PEPonline Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline An international electronic journal for exercise physiologists ISSN 1099-5862 Vol 3 No 8 August 2000   How Far Are You Willing To Go To Make A Difference Tommy Boone, PhD, MPH, FASEP Professor and Chair Director, Exercise Physiology Laboratories College of St. Scholastica Duluth, MN I NEVER EXPECTED I would be writing so much about exercise physiology.  Since I started JEPonline, my first (and I thought my only) electronic journal, I quickly realized that ASEP is more about professionalism than research.  To date, more than 60 articles have been published in ASEP’s second electronic journal, PEPonline.  It is now a recognized cyberspace journal for exercise physiologists interested in publishing articles about the professionalism of exercise physiology.  It has also been a forum, by default, from which I have published my thoughts about all aspects of exercise physiology professionalism.   In fact, I am sure that some of my colleagues think I have gone over the edge.  I guess it has crossed my mind, too. Then, with the upcoming of another month, I start to think about “What should I write?”  and “How can I help other exercise physiologists?”  Equally important to me is the question, “That if I should stop writing, who will take my place?”  Even though there are a few friends with my passion for exercise physiology profession and who understand the need for my work, they haven’t submitted the articles I thought they would.  If not for a very few submissions by less than 10 colleagues across several years, I suppose I would be the only person writing about professionalism and credentials. Yet, there are thousands of exercise physiologists with a lot to say.  They have ideas, and they are high achievers but their work seems to be a dedication of something other than ASEP.  To write an article isn’t an easy task.  I owe a lot of gratitude to the individuals who wrote me letters, emailed me, and called to talk about the problems they faced as non-PhD exercise physiologists.  I still have their letters and from time-to-time, I re-read them to keep my feelings grounded and connected with the original purpose for ASEP, that is, to improve the quality of life for all exercise physiologists through certification, licensure, and/or accreditation.  I would not have a reason to speak out or to write if it were not for their leadership in recognizing the need for change.  So, perhaps, now you can better understand my motivation.  I’m not in the business of writing articles for any reason except that I feel the need to do so.  For whatever reason, I’m in the right position with the right toys to express my passion.  I believe in the importance of exercise physiologists learning to think and communicate “professionalism” beyond the context of well written research articles.  So, once again, I decided to write about the ASEP purpose and the future of exercise physiology that comes from vision from within.  I hope you find it useful.  I also hope that during these times of many challenges and conflicts that you will take the time to consider YOUR answer to the question, “How far are you willing to go to make a difference?”  ASEP needs your support and leadership.  We all possess the ability to be a leader.  You can be part of history in the making.  I’m convinced that with your skills and abilities, nothing can stop us from achieving success.   Collectively, all we have to do is help other exercise physiologists understand the importance of ASEP and create, where possible, an enjoyable experience while charting a new course in the history of exercise physiology. Members of ASEP have a vision of a new professional in athletics, health, fitness, and rehabilitation.  They also have the ability to create it by showing how YOU can get help and how YOU can create results that will benefit all exercise physiologists.  The vision begins first with a change in yourself; a change that allows you to see the big picture.  ASEP is about its members.  It is about changing “what is” to “what can be” so that all exercise physiologists at graduation have the same chance to be fulfilled, to have a better life, and to live as happier professionals.  It is about shaping our future by our own thinking, even if we should experience failures along the way.  As long as get back up and make yet another decision to keep with the program, we are winners. Don’t fear failure or what you think you can’t do.  We are all imperfect, and all of us will make mistakes for years to come.  The biggest mistake we don’t want to make is to do nothing.  Choosing not to change is the worst possible decision.  It kills all motivation and, thus keeps YOU from getting out of emotional debt.  Forget about failing and think about what you feel is important to professionalize exercise physiology, and do it.  Just do it.  Remember, it isn’t about what others think but what you think is important and the steps you make to take responsibility.  It is about helping other exercise physiologists get what they want: meaning and purpose.  It is about finding ways, as exercise physiologists, to look at the emerging profession differently from the shared experiences of the past 40 years.  How far are you willing to go to make a difference?  Are you willing to write down your ideas and act on them?  Are you?  Do you have the energy to move others to act?  Are you willing to share in the risk-taking?  