.

When you transition into the new program, your credential renewal date will be updated, and a new renewal date will be awarded. More information about the transition process and timeline is in development. 

We anticipate that the pilot program will launch sometime in early 2026. We will provide specific dates and details as the new program develops. 

Any practitioners who meet the current eligibility requirements will be eligible for the pilot program. All of the eligibility requirements must be complete to submit an application. Learn more about eligibility requirements. 

Yes. Anyone who is interested in testing as part of the pilot program will have to complete the eligibility requirements and submit an application to demonstrate compliance.   

The fees are still in development; however, because the pilot is our opportunity to collect data on new test questions from actual exam candidates, we anticipate that the application and exam fees for the pilot program will be discounted from the regular program fees. 

IFM’s core curriculum (AFMCP + six APMs) are not required for certification. To be eligible for certification, candidates must complete at least 100 hours of accredited functional medicine education or training focused on the certification competencies. Currently, IFM’s core curriculum is the only education that teaches to the competencies. We expect, however, that other external providers will develop education that could be eligible toward the required 100 hours in the future.  

Some official documentation of graduation is required; transcripts can be accepted if they show actual graduation date and the degree earned. Practitioners can also submit a letter on official letterhead attesting to the completion of their healthcare degree in lieu of the diploma. 

Functional medicine is not considered a standalone area of medicine and is reliant on conventional medical education and licensure to be able to see and treat patients. Earning the FMCP designation is voluntary, and certification does not expand or reduce a practitioner’s scope of licensure, nor confer any additional legal or specialty status. Practitioners can only apply their functional medicine education within the scope of their current healthcare license issued by the appropriate authority in the state, province, or country of their clinical practice. It is incumbent upon practitioners of the program to understand their scope of licensure and apply functional medicine approaches according to the permissions and limitations of their existing licensure. Learn more about eligibility requirements. 

For the application, we do require all documents to be translated into English. However, please note these documents do not need to be official transcripts. Please provide both the original document followed by the translated version.  

Yes, IFM’s core curriculum, which includes AFMCP and the six APMs, will grant over 100 hours of functional medicine training. These courses will meet the minimum training requirement for certification eligibility. 

• To apply for certification, candidates must already meet the eligibility requirements, which include a qualified academic degree, an active healthcare license, and at least 100 hours of functional medicine education or training. Therefore, those who have not yet graduated are not eligible for certification.
• For those who may choose to enroll in IFM’s core curriculum (AFMCP + six APMs) to meet the 100-hour requirement, those courses can be taken concurrently as they complete their degree programs and/or residencies. Once those students have completed their degree, received their license, and taken the minimum 100 hours of functional medicine education, they can apply for certification.   

At this time, the Functional Medicine Certification Program^TM does not have any certifications for unlicensed healthcare providers. Learn more about eligibility requirements. 

You will need to provide information about your academic degree, your healthcare license, and your 100 hours of functional medicine education/training. Be prepared with copies of your diploma or transcript, your healthcare license, the name(s) of the provider(s) you took your functional medicine training with, and the hours earned from each provider.   

The application will be available for candidates to complete and submit online. Learn how to apply.  

Not yet! We are evaluating our current processes and technology tools to build a better online application, exam scheduling, and renewal process. While selecting and implementing the right technology takes time, we know it will help create a seamless experience for candidates. 

The written examination is typically offered twice a year: usually once in spring and once in the fall. See exam details.   

The written exam is based on the functional medicine competencies and is comprised of multiple choice and case-based patient scenario test questions. See exam details.   

We work with Prometric to seat candidates as close as possible to their home address. However, the availability of an appointment at a location near your home cannot be guaranteed. The sooner you schedule your exam appointment, the wider your options will be. Although the test center network is worldwide, in some limited situations, you may need to travel further from your home to an available test center. 

Yes! Prometric offers the option to take the test via live, remote proctoring using their ProProctor secure remote assessment system. Candidates who choose live, remote proctoring can test from a private home or office location of their choosing. See exam details.   

Once earned, certification is valid for six years. Certified practitioners must meet the maintenance and renewal requirements to maintain their credential.  

Yes, having an active license is an important component of maintaining your credential. During the six-year lifecycle of your credential, you will be required to confirm that your healthcare license is still active every two years.   

No, educational hours specifically deemed as continuing medical education (CME) are not required for renewing your credential. To renew your credential, you must earn at least 75 professional development hours (PDH) during your six-year credential lifecycle. These hours do not need to be CME.  

No. Once you have earned the credential, you will have to maintain an active healthcare license and earn at least 75 professional development hours to maintain and renew your credential. There is no requirement for re-examination.   

Additional details about the MOC program are still in development, so much more is to come regarding how to earn professional development hours. The goal is to develop a renewal process that will be easy and convenient, as we understand that many certified practitioners also have to earn CME to maintain a variety of other licenses and board certifications. We look forward to sharing more information about ways in which certified practitioners will be able to earn credit to renew their credential. Learn about MOC. 

When you are approaching the end of your six-year credential lifecycle, you will submit a renewal application to demonstrate your continued licensure and to provide information about the professional development hours you earned throughout those six years.   

After much evaluation and discussion, the six-year renewal cycle was selected because of the pace of change in functional medicine practice. Even in the last 10 years since the first class of IFMCPs graduated from the program, functional medicine has evolved so much that the certification program must evolve with it. Reducing the certification lifecycle from 10 to six years ensures that certified professionals are staying up to date with the pace of change in functional medicine.