Functional Medicine Academy: The Gold Standard in Accredited Functional Medicine Education
Why Accreditation Matters (More Than Most People Admit)
Not all continuing education is created equal.
Accreditation is what ensures that education is:
- Evidence-based
- Free from commercial bias
- Reviewed for quality and relevance
- Recognized by licensing and credentialing boards
In other words, accreditation protects you — your license, your credibility, and your professional standing.
That’s why every accredited program at The Dr. Z is built to meet rigorous national standards, without sacrificing practicality or clinical nuance.
Setting the Standard for Accredited Functional Medicine Education
The Functional Medicine Academy (FMA) provides accredited continuing education recognized across multiple healthcare professions. FMA’s educational activities meet rigorous national standards for quality, independence, and clinical relevance, including Joint Accreditation, widely regarded as the gold standard in continuing professional education.
This approach allows a single educational activity to be recognized by multiple professional accrediting bodies, ensuring consistency, integrity, and relevance across disciplines.
What this means for learners:
- A unified educational experience recognized by multiple professions
- Shared standards for educational quality, scientific integrity, and outcomes
- Education designed to support real-world clinical practice and professional compliance
FMA’s accredited programs are evidence-based, evaluated for effectiveness, and developed independently of commercial influence. The focus is on advancing clinical reasoning, improving patient care, and supporting licensed professionals in meeting continuing education requirements without unnecessary complexity.
Accredited Education That Respects Your Time — and Your License
Continuing education shouldn’t feel like a hoop to jump through.
If you’re going to invest hours away from patients, family, and real life, that education should do two things:
- Count toward your license
- Actually make you a better clinician
At The Dr. Z, accredited education exists to close the gap between what traditional training prepared you for — and what real patients are walking in with every day.
Accrediting Bodies & Credit Recognition
The Functional Medicine Academy (FMA) is accredited by and works in partnership with leading national accrediting organizations that set the standards for continuing education across healthcare professions.
Accreditation and credit availability vary by program and profession. Specific details are listed on each individual course page.
Physicians (MD / DO)
ACCME – Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education
Education for physicians that meets rigorous ACCME standards for independence, scientific integrity, and measurable impact on clinical practice. Eligible activities offer AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ for MDs and DOs.
Nurses & Nurse Practitioners (RN / NP)
ANCC – American Nurses Credentialing Center
High-quality continuing education designed for registered nurses and nurse practitioners, aligned with ANCC standards for professional development, clinical relevance, and patient-centered care.
Chiropractic Physicians (DC)
National University of Health Sciences (NUHS)
Continuing education provided through National University of Health Sciences, an institution accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE), supporting clinical competence, evidence-informed practice, and ongoing professional development for Doctors of Chiropractic.
Pharmacists
ACPE – Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education
Accredited education for pharmacists that supports evidence-based practice, clinical decision-making, and lifelong learning in accordance with ACPE requirements.
Physician Assistants (PA)
AAPA – American Academy of Physician Associates
Continuing education recognized for physician assistants, supporting clinical competence, professional growth, and compliance with PA licensure and certification expectations.
Dentists
ADA CERP – American Dental Association Continuing Education Recognition Program
Continuing education for dentists that meets ADA CERP standards for educational quality, relevance, and independence.
Psychologists
APA – American Psychological Association
Accredited continuing education for psychologists, designed to support ethical practice, clinical skill development, and ongoing professional competence.
Social Workers
ASWB – Association of Social Work Boards
Continuing education for social workers that aligns with ASWB standards and supports ethical, evidence-informed practice across care settings.
Athletic Trainers
BOC – Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer
Continuing education for athletic trainers that supports professional competence, clinical skill advancement, and certification maintenance.
Registered Dietitians
CDR – Commission on Dietetic Registration
Continuing education for registered dietitians (RDs) that meets CDR standards and supports evidence-based nutrition and clinical practice.
Education Designed for Real Clinical Complexity
Accreditation alone doesn’t make education useful.
Our programs are built for clinicians who:
- Treat chronic, complex, or multi-system conditions
- Work with patients who don’t fit clean diagnostic boxes
- Are tired of theory-heavy education with no translation to the exam room
- Want CE that sharpens judgment, not just knowledge
Programs are offered in live and on-demand formats, with varying time and financial commitments, so earning CME/CE fits into real clinical life.
Each course page clearly lists:
- Eligible professions
- Credit types
- Total credit hours
- Any required assessments
Integrity Comes First — Always
All accredited educational activities through The Dr. Z are:
- Free from commercial influence
- Compliant with accreditor standards for independence
- Designed around patient-centered, evidence-informed care
You won’t find product pitches disguised as protocols or sponsored “education” hiding in the curriculum.
