Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians

What Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians does

The Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians (ACSEP), founded in 1987 and headquartered in Melbourne, is the pre-eminent professional medical college representing Sport and Exercise Physicians across Australia and New Zealand. It is the sole accredited training body for SEM in Australasia and operates under accreditation from both the Australian Medical Council and the Medical Council of New Zealand. ACSEP functions as an independent, member-based nonprofit governed by a skills-based Board (four executive directors, an elected Registrar Representative, and three independent directors) under CEO Sudi Sekhar, with a headcount of 11-50 employees.

ACSEP's core offering is the Specialist Training Program — a competency-based three-stage pathway (minimum 3 years 7 months, maximum 10 years) delivered across ACSEP Accredited Training Practices and leading to Fellowship (FACSEP). Supporting products include SEM Academy (300+ hours of e-learning at semacademy.org), the ACSEP CPD Program, the MOST (Management of Sports Trauma) Course, the MSK Ultrasound Workshop, the Annual Scientific Conference, and a SIMG Assessment Pathway for international graduates. Sub-brands comprise SEM Academy, the MSK Ultrasound Workshop, and the MOST Course. Major alliances with the Australian Institute of Sport, Australian Olympic Committee, NRL, AFL, ARL, state institutes of sport, and Sports Medicine Australia and New Zealand embed ACSEP into the elite sport ecosystem.

ACSEP generates revenue predominantly through annual subscription memberships tiered by Fellow ($4,365.51-$4,802.06 AUD), Registrar, Associate ($1,248.65), Student ($113.20), CPD Homes ($1,750.44-$3,500.89) and SIMG ($3,850.98) categories, supplemented by training application and examination fees, MOST/MSK Ultrasound course fees, conference registration, and administration of Australian Government Specialist Training Program (STP/IRTP) salary and rural support payments to accredited training sites. Distribution is direct via the website, SEM Academy LMS, in-person training practices, conferences, and Fellows Dinners; no resale or partnership-based channel exists. A pivotal regulatory milestone from 1 July 2025 conferred consultant physician status under Medicare, materially expanding the economic value of ACSEP Fellowship.

Name

Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians

Legal name

Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians

Website

https://acsep.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ACSEP is the sole accredited professional body for Sport and Exercise Medicine in Australasia, delivering specialist training, continuing professional development, and member services to physicians across Australia and New Zealand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Specialty Training and Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF)

Keywords

• Sport and exercise medicine
• Specialist physician training
• Continuing professional development
• Medical fellowship programs
• Musculoskeletal ultrasound education

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership Fees: The college generates recurring revenue from annual membership subscriptions across multiple categories: Fellows (Australian $4,802.06, NZ $4,365.51), Registrars (AU $2,123.87, NZ $1,930.79), Associate Members ($1,248.65), Student Members ($113.20), CPD Homes members ($1,750.44–$3,500.89 depending on specialist status), and SIMG members ($3,850.98). These fees recur annually and constitute the primary revenue stream.
2. Training Program Fees: Revenue from one-time and periodic fees tied to the Specialist Training Program: Application fee ($1,412.08), Entrance Examination ($2,551.41), New Registrar Administration fee ($930.61), Research fees ($638.65), Fellowship Written and Clinical examination fees ($2,915.28–$3,701.40), Recognition of Prior Learning assessment ($3,082.23), and Academic Module fees ($1,126.65).
3. Education Courses: The MOST (Management of Sports Trauma) Course and MSK Ultrasound Workshop generate revenue at differentiated price points by membership status. MOST Course: $1,665.50–$2,936.00; MSK Ultrasound Course: $1,035.00–$2,060.00. Additional e-learning module fees are $2,252.16 for members and $2,794.50 for non-members.
4. Conference and Events: The Annual Scientific Conference and Registrar Conference generate revenue through tiered registration fees ranging from $460.58 (Student Members) to $2,659.95 (Non-Members), with early-bird discounts available. Fellows Dinners and other regional events also contribute.
5. Government STP/IRTP Funding Administration: ACSEP administers Australian Government Specialist Training Program (STP) funding, distributing Registrar Salary Support payments, Rural Support Loading ($15,000–$30,000 per annum), and PICS allowance ($30,000) to eligible training sites. ACSEP retains an administrative role in managing these government funds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ACSEP is the sole accredited training body for Sport and Exercise Medicine physicians in Australia and New Zealand, established in 1987. It delivers a multi-year Specialist Training Program for registrars, runs continuing professional development (CPD) activities for fellows, offers hands-on musculoskeletal ultrasound courses, and hosts an Annual Scientific Meeting. Membership tiers include Fellows, Registrars, Associates, Students, Affiliates, and Honorary members.

