PEPonline
Professionalization
of Exercise Physiologyonline

An international electronic
journal for exercise physiologists
ISSN 1099-5862

Vol 2 No 3 March 1999

 

To Be a Professional
SHANE PAULSON,  MA
Exercise Physiologist
and Professional Member - ASEP


I am an exercise physiologist and I work for the United States Department of Defense.  I serve the U.S. Air Force on a base in the northeastern United States.  I oversee and advise over 2000 active duty soldiers in regard to their physical conditioning requirements.  I am available to dependants, retirees, and other civilians employed by the government for a myriad of services that range from educational classes to fitness evaluations and exercise prescriptions.

There are many changes happening in our field.  One significant change is ASEP.  I believe we all have a good sense of the difficulties that students and recent graduates are facing (apparent in the ASEP Public Forum postings).  Exercise physiologists are currently experiencing a sort of revolution in the way we are perceived and received.  It might be argued that we are poorly received due to a general lack of recognition in the public.  In other words, people don’t know what we do.  When people don’t know about something, they generally don’t just accept it or make it part of their life.

As we undergo the changes that allow others to recognize us, their perception of us will become more accurate.  As the accuracy of that perception grows, so then do the expectations that will be placed on exercise physiologists.  It seems that we almost put the cart before the horse in respect to expectations.  Students and graduates alike expect to find jobs with reasonable pay and professional recognition. However, not until the founding of ASEP did an individual organization step forward to address the expectations that exercise physiologists must live up to.

Professionalism is a mindset.  If you believe that you can do something and you do it well, you are an expert.  If others believe you to be an expert, you are probably considered a professional.  Academia and the public must also agree that everyone in the professional classification deserves to share the same respect (albeit on different levels according to degree).  One way to be know that we deserve the respect we get as professionals is to have academic standards and professional criteria for calling ourselves exercise physiologists. ASEP’s established Code of Ethics and a standardized curriculum plan are a very good start.

It is not my intent to get into the common disagreement of ‘whom’ is an exercise physiologist.  Until employers only hire certified EPs from accredited programs, there will be people with other credentials in the exercise physiology career field. It is clear that ASEP is oriented to the goal of standardizing exercise physiology in the United States as well as the rest of the world.

To current EP students, I remember the fear of limited job prospects.  I remember purposely forgetting about my student loan balance for the sake of my sanity.  I still wonder at the expense of it all and how long it will take to pay off.  I take solace in the fact that others have invested more for much less.

My advice is this:

  • If your curriculum does not meet the requirements set forth by ASEP, strive to get it changed.
  • Become a member of ASEP.
  • Take an active role in changing your future and the futures of those who will follow.
  • Encourage others to become members.
  • By joining this cohesive network of professionals, you will also come into contact with more career opportunities.
  • Attend the annual meetings and become certified.
  • Use the ASEP Public Forum to ask questions and respond to your colleagues.
  • Submit articles to be published in the ASEP journals.
  • All of this will help to cement your standing as a professional exercise physiologist.

    Although I am not the official word, I believe opportunities for continuing education that lead to eligibility for certification will be available.  This would facilitate the transition to program accreditation by allowing everyone access to the profession while still upholding the qualification criteria.

    Obviously, membership will have its privileges.  Don’t let the profession get too far ahead of you!  There will inevitably be some that refuse to see the utility in this, and unfortunately, they will be left behind.  Get into the mindset of a professional, become an expert, and become a member of  ASEP. 



    Copyright ©1999 American Society of Exercise Physiologists. All Rights Reserved.


     

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