Medical Exercise Specialists...Happy Birthday!!

Happy 30th Birthday to ALL Medical Exercise Specialists around the world!! Thank you for all the great work you have done to help clients improve their level of function, develop relationships with medical professionals, and build strong practices. You have set the standard for medical exercise/post-rehab services worldwide.

Jeffrey Wright, DPT, ATC, and I started the Medical Exercise Specialist concept in Washington, DC in February 1994. We saw the need for a responsible and effective transition of their patients from outpatient physical therapy into an exercise setting. The drastic cuts in healthcare reimbursement for physical therapy beginning in the early 1990's prompted a need for this transition. Jeff and I wrote the Medical Exercise Specialist program outline and curriculum over several weeks and presented the first Medical Exercise Specialist workshop and certification in July 1994 in Silver Spring, MD. That original course had 14 participants. 

The first course was a huge success. A second MES course was presented in Washington, DC a couple of months later followed by a third MES workshop in November 1994 at the Decathlon Club in Santa Clara, CA. Cities hosting MES courses during the first two years included New York City, Baltimore, MD, Chicago, IL, Oakland, CA, and Dallas, TX. Over the next few years, MES courses were presented in Boston, MA, Toronto, ON, Miami, FL, Orlando, FL, Birmingham, AL, Detroit, MI, Pittsburgh, PA, Tulsa, OK, Houston, TX, Seattle, WA, Los Angeles, CA, Phoenix, AZ, Vancouver, BC, Cincinnati, OH, Atlanta, GA, Calgary, AB, and Philadelphia, PA. 

The Essentials of Post Rehab Fitness workshop was added in 1997 leading to the Post Rehab Conditioning Specialist Certification. This was a one-day version of the Medical Exercise Specialist workshop. Essentials course locations included Salt Lake City, UT, Regina, SK, Montreal, QC, Greenville, SC, Charlotte, NC, Albuquerque, NM, Anchorage, AK, Jackson Hole, WY, San Antonio, TX, San Diego, CA, Las Vegas, NV, Milwaukee, WI, Kansas City, KS, Boise, ID, Cleveland, OH, Columbus, OH, Pensacola, FL, Jacksonville, FL and Washington, DC. Oh...and my favorite....Honolulu, HI. In every city, I found enthusiastic professionals looking to "Bridge the Gap Between Healthcare and Fitness". And you all did just that!!

During these years, the foundations of our new profession - Medical Exercise Training - were established. The medical exercise professionals who attended those early workshops and courses have set a standard of excellence that will stand for decades!! 

To all the METI Medical Exercise Specialists, I thank you for all the great work you have done. Honestly, you made METI look good. You took the concepts we taught, applied them, and produced outstanding outcomes for your clients. Also, thank you to all the Post Rehab Conditioning Specialists, Medical Exercise Program Directors (added in 1999), and Advanced Medical Exercise Specialists (added in 2020)!! GREAT JOB!!

Please take a moment and email me at [email protected]. Many of you I have known now for 30 years. I have watched you raise your kids, get married, open businesses, and deal with life's challenges. We are a MES family. Please let me know how you are doing. What new things are going on in your lives? And, how you have used your medical exercise certification to enhance your life? 

Thank you for allowing me to be part of your journey. I am very grateful for the great professionals and friends I have met along the way. You have made my life better.

God's continued blessings on you and yours....along with health and happiness. 

Dr Mike