Product overview

ACSEP operates as a professional medical college offering a portfolio of educational products and services for Sport and Exercise Medicine. The core product is the Specialist Training Program, the only accredited pathway to Fellowship as a Sport and Exercise Physician in Australasia. This is supported by SEM Academy (an online learning platform with over 300 hours of content) and ACSEP e-Learning modules available through the LMS. Hands-on training is delivered through the Management of Sports Trauma (MOST) Course and MSK Ultrasound Workshop. The ACSEP CPD Program provides ongoing professional development requirements, while the Annual Scientific Conference offers networking and education opportunities. A SIMG Assessment Pathway serves international medical graduates seeking specialist recognition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SEM Academy: The most comprehensive resource for Sport and Exercise Medicine education worldwide, managed by ACSEP with content experts from across the globe.
• MSK Ultrasound Workshop
• MOST Course (Management of Sports Trauma)

Products and services

• Specialist Training Program (STP)

Quantifiable outcome

• From 1 July 2025, Medicare rebates for SEP consultations increased with consultant physician status recognition.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Australian Institute of Sport (AIS)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe AIS is Australia's strategic high performance sport agency responsible for leading the delivery of international sporting success. As a key partner, ACSEP Fellows and registrars have access to elite sporting environments and the AIS connects ACSEP to the national sports system for collaborative professional development, research, and athlete care initiatives.
• Australian Olympic Committee (AOC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe AOC is a non-government, not-for-profit organisation committed to the development of youth and sport, responsible for selecting, sending, and funding Australian Teams to the Olympic Games. ACSEP provides medical expertise and SEPs for Olympic team coverage through this partnership.
• Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe VIS assists the development of Victoria's best athletes through scholarship programs, partnering with State Sporting Associations. Over 300 athletes receive VIS services. ACSEP training sites and Fellows connect registrars to VIS environments.
• National Rugby League (NRL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe NRL is the top professional rugby league competition in Australasia, contested by 16 teams. ACSEP provides specialist SEM expertise to NRL clubs, with Fellows serving as team physicians and contributing to player welfare programs.
• Australian Football League (AFL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe AFL is the pre-eminent professional competition in Australian rules football. ACSEP Fellows serve as team doctors for AFL clubs, and the partnership supports training opportunities for registrars in elite AFL environments.
• Australian Rugby League (ARL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ARL is the governing body for rugby league football in Australia. ACSEP partners with ARL to advance SEM standards and provide physician coverage across the sport.
• Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAIS provides opportunities for talented Western Australian athletes to achieve excellence in elite sport. ACSEP connects WA-based registrars and Fellows to WAIS athlete care and training environments.
• South Australian Sports Institute (SASI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished in 1982 as Australia's first state sports institute, SASI identifies, develops, and supports athletes with potential for national and international performance. ACSEP partners through training placements and Fellow involvement in SA sporting environments.
• Sport Integrity Australia (SIA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIA keeps Australian sport safe and fair by consolidating ASADA, NISU, and national integrity programs. ACSEP's partnership with SIA includes anti-doping education as a mandatory CPD requirement for Fellows and the development of position statements on doping-related issues.
• Sports Medicine Australia (SMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSMA is Australia's peak national umbrella body for the prevention of lifestyle diseases through sports medicine and sports science. ACSEP collaborates with SMA on professional development, events, and advancing SEM as a discipline.
• Sports Medicine New Zealand (SMNZ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSMNZ is a non-profit multidisciplinary organisation for health professionals and others interested in community health with special reference to sports medicine and exercise science. ACSEP collaborates with SMNZ for the benefit of SEM practitioners across Australasia.
• Australian Indigenous Doctors' Association (AIDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIDA contributes to equitable health and life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. ACSEP's partnership with AIDA supports cultural safety training (mandatory CPD requirement) and the Indigenous Health Advisory Committee, advancing workforce diversity (8% Indigenous in 2025 cohort).
• Sports and Exercise Medicine Students Australia (SEMSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEMSA is a multidisciplinary health students' organisation facilitating education and career development in SEM. ACSEP partners with SEMSA to engage medical students, promote Student Membership, and build the future SEM workforce pipeline.
• Osteopathy Australia (OA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOsteopathy Australia represents osteopaths across Australia and is involved in policy development, lobbying, and clinical quality. ACSEP's partnership with OA facilitates multidisciplinary collaboration in musculoskeletal and exercise medicine care.
• Little Big Steps (LBS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLittle Big Steps gets kids with cancer moving, working to ensure every Australian child with cancer accesses exercise medicine as part of treatment. ACSEP supports this initiative by providing SEM expertise for exercise medicine in paediatric oncology.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Direct peers

