I Know
Your're an Exercise Physiologist, But What Do You Do?
Tommy Boone, PhD, MPH, FASEP
Professor and Chair
Department of Exercise Physiology
Director of Exercise Physiology
Laboratories
The College of St. Scholastica
1200 Kenwood Office
Duluth, MN 55811
<>Exercise physiology
is not a fundamental science. It is instead a combination of basic and applied
sciences that significantly influences a range of exercises, athletic, and
human performance endeavors. Exercise physiologists are hired in all kinds of
careers. Some have discovered new and important concepts and in formation
about exercise, rehabilitation, and sports training. The PhD exercise physiologists
use their critical reflection skills as researchers premarily in the colleges and
universities in the United States. Others use their problem-solving skills in different
laboratories, many of which are the health, fitness, and rehabilitation
centers. As educators, trainers, managers, and entrepreneurs, they have given
shape and meaning to preventive healthcare.
Exercise physiologists
are also owners of health and fitness companies with hands-on practitioners
who teach and service the community including corporate, industrial,
and governmental agencies. Some are specialized in their professional
work, while others are more general with interdisciplinary application.
Students who pursue an exercise physiology education discover that the course
work provides a solid background for careers in other professions,
including physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing, and nutrition.
My sense of exercise
physiologists is that they can make a difference. By setting
exercise, fitness,
and rehabilitative standards, goals, and prioriti and by establishing
and nurturing a network of healthcare communications, they can make a difference
in the daily performance of the general public. Exercise physiologists
have enormous potential to influence the lives of people throughout society.
They have the power to effect change and to inspire.
Yes, but what
do exercise physiologists do? They work like everyone else! Take Allen M. Bostian,
MS, for example, he is the Director of Health and Fitness Services, Virginia
Beach General Hospital in Virginia, Robin L. Brothers, BS, who works as an
exercise physiologist at DeKalb Rehabilitation and Wellness, Fort
Payne, AL, or
Lee Brown, MEd, the Director of Student Wellness Center at Florida Atlantic
University, Davie, FL.
The ASEP Directory
of Membership is full of examples of what exercise physiologists
do. Charles W. Cortes, PhD, is a Program Administrator in Clinical and Research
Programs at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Dr.
Carlos Crespo teaches at the American University in Washington, DC. Donald C.
Diboll, PhD, is an exercise physiologist in the Department of Physical Education,
California State Unviversity, Bakersfield, CA, and Dr. Dorothy M. Diehl, also
a college teacher in the Department of Health, Physical Education, and
Recreation at Plymouth State College.
Karen S. Doy,
MS, works as an exercise physiologist in cardiac rehabilitation at Genesis Medical
Center-East Campus in Davenport, Iowa. Eric Durak, MSc, is the Director
of Medical Health and Fitness, Santa Barbara, CA. Hermann-J. Engels, PhD,
is an exercise physiology college professor at Wayne State University in
Detroit, MI. Irvin E. Faria, PhD, also a university exercise physiologist in California
is the Director of the Human Performance Laboratory at CSU-Sacramento,
CA. Ronald J. Franceschini, Jr., MEd, Clinical Coordinator of the Cardiovascular
and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Center, Pomina, NJ and, similarly, Wayne
W. Garrett, BS, who is the Director of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation
at Dekalb Baptist Medical Center in Fort Payne, AL.
Gary F. Gordon,
PhD, PT, is an exercise physiology professor at the College of St. Scholastica,
Duluth, MN. Similarly, Dr. Deborah L. Johnston teaches exercise physiology at
Baylor University in Waco, TX. Other well known exercise physiology professors
are Drs. Douglas M. Kleiner (University of North Florida), Richard B. Kreider
(University of Memphis), Charles P. Lambert (Eastern Michigan University),
Lars Robert McNaughton (Kingston University), Paula E. Papanek ( Marquette
University), Arlette C. Perry (University of Miami), Robert A. Robergs (University
of New Mexico), Donald W. Rodd (University of Evansville),
Petra B. Schuler (University of West Florida), Tom R. Thomas (University
of Missouri), Serge P. von Duvillard (University of North Dakota), Davle R. Wagner
(Southern California College), Joseph P. Weir (University of Osteopathic
Medicine and Health Sciences), Tom Wells (University of Puget Sound), Darryn
S. Willoughby (University of Southern Maine), John C. Wirth (Wayne State
University), and Rachel A. Yeater (West Virginia University).
Dave M. LaBore,
MS, is the Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation at St. Lukes Hospital, Duluth,
MN. Lea L. Lenahan, MPH, works in the Comprehensive Pain and Rehabilitation
Center at South Shore Hospital, Miami Beach, FL. Likewise, many other exercise
physiologists work successfully in several different hospitals, including
Allison McGill, MEd, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (in
cardiac rehabilitation), Tom Mendez, MSc (cardiac rehabilitation),
Chris Pamp, MEd (cardiac rehabilitation), and Wesley A. Stafford, MS (cardiac
rehabilitation).
In short, exercise
physiologists with the BS and/or MS degrees usually work in health, fitness,
wellness, and rehabilitation centers and clinics while those with PhDs usually
teach in colleges and universities.