International Clinicians
In the United States, CME is overseen by the ACCME.
Internationally, acceptance of continuing education varies by country and governing body.
We work to ensure our education is globally relevant, but international learners should confirm credit applicability with their local licensing or credentialing organization.
Clinical Certifications Available Through The Dr. Z
Our certifications are designed for licensed clinicians who want more than surface-level education. Each program combines evidence-based learning with real clinical application—so what you learn actually shows up in the room with patients.
Below is a snapshot of the clinical certifications currently available through The Dr. Z.
Core Functional Medicine Certification
Functional Medicine Certification (FMACP / FMACC)
A comprehensive, nuts-to-bolts certification covering functional health, nutrition, gut health, cardiometabolic care, hormones, and ethical practice systems. Built to help clinicians confidently integrate functional medicine into real-world practice.
Digestive & Gut Health
Belly Aches & Bloating – Part 1
Foundational functional approach to digestive dysfunction, including reflux, gallbladder and liver health, nutrient absorption, IBS, and lab interpretation.
Belly Aches & Bloating – Part 2
Advanced gut health training covering SIBO, SIFO, candida, leaky gut, IBD, complex cases, and advanced lab analysis.
Cardiometabolic & Nutrition
More Than Cholesterol
A functional cardiovascular certification focused on advanced lipid markers, inflammation, insulin resistance, and root-cause heart health.
Food as Medicine
Clinical nutrition certification addressing blood sugar balance, metabolic dysfunction, weight resistance, nutrient testing, and patient-ready food protocols.
Weight Loss Certification
A functional medicine approach to weight loss focused on metabolic dysfunction, insulin resistance, inflammation, hormone balance, and sustainable clinical interventions.
Hormones & Endocrinology
Hormones Gone Haywire
A comprehensive functional endocrinology certification covering adrenal, thyroid, reproductive, metabolic, and stress-related hormone dysfunction.
Advanced Hormone Dynamics in Women – Part 1 & Part 2
In-depth women’s hormone training covering BHRT, DUTCH interpretation, thyroid labs, sexual dysfunction, gut-hormone interactions, and protocol design.
Men’s Health & Hormone Optimization
Targeted training on male hormones, fertility, sexual health, metabolic resilience, cardiovascular risk, and ethical hormone prescribing.
Brain & Cognitive Health
Brain Health Certification – Part 1 & Part 2
Functional approach to cognitive decline, mood disorders, neuroinflammation, brain injury, sleep, circadian rhythm, and advanced therapeutic tools.
Immune, Inflammatory & Complex Chronic Disease
Autoimmunity Certification
Advanced functional medicine training focused on immune dysregulation, chronic inflammation, gut-immune interactions, environmental triggers, and root-cause management of autoimmune conditions.
Pediatrics
Special Pediatrics Training with Dr. Z
Functional pediatrics certification covering digestion, immunity, neurodevelopment, behavior, detoxification, nutrition, labs, medications, and family-centered care.
Longevity, Biohacking & Peptides
Anti-Aging, Biohacking & Peptides – Part 1 & Part 2
Longevity-focused training covering hormone optimization, mitochondrial health, peptides, biohacking technologies, sleep, stress, and regenerative strategies.
Environmental & Toxic Load
Advanced Mold Dynamics – Part 1 & Part 2
Specialized training in mold illness, mycotoxin exposure, detoxification pathways, mitochondrial repair, and complex environmental cases.
Labs & Clinical Decision-Making
Mastering Functional Medicine Labs
Practical lab interpretation training covering bloodwork, DUTCH, GI-MAP, OATs, and LabDX prioritization for confident clinical decisions.
Upcoming Certifications
- Genetics
- Neurodivergence
- Dermatology
- Biohacking human behavior
(New certifications are released regularly.)
Want Access to All Certifications — Without Chasing Them One by One?
Most clinicians don’t need another certification collecting dust.
They need ongoing support, real case guidance, and a place to sharpen their thinking week after week.
That’s why Clinical Core Monthly (CCM) exists.
Inside CCM, members receive:
- Access to the full certification library (past and future while active)
- Weekly live clinical trainings
- Real case reviews with Dr. Z and the clinical team
- LabDX software and protocol tools
- Continuing education credits where applicable
- A private, clinical-only community for support and discussion
If you want accredited education plus the backup and structure to actually use it, CCM is your clinical home base.