• American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM): Largest US-based sports medicine and exercise science organisation delivering certification, continuing education and clinical resources. Comparable in mission and content offering to ACSEP/SEM Academy, though broader (exercise science) and not a single-specialty physician college.
• Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine (UK): UK-based intercollegiate faculty of the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh that sets standards and provides training for Sport and Exercise Medicine in the UK. Structurally and functionally analogous to ACSEP, just under the NHS/Joint Committee pathway instead of AMC/MCNZ.
• Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine (CASEM): National specialty society for SEM in Canada, providing CPD, training pathway support and continuing professional development. Direct international equivalent to ACSEP's mandate in the Canadian jurisdiction.

Broad incumbents

• Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP): Parent umbrella college for physician specialties in Australasia. ACSEP sits within the CPMC alongside RACP. RACP offers the broader physician training framework that SEM fellows could otherwise be subsumed into.
• Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP): Largest general practice college in Australia. The MOST Course is RACGP-accredited for 23 hrs CPD, and ACSEP's Executive Manager Training previously worked at RACGP - evidencing direct operational model overlap and CPD cross-credentialing.
• Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM): Peers in rural and remote medical education. The MOST Course is ACRRM-accredited for 25.75 hrs CPD, indicating regulatory and CPD-programmatic crossover.
• Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS): Large specialist surgical college in Australasia. ACSEP's Chair (John Biviano) was previously CEO of RACS. Operates a similar skills-based board, fellowship, and CPD model at much greater scale.

Regional players

• Sports Medicine New Zealand (SMNZ): NZ-based multidisciplinary sports medicine organisation operating alongside ACSEP in the New Zealand market. Direct regional counterpart for the NZ leg of ACSEP's trans-Tasman jurisdiction.
• Sports Medicine Australia (SMA): Australia's peak multidisciplinary sports medicine and sports science body. SMA and ACSEP co-organise events and exchange expertise but SMA covers multiple disciplines whereas ACSEP is physician-only.

Others

• Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA): National professional body for exercise physiologists and sports scientists. Adjacent discipline - exercise science rather than SEM physicians - but collaborates in multidisciplinary MSK and chronic disease care.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/acsep_
• Facebookfacebook.com/theACSEP
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acsepsem
• Instagraminstagram.com/acsep_

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians