Abra Cadabra: The Disappearing Act
of Exercise Physiologists
Nicole Beachman
Board Certified Exercise Physiology
Department of Exercise Physiology
The College of St. Scholastica
Duluth, Minnesota
My year in graduate school began like any
other year of higher education, except that my classmates were not comparing
notes on prospective majors, but exchanging ideas of what they wanted to
be when they “grew up”. I heard professions like family practice
physician, physician’s assistant, nurse, chiropractor, but not once did
I hear someone say, “I want to be an exercise physiologist.” That
was disturbing to hear, since we were dropping $20,000 to get a master’s
degree in Exercise Physiology. It seemed that exercise physiology
was just a stepping stone and not a profession. Well that can’t be
right . . . can it?
The Root of the Problem
This misconception can be traced back
to the undergraduate programs in exercise physiology. My undergraduate
education did not prepare me for the dangers of the “real world”
or the disappointments and failures associated with it. Was I the
victim of “educational malpractice” or just some poor schmuck who was looking
for a job at the wrong time? According to job descriptions and employment
listings, I was not qualified for anything related to exercise or health.
Even with a bachelor’s degree, I lacked this-that and the other thing.
I couldn’t even enter the military and be guaranteed a job in the exercise
physiology field, without a master’s degree!
Why is this happening? What can be
done to resolve the issue? The curriculum of exercise physiology
lacks in one important area of study: professionalization of exercise
physiology. Dr. Jesse Pittsley makes an interesting point, “a course dedicated
to professionalism is common in the academic phase of almost all professions
[like] physical therapy, nursing, and education.” Topics range from
history of the profession, ethical conduct, legal issues, and employment
opportunities [1]. I was under the impression that exercise physiology
was an established career and it would be no problem to find a job and
begin that career. Malpractice insurance and professional organizations
were unspoken in my undergraduate program. It’s going to take more
than band-aids to remedy this malady.
A Dose of Reality
Knowing maximum oxygen uptake and lactate
threshold are great, but that material alone will do nothing to further
the profession of exercise physiology in a positive way. Promoting
the profession begins at the undergraduate level. During the sophomore
and junior year, courses on professionalism should be required. Students
should learn of the history of exercise physiology, how the profession
serves the public sector, and what employment opportunities are available
after graduation. It would have encouraged me to be better, had I
known that a professional organization was there to support my efforts.
Students need to realize how vital it is to remain in the field of exercise
physiology. You can’t have a profession if there are no professionals
in it. The anxiety of failure can be neutralized and people will
be less eager to enter other academic fields.
The American Society of Exercise Physiologists
(ASEP) is a professional organization dedicated to the advancement of the
exercise physiology profession. ASEP was established to ensure that exercise
physiologist are held to the same standards and professional respect as
physical therapy, nursing, and occupational therapy. There are currently
seven state organizations of ASEP, with four or five more to be established
between 2004-2005. To elicit student participation, student chapters
of the state organizations need to take root. This should be more
evident in ASEP accredited colleges/universities. They can then attend
the state meetings and be surrounded by passionate exercise physiologists
who are currently “in the trenches.” Networking will be possible
(for later employment, recommendations, or internships), as well gaining
a better appreciation for their chosen career. Being an exercise
physiologist will not seem like a “stepping stone” to get to something
better, but a career to be proud of. Students will understand their
roles in being an advocate and promoter for exercise physiology.
Money, Money, Money
Because colleges and universities seem
to feel that higher education is a product that students are paying for,
it could mean that educators might be held liable for misleading the consumer
(students) by not providing all that was paid for. Thus, it is reasonable
to expect that a student could come back to the institution six or twelve
months later with a law suit in hand. He could make the argument
that the school did not adequately prepare him for what is beyond the academic
walls. His product does not live up to the promises the company claimed,
so it is therefore defective. It may sound ludicrous, but students
expect employment after graduation. “Employment for all exercise
physiologists, regardless of degree status” [2] should be a main concern
for faculty members to seriously consider. The question is then raised,
“What are educators doing to encourage their students to pursue exercise
physiology in the public sector?” From what I’ve heard and experienced,
not much. Where do you put the blame? Perhaps the students
are at fault for not asking the “right” questions. How about the
educators for not being more proactive about the profession, or the institution
for failing to realize that a problem exists? I don’t know the answer.
One of the biggest reasons people pursue
other career fields is the lack of financial stability in exercise physiology.
At the ASEP National Convention in April 2004, a presenter mentioned
the pay scale of exercise physiologists compared to other professions.
An exercise physiologist with a BA can make as much as $32,198 and a MA
may expect to earn $36,441 annually. Physician assistants are in
the lead with $63,490, followed by physical therapists at $60,180; registered
nurses, $49,840. Massage therapists make about $33,720 with only
one year or less of training [3]. No wonder so many graduates leave
exercise physiology. It hardly seems fair. For this reason
alone, we need an army of soldiers in the field to promote the advancement
of exercise physiology. Once we can get a solid, professional foundation
formed, there is nothing that can’t be accomplished, which includes increasing
the pay scale.
Working as One
Educators fail to mention that if the
field fails to unify its graduates, there will be a negative effect on
the job market [4]. Unifying all exercise physiologist is the obvious
secret weapon in combating a somewhat unorganized profession. But,
how do you get everyone on the same page? Maybe the first step is
to begin with the undergraduates. As they become graduate students,
doctoral students, and clinic directors, they will educate those that come
after them and influence those around them. Professionalism needs
to be taught at the undergraduate level, but the education needs to continue
with graduate and doctoral students. Educating the public and other
professions about what we are and what we do is important to ensure our
survivability. Boone [5] had this to say in his book:
“Working collectively is the key
to a successful marketing of professionalism. It would be disastrous
to think that a few exercise physiologists could fix the history of problems.
Even should they assume such a task and even if they were capable of solving
the problems, there is little community benefit without everyone involved”.
Change is not going to happen over night,
but don’t be discouraged to be an exercise physiologist. Believe
in the profession, support the mission statement of ASEP. If you
will use exercise physiology as a stepping stone, then why bother being
an exercise physiologist at all! It’s like a person going to medical
school, so they can become the CEO of a clothing company. It really
doesn’t make sense. Exercise physiology is on its way to becoming a prominent
health care provider. Don’t kill it before it has had a chance to live!
“There is hope and with hope there are dreams where possibilities become
reality [2].”
References
1. Pittsley, J. (2004). Are We Teaching
Professionalism? Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline.
5(6): [Online]. http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/AreWeTeachingProfessionalism.html
2. Kaelin, M. (2000). Buliding a Future
for All Exercise Physiologists. Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline.
3(5): [Online].
http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/BuildingExercisePhysiology.html
3. Pittsley, J. (2001). Strategies to
Teach Exercise Physiology Professionalism. Professionalization of Exercise
Physiologyonline. 4(2): [Online].
http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/STRATEGIES.html
4. U.S. Department of Labor – Bureau of
Labor Statistics
http://www.state.bis.gov/oes/2002/oes_nat.htm
5. Boone, T. (2001). Professional Development
of Exercise Physiology. The Edwin Mellen Press: NY, Canada, pg 55.