Celebrating 31 Years of Medical Exercise Specialist Excellence

As we celebrate MES Week and the 31st anniversary of that pivotal moment, it’s clear that the future of Medical Exercise Training (MET) is brighter than ever. With rising healthcare costs, an aging population, and the shift toward value-based care, MedXPROs are uniquely positioned to lead the next era of function-focused wellness. But success in this evolving landscape requires more than skills—it demands strategic marketing rooted in clarity, communication, and professionalism.

You Are the Bridge—Own It

Your greatest marketing asset is your identity as the bridge between healthcare and fitness. You don’t diagnose or treat—you guide clients with medical conditions through safe, structured exercise programming that supports long-term functional outcomes. You step in where medical care ends, helping clients regain strength, mobility, and independence.

This clearly defined role is the foundation of your credibility—and it’...

As part of our MES Week celebration, we’re proud to feature a powerful and insightful interview with Susie Duttge, a true Medical Exercise Specialist (MES) pioneer with 27 years of success in the field.

After starting her career as a professional photographer, personal trainer, and aerobics instructor, Susie dove into intensive MES training in 1995—a turning point she describes as the "fuel" that launched her journey. Inspired by her instructor and driven by an insatiable desire to learn, Susie opened her first facility, Fit for Life Rehab and Fitness Clinic, just months after completing her training.

In this exclusive interview, Susie shares the core principles that helped her build and sustain a thriving practice. Her approach? Put clients and patients at the top of the pyramid, deliver private, personalized care, and never compromise your commitment to functional outcomes.

She also opens up about how face-to-face marketing, including speaking engagements and one-on-one physician ...

A New Profession Finds Its Name, Its Voice, and Its Place in Healthcare

There was a time—not long ago—when Medical Exercise Training was barely a whisper in the minds of healthcare or fitness professionals. It existed in the gray space between discharge and decline, somewhere after the physical therapist stopped billing and long before the personal trainer truly understood what was going on with the client.

It was an invisible chapter. A missing link. A void filled with uncertainty, guesswork, and often silence.

Clients were released from rehab with conditions still unresolved—balance issues, strength deficits, chronic pain, and fear of movement. And their only option? To walk into a fitness facility, armed with a discharge slip, hoping someone on the other end knew what to do.

Too often, no one did.

But in that void… something began to grow.

The Birth of a New Discipline

Out of that uncertainty, Medical Exercise Training was born. Not as a fluke or fad, but as a response—a dire...

This week, we proudly celebrate 31 years since the very first Medical Exercise Specialist Workshop, held in July 1994—marking the beginning of a global movement that has changed lives, built careers, and bridged the gap between healthcare and fitness like never before.

Medical Exercise Specialist Week is all about YOU—the dedicated MedExPROs around the world who are restoring function, rebuilding confidence, and producing real outcomes for clients every single day.

Throughout the week, we’ll be sharing inspiring MES success stories from across the globe, giving you tools and resources to grow your practice, build lasting referral relationships with medical professionals, and dive deeper into the MES Framework—the foundation for our profession’s standards and growth.

We’ll also reveal the future vision of Medical Exercise Training—a profession with ethics, recognition, and outcomes at its core.

So whether you’ve been with us since 1994 or you’re just joining the movement, this week ...

Celebrating 31 Years of Progress by Launching the Professional Standard for MedExPROs

Happy MES Week! As we commemorate the 31st Anniversary of the first Medical Exercise Specialist (MES) Workshop in 1994, it’s a perfect time to reflect on the cornerstone of our profession: the Medical Exercise Specialist (MES) Framework. This framework is not merely a set of guidelines; it's an indispensable roadmap, essential for every Medical Exercise Professional (MedExPRO) striving to establish professional standards and deliver unparalleled outcomes for our clients.

The need for Medical Exercise Training (MET) has never been greater, driven by an aging population, the prevalence of chronic diseases, and the medical community's growing recognition of exercise as a "magic elixir" for managing these conditions. The MES Framework provides a structured and systematic approach for fitness professionals to effectively work with individuals who have medical conditions, guiding MedExPROs through their r...

