ISSN 1097-9743

From the Editor: Tommy Boone, PhD, MPH, MA, FASEP, EPC
The following "Proclamation" resulted from the recent National Summit in Indianapolis, IN.  It represents the collective thinking of the ASEP Board of Directors.

National Summit on Licensure of Exercise Physiologists
Indianapolis, IN
March 15-16, 2002
ASEP President: Dr. Richard Kreider

Proclamation

The practice of Exercise Physiology includes the use of equipment that enables the exercise physiologist to measure, examine, analyze, and/or provide instruction to determine and/or evaluate the components of health, physical fitness, and human performance.  Exercise physiologists use this information to develop and monitor exercise programs for a variety of populations in order to optimize health, fitness, performance.  The practice itself may require research and/or counsel for the purpose of enhancing performance and improving physical and/or emotional well-being.

Although most exercise physiologists have extensive educational training and have obtained certifications from other organizations, exercise physiology is an unregulated profession.  Individuals with little to no formal academic training in exercise physiology often serve as personal trainers, fitness instructors, and/or exercise specialists.  While exercise is safe and beneficial for a variety of healthy and diseased populations when properly prescribed and implemented, it can be used improperly when prescribed in an inappropriate manner by unqualified individuals.  The lack of standardized academic training and professional regulation of exercise physiologists has placed the public at risk to injury and/or fraud from unqualified individuals who function as exercise physiologists or related titles. 

The Indiana Association of Exercise Physiologists (IAEP), in collaboration with the American Society of Exercise Physiologists (ASEP), organized a national summit to discuss the regulation of exercise physiology and to coordinate efforts leading to licensure.   Representatives from over 15 states and several professional organizations attended the meeting.  The consensus from the summit was that the following proclamation be made regarding the effort to develop a licensed profession in exercise physiology: 
 

1.  There is a significant need for exercise physiologists to professionalize the field through a standardization of academic training, board certification, and the development of a licensed profession.

2.  Although exercise physiologists may belong to other organizations, ASEP was recognized as the only national organization devoted solely to the professional advancement of exercise physiologists.

3.  Since affiliation with a national organization exclusively dedicated to the exercise physiology profession is a pre-requisite for most states to pursue licensure, exercise physiologists interested in pursuing licensure are encouraged to join ASEP and form state ASEP Chapters.

4.  ASEP offers the only national accreditation guidelines for academic programs in exercise physiology.  Therefore, it was recommended that academic institutions that prepare students for careers in exercise physiology should seek and obtain academic accreditation through ASEP in order certify that the programs meet national accreditation guidelines. 

5.  Although there are a number of certifications for exercise physiologists, the ASEP Exercise Physiology Certified (EPC) examination represents the only legally recognized Board Certification available for exercise physiologists.  Therefore, graduates from accredited and non-accredited exercise physiology programs should seek and obtain the ASEP certification. 

6.  States interested in pursuing licensure of exercise physiologists should work together to develop a uniform licensure act so that reciprocal licensing agreements can be pursued among states obtaining licensure. 

7.  It was recognized that it will take time to develop state organizations, accredit academic programs, and increase the number of Board Certified exercise physiologists within states interested in pursuing licensure.  However, those interested in developing a licensed profession for exercise physiologists should begin working towards this goal. 

8.  We encourage ASEP to work toward increasing the number of state exercise physiology chapter affiliates, accrediting academic programs, and pursuing having the ASEP Board of Accreditation become accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). 

9.  We encourage other professional organizations in which exercise physiologists belong to support and participate in ASEP’s efforts to professionalize exercise physiology. 

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