A key to the success of the CEP program is the tremendous amount of practical experience that students receive during their training. In addition to working in the on-campus?La Crosse Exercise and Health Program, students work in close cooperation with the two area medical facilities:?Gundersen Health Systems?and?Mayo Clinic Health System - Franciscan Healthcare. This cooperation gives students an opportunity to become involved in clinical aspects of exercise testing and cardiopulmonary rehabilitation not available at the University.

A major goal of the program is to prepare students to sit for the?American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)?Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist (RCEP) examination at the end of their on-campus training. Over the past 25 years, the first time pass rate for La Crosse graduates has exceeded 90%.