A Milestone 31 Years in the Making

On July 18, 1994, 14 forward-thinking fitness professionals gathered for something the industry had never seen: the first Medical Exercise Specialist (MES) Workshop and Certification. We spent a week—laying down MES systems, language, documentation standards, and exercise programming models for working with clients after rehab. We didn’t know it then, but we were launching a profession.

Today, many of those original 14 Medical Exercise Specialists are still actively practicing—still changing lives, still setting the bar for professionalism, and still proving that properly applied exercise changes function, health, and quality of life.

From One Workshop to a Global Profession

That first course laid the foundation for what is now the Medical Exercise Training Institute (METI) and the global Medical Exercise Specialist movement. Three decades later, Medical Exercise Specialists are practicing on six continents, collaborating with physicians, physical...

In Medical Exercise Training 101 eBook - Tip #39, Dr. Mike breaks down the evolution of medical exercise certifications and how each one plays a critical role in helping fitness professionals transition into respected medical exercise professionals. He emphasizes that certification isn’t just about letters after your name—it’s about building a system that bridges fitness and healthcare.

Dr. Mike walks us through the four cornerstone certifications:

• Medical Exercise Specialist (MES) – The gold standard since 1994, this certification is deep and rigorous, focusing on assessment, documentation, and business systems.
• Postrehab Conditioning Specialist (PRCS) – A powerful entry-level option introduced in 1998, ideal for professionals getting started with medically based clients.
• Medical Exercise Program Director (MEPD) – For those leading facilities or departments, this cert includes advanced topics like pharmacology, communication systems, and managing full MET programs.
• Advanced Med...

Dear MedExPRO,

You’ve taken the time to build your skills. You’re ready to serve clients. But are you missing the final piece?

✅ Consistent, qualified referrals from trusted medical professionals.

If you’ve ever wondered what to say in your introduction letter, how to follow up with a physician, or how to present yourself as a credible partner in a client’s continuum of care—this is for you.

Introducing the newly expanded MedExPRO Referral Ignition Kit – now with 49 powerhouse tools, scripts, templates, and resources to help you attract referrals, communicate clearly, and grow your practice with confidence.

This isn’t fluff. These are real-world, field-tested resources that MedExPROs are using RIGHT NOW to land referrals, build relationships, and establish authority with physicians, physical therapists, chiropractors, and more.

💥 What’s Inside the Referral Ignition Kit?

📝 20+ Customizable Communication Templates
→ Introductory, follow-up, and thank-you letters to MDs, PTs, DCs, ...

🔥 If you’re a Medical Exercise Professional looking to sharpen your skills, deepen your confidence, and master the application of medical exercise — clear your calendar for October 4 - 5, 2025.

Because something monumental is happening in Washington, DC — and it’s the kind of opportunity that comes once in a lifetime.

🚨 This Is It: Dr. Mike’s Final MES Onsite Workshop

After 31 years of empowering professionals, transforming practices, and helping build the global standard for post-rehab exercise training, Dr. Mike will teach his final onsite Medical Exercise Specialist (MES) Workshop in 2025 in Washington, DC where it all started in July 1994. 

This isn’t just a workshop — it’s the culmination of decades of knowledge, refined into a high-impact, hands-on weekend experience.

💡 What Makes This Workshop So Special?

This is the last in-person opportunity to apply the 54-lesson MES online training series in a fully immersive setting. Hosted in a medical exercise training studio in Was...

We hope you had an incredibly insightful and productive experience at the recent MES Workshop in Houston! As we transition back, we're thrilled to reignite our "Cracking the Code" webinar series. Due to the workshop, we took a brief break, and now we’re combining the crucial final steps of the "30 Days to Referral Ready" challenge into one powerful, action-oriented session.

This 60-minute webinar will consolidate and clarify the essential external strategies from Days 25 through 30 of the challenge. This is your definitive guide to effectively communicating your unique value, cultivating strong relationships with healthcare providers, and establishing your position as an indispensable referral partner in the patient recovery process.

This webinar is critical because it brings together all the "go-to-market" strategies you need to transition from simply being "referral-ready" to actively receiving consistent referrals and becoming a recognized extension of the medical team.

We cover ...