The ASEP leaders are interested in students graduating from accredited exercise physiology programs who are board certified exercise physiologists. They expect the EPC to reflect such skills as self-directed professionalism, critical thinking, and the ability to balance personal interests with their responsibilities at work. At the risk of simplification, having made such bold statements, is it likely that the academic exercise physiologist is going to change? Before offering an answer, one to blame the college professor. They teach could say, “I am reluctant their classes. It is up to the students to find their way after If so, graduation.” how is it that the doctorate level physical therapists do research while still being held responsible for promoting professionalism in physical therapy? They get it. The bottom line is this: exercise physiologists do not get it, and that is the problem. Exercise physiology meets at least four of the five attributes of a profession [4]. There be any question that it has a systematic body of knowledge. can’t Similarly, there be any question that the exercise authority is can’t physiologist’s recognized by clients, and there is (in general) a broad community sanction of this authority. Third, the ASEP members and society recognize that the ASEP code of ethics is a regulatory code for professional conduct. What is a concern is the failure of the academic exercise physiologists to support the professional culture and scope of practice as presently written and sustained by the members of the ASEP professional society. However, not all is lost to the present condition of the fifth consideration. Change is a process, as is professional development. Time, as in decades, is required to achieve meaningful change. In terms of simplicity, the fact that ASEP is here to stay, is consistent with the work of other healthcare professionals, and is currently a unifying paradigm argues success already. Few exercise physiologists within the academic setting can argue that they have accomplished more. But aside from the obvious, the challenge is to develop exercise physiology educational strategies that will address the needs both in the classroom and in the public sector. students’ Students need the support of all exercise physiologists to achieve a measurable difference in job opportunities. They need success on their side just as the
The ASEP leaders are interested in students graduating from accredited exercise physiology programs who are board certified exercise physiologists. They expect the EPC to reflect such skills as self-directed professionalism, critical thinking, and the ability to balance personal interests with their responsibilities at work. At the risk of simplification, having made such bold statements, is it likely that the academic exercise physiologist is going to change? Before offering an answer, one could say, “I am reluctant to blame the college professor. They teach their classes. It is up to the students to find their way after graduation.” If so, how is it that the doctorate level physical therapists do research while still being held responsible for promoting professionalism in physical therapy? They get it. The bottom line is this: exercise physiologists do not get it, and that is the problem. Exercise physiology meets at least four of the five attributes of a profession [4]. There can’t be any question that it has a systematic body of knowledge. Similarly, there can’t be any question that the exercise physiologist’s authority is recognized by clients, and there is (in general) a broad community sanction of this authority. Third, the ASEP members and society recognize that the ASEP code of ethics is a regulatory code for professional conduct. What is a concern is the failure of the academic exercise physiologists to support the professional culture and scope of practice as presently written and sustained by the members of the ASEP professional society. However, not all is lost to the present condition of the fifth consideration. Change is a process, as is professional development. Time, as in decades, is required to achieve meaningful change. In terms of simplicity, the fact that ASEP is here to stay, is consistent with the work of other healthcare professionals, and is currently a unifying paradigm argues success already. Few exercise physiologists within the academic setting can argue that they have accomplished more. But aside from the obvious, the challenge is to develop exercise physiology educational strategies that will address the students’ needs both in the classroom and in the public sector. Students need the support of all exercise physiologists to achieve a measurable difference in job opportunities. They need success on their side just as the
Professional%20Development%20of%20Exercise%20Physiology%20Faculty.docx