TAKING THE HEALTH & WELLNESS COACH CERTIFYING EXAMINATION
TAKING THE HEALTH & WELLNESS COACH CERTIFYING EXAMINATION
The Health & Wellness Coach Certifying Exam helps health care professionals, patients, employers and educators identify health coaches who meet a high standard.
Stand Out in an Increasingly Competitive Field
This certifying exam measures the foundational knowledge, skills, tasks and abilities essential to the practice of health and wellness coaching.
Plus, you gain access to additional resources and networking opportunities to help advance your career, including a listing in the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) Directory, invitations to conferences and meetups, and entry into the NBHWC private Facebook group.
Overview
NBME collaborates with the NBHWC to create and manage the Health & Wellness Coach Certifying Exam, which is based on extensive research and the training, education and assessment of coaches who attended an NBHWC-approved school.
Test items are developed by nationally recognized subject matter experts who are experienced as practitioners and educators in the field. Examination content draws on the results of a job task analysis and broadly represents the principles of health and wellness coaching, teaching and practice.
Click here to learn more about the NBHWC.
Exam Content
Exam content is developed by nationally recognized subject matter experts, including both experienced educators and private practitioners in the field, and covers the following topics:
- Coaching Structure
- Coaching Process: Coaching Relationship/Communication/Techniques
- Health & Wellness
- Ethics/Legal (including NBHWC Code of Ethics)
Taking the Exam
The Health & Wellness Certifying Exam is offered at Prometric test centers across the United States and abroad. Click here to locate a Prometric test center.
The four and a half hour test session includes 150 multiple choice questions and is made up of the following sections:
- A 15-minute tutorial
- The first test section (1 hour and 52 minutes)
- A 15-minute break
- The second test section (1 hour and 52 minutes)
- A 15-minute post-test survey
Test Accommodations
NBME is committed to providing test accommodations to examinees with documented disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Click the link below to learn more about the types of accommodations available and for instructions on submitting a request.
Score Reports
Scoring for the Health & Wellness Coach Certifying Examination is designed to ensure that all certification holders have demonstrated a minimum level of knowledge consistent with conducting safe and effective health and wellness coaching.
The credential will be granted in recognition of successful performance on the Health & Wellness Coach Certifying Examination (“HWC Certifying Examination” or “HWCCE”), documented and verified work experience, and education.
Professionals who wish to obtain the credential must meet established eligibility criteria.
For eligibility requirements, see https://nbhwc.org/become-a-board-certified-coach.
A comprehensive list of recognized educational programs is available at https://nbhwc.org/find-an-approved-training-program.
Application & Fees
Follow the steps below to begin your application process.
- To start your eligibility application for the exam, access your candidate account at MyNBME.org.
- Upon purchasing the exam and submitting your application, you will receive an order confirmation e-mail.
- Compile and digitize supporting documentation to confirm your education and experience and upload the information online at MyNBME.org.
- If requesting test accommodations, you must complete and upload an accommodations request form and supporting documentation at MyNBME.org by the established deadline (See Test Accommodations section of this Bulletin.)
- You will be notified by e-mail, generally within 30 to 60 business days of uploading all supporting documentation, if you meet the eligibility requirements for the HWC Certifying Examination.
- Once your eligibility has been verified, you will receive an e-mail with your Prometric scheduling permit attached and instructions for accessing your permit online. The permit contains instructions for scheduling your exam. You are advised to schedule a test day appointment as soon as possible.
Sitting for the examination requires payment of the Processing and Examination Registration Fees noted below. Payment must be made online with a credit card.
| Processing Fees | Exam Registration Fee | Total Fee | |
|
Fee Amount for
2020 and 2021 |
$100 | $350 | $450 |
| Refundable? | No |
Yes - See Bulletin of Information
to learn more |
Resources
Visit the resource pages below to learn more.
