ASEPNewsletter
Vol
2 No 11
November,
1998
ISSN
1097-9743
The ASEPNewsletter
is devoted to informative articles and news items about exercise physiology.
It is a monthly magazine of news, opinions, exercise physiology professionals,
and events that shape exercise physiology. While it contains views and
opinions of the Editor
who oversees the ASEP Internet Websites, visitors can have a voice as well.
We welcome interested practitioners, researchers, and academicians to e-mail
the Publisher their thoughts and ideas or to respond directly via the ASEP
Public Forum.
December
1998
Going
Online
Tommy
Boone, PhD, MPH
Professor
and Chair
Department
of Exercise Physiology
College
of St. Scholastica
Duluth,
MN 55811
Shortly
after the American Society of Exercise Physiologists was founded as a nonprofit
corporation, it was clear that the ASEP members (and all exercise physiologists)
needed their own exercise physiology journal. After some thought about
the journal's guidelines, the electronic format, and who would assume the
Editorial responsibilities, the first ever online journal issue was posted
on the internet in April, 1997.
There
are now three electronically published issues, including July and October.
The Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Robert A. Robergs of the University of New Mexico,
Albqueque, NM, and an editorial staff of 12 Associate Editors are responsible
for the three electronic publications. We owe a lot to each of them for
agreeing to evaluate research manuscripts sent to them.
I am
the Managing Editor. My job is to work directly with the Editor-in-Chief
and, when instructed, post the manuscripts on the first-ever electronic
Journal
of Exercise Physiologyonline (JEPonline).
The journal is registered with several data bases, including Dr. MEDMarket's
Health Services Index (via the Medical Resources Index Category), the Association
of Research Libraries (ARL) Web site, the NewJour (that post online journals),
and the Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory. The latter directory
is the world's leading periodicals directory since 1932, and is used by
libraries, publishers, researchers, and subscription agencies.
JEPonline's
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is 1097-9751. The articles
published in the journal are not only available free of charge to any interested
person in the United States but worldwide. Anyone around the world within
minutes can access the articles!
While
Dr. Robergs and I had a brief discussion early on about a print copy of
the journal, for may different reasons the idea did not evolve. It should
come as no surprise that the primary problem is money. It takes too much
of it to start a print copy, especially if the organization has any desire
to maintain ownership of the journal.
Organizations
are generally required to give up the copyright to their journal when a
large publishing house publishes it. The members of the organization get
the print copy and the organizations get very little in return. Perhaps
later, only when the organization gets bigger and financially stable (assuming
both occur), it can gain control of the publication. It is still a matter
of money, however.
Fortunately,
with the support ASEP receives from the administrators of the College
of St. Scholastica, JEPonline
does not cost a dime. Members have access to it, and their membership dues
are reasonable. The internet has thus allowed for a leveling of the playing
ground in interesting ways. It is affordable and relatively easy-to-learn
technology. Exercise physiologists no longer have to depend on the print
copy establishment for information. Anyone can gain access to the internet
any time day or night. The door is never closed. This is real power made
possible by computer technology.
JEPonline,
however, answers only the research part of the profession. It is not designed
to address professional issues such as professionalism, professionalization,
certification, licensure, accreditation and so forth. Equally important
to realize is that there is not a journal, print copy or online that publishes
professionalization manuscripts. Obviously, another journal had to be created
to address these issues. This is unfortunately the side of exercise physiology
that has not been addressed during its relatively brief history. Yet without
a collectively-agreed upon professional philosophy there exist the real
possibility that exercise physiology will increasingly become more of a
technicial science and less of a profession.
Today,
exercise physiologists have the opportunity to present their ideas in a
journal designed to publish manuscripts on the professionalization of exercise
physiology. This opportunity is another first in the history of exercise
physiology. It is made possible by the relatively easy steps in creating
internet web sites. But, of course, the new eletronic journal entitled
the Professionalization
of Exercise Physiologyonline
(PEPonline)
requires a vision and work! The journal is a first of its kind. Now exercise
physiologists, who have seldom ever stopped to ponder professionalism much
less given the opportunity to read about it, can publish their ideas and
concerns about the profession.
One
such major concern are the neglected students who has just recently graduated
from college. Too often they graduate from particular college and are forgotten.
No one really knows or seems to care whether students locate a job in the
field or whether the job pays the bills. The next academic year rolls around
and there are new students to teach and so the cycle goes on.
It
can be argued that my view is extreme, but I do not think so. I have been
contacted by too many young people either in college, about to graduate
from college, just graduated, working in a less than desired job, or trying
to find a job in the field. Their concerns should be our concerns, but
are they? Until recently, communication between exercise physiology (science)
graduates and PhD professors did not exist. For the most part, there has
been a one-way, somewhat dutiful exchange only among PhDs and why not?
There is an almost unspoken understanding that no one can be an exercise
physiologists without the PhD degree. Students are generally unaware of
the existence of such notions and, fortunately, most are as amused as I
am when they hear or read of it.
Bad
ideas and ideas slow to live up to reality are subject to change. Nothing
is free from influence of open-minded professionals. Therefore, just as
change is constant and inevitable, so it is with poorly conceived ideas.
PEPonline
is the first serious in-road into examining the short-comings of crooked
thinking. ASEP is also the first organization to state that the undergraduate
student graduating from an exercise physiology (science) academic program
can be correctly referred to as an exercise physiologist. Why not? Aren't
graduating students considered (by title) a nurse when graduating from
a nursing program?
The
online PEPonline
journal uses the internet as the medium to share with others and the world
at large that exercise physiologists are professionals dedicated to the
professionalization of exercise physiology. It can be, if the graduates
choose to speak up, the means to exploring issues and concerns with academic
professors that otherwise may not be possible. Professors, in turn, can
present their views and why they believe as they do. A sharing in ideas
and possibility-thinking may very likely set the stage for a new relationship
between the BS/MS professional and the person with the PhD. I look forward
to the time when there will be more journals devoted to the professionalization
of exercise physiology.
Service
It's
important to join the Society for the right reasons. Probably the most
important reason is a sincere desire to help other exercise physiologists.
To make a difference in the professionalization of exercise physiology
isn't bad either. To change the profession for the better. Excellent! But
it's important to know that, for all the work Society members do, they
also receive a great deal in return. There are practical benefits such
as working with new colleagues to feeling really good about helping the
profession and making a difference.
The
skills that are required of successful service are those required in just
about any organization. The Society allows individuals the opportunity
to develop and to share ideas. It is about creating opportunities, and
becoming a member of a large community of exercise physiologists. It is
the beginning of the first big step to growing professionally.
To
help you take the first step, please fill out the ASEP Membership
Application located on the ASEP
Table of Contents web site. Submit the completed application to the
ASEP National Office in Duluth, MN. You may also want to submit a copy
of your resume and a copy of your educational transcripts.
Staff
at the National Office will be looking for detailed information about your
education and work experience. Most applicants are accepted into the Society.
A Membership Certificate is completed and sent to you along with an invitation
to commit to different ASEP committees.
Working
on a committee along side other exercise physiologists can be a special
experience. Most memberships also qualify you for additional volunteer
experience. The question is "How far are you willing to go to make a difference?"
ASEP
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