The Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians (ACSEP) is a not-for-profit professional organisation responsible for training, educating, and representing over 350 doctors in Australia and New Zealand.
In Australia and New Zealand the status of SEM is of a stand-alone specialty with ACSEP being the specialist College administering training and education.
Although sports physicians can prescribe drugs, perform minor surgical procedures, use Diagnostic ultrasound and order other radiological imaging and blood tests, the signature treatment of SEM practice is exercise prescription.
[8] Careers within SEM [9] in Australia and NZ include: Some of the major conditions typically treated by SEM include Osteoarthritis, Tendinopathy, Back pain, Muscle strain, Concussions in sport, Sprained ankle, Anterior cruciate ligament injury, Dislocated shoulder.
[29] In the late 1980s, a decision was made to pursue a stand-alone medical specialty with a formal structure of entry and Fellowship exams and multi-year training program.
The ACSP granted honorary Fellowship (FACSP) to ten Fellows of other recognized specialty colleges in Australia [30] who acted as examiners.
All applicants for the inaugural FACSP qualification had to show the equivalent of current practice in sports medicine and pass an exam, which first took place in 1991.
In 1992, the first registrars (trainees) were admitted onto the ACSP training program, which was conducted in private practice initially in Melbourne and Sydney.
[31][failed verification] In 2000, ACSEP Fellows were instrumental in providing athlete care services for all sports in the Sydney Olympic Games.
[32] In 2000, sports physicians were first recognized by Medicare in Australia and awarded consultation item numbers equivalent to vocationally-registered General Practitioners.
Within clinical practice of Sport and Exercise Medicine in Australia, there is a criticism that some of these specialists are overly willing to use or recommend speculative new treatments such as Stem Cell injections.
The ACSEP has a position statement exercising caution over the use of Stem Cells[61] but does not forbid individual members from doing so.