If you are willing, then you can help lead yourself and other exercise physiologists from “what is” to “what can be”.   The “what is” structure within higher education isn’t what it could be.  It is largely a result of lack of direction from within exercise and sport science.  Of particular importance, in face of the excellent research in exercise physiology, is the continuation of the physical education/exercise science aftermath from decades ago.  By this I mean, exercise physiologists (and physical educators as well, or as they are typically referred to by today’s terminology, kinsiologists) should have continued the movement from physical education departments to stand alone exercise physiology departments and from being a discipline to being a profession.  It stands to reason we haven’t arrived because, if vision shows us where we are headed (1), it is clear that we didn’t have a goal to know where we wanted to go. So, where are we and what are you going to do help?  Exercise physiology, as an emerging profession, has gone too far to turn back to the physical education model.  Yet some aspects of the model exists in most colleges and universities regardless of the spectacular work by exercise physiologists, particularly as researchers.  Today, the model exists even though many students at the graduate level do not have an undergraduate degree in physical education.  An excellent account of the fact that “…we are both a discipline and a profession peopled with an increasing number of highly trained specialists….” (2) without a prerequisite undergraduate degree.  While others may see themselves arguing for the physical education and sport science undergraduate preparation, it is my opinion that the undergraduate degree should be in exercise physiology prior to enrolling in the master’s degree program.  Instead of specialization, we need academically prepared professionals with an understanding of ASEP’s Scope of Practice for exercise physiologists. As Bender states, “It’s not what you know.  It’s what you are doing with what you know.” (1)  Exercise physiologists, like biomechanists, sport psychologists, and exercise nutritionists, know a lot about research of the human body.  What is missing is the absolute and total affiliation with other exercise physiologists.  This same view isn’t true with the other areas of specialization.  Young scholars as biomechanists learn quickly of their responsibility to affiliate with the biomechanical professional organizations first and sports medicine second.  I don’t see this as a problem for biomechanists.  In fact, it makes good sense.  It is a problem however for exercise physiologists because, without a collective understanding of who are we, it is likely we will remain fragmented while other disciplines advance to professional status. Leadership from within the ASEP organization is powerfully motivated to ensure that exercise physiology fulfills the requirements of a profession.  Fragmentation isn’t an acceptable outcome.  The amazing thing about the longer ASEP projects to the world a consistent set of standards from which its members never deviate, the more non-ASEP exercise physiologists will learn to trust and strengthen their association with ASEP (3).   Eventually, all exercise physiologists will come to know that exercise physiology begets exercise physiology.   History is important, but it is time now that ASEP makes sense of where we are going.  The need for synthesis is no longer a coming together of specialities resulting from physical education.  Rather, it is the building of exercise physiology departments with an accredited curriculum dedicated to professionalize what we are.  The first part of the “building” is evident in numerous new departments with academic degrees in exercise physiology.  While it is true some of these colleges and/or universities may still refer to the degree as exercise science, that, too will change with collaborative thinking.  The second part of the building will be realized with ASEP’s accreditation initiative.  Hence, the prospect of a new and better future for the exercise physiology student raises increasingly new hope and less disenchantment with the public sector.  All it takes is someone like YOU to lead others to ASEP.  It takes vision and passion and, yes, the willingness to exchange information and feelings with others.  Its putting words to work, not accepting what is because “what is” is not the end.  As Winston Churchill said:  “This is not the end.  It is not even the beginning of the end.  But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” (4)  The last line is especially important.  It is exciting to think of the unexpected founding of ASEP as the end of the beginning of a call to action decades ago by physical educators who wanted more scientific analysis of athletics and fitness.  Assuming the future will be nothing like the past, it is highly likely that more non-PhD exercise physiologists will have the opportunity to influence exercise physiology.  They will be relatively free of the 1980s methods of thinking and the dilemma faced by professionals who are 20 to 30 years older (2).  Needless to say, while they will be less hamstrung by groupthink, they may not think of themselves as a leader.  Thinking that way, young exercise physiologists are reluctant to step forward.  Just mention the word “leadership” and it is likely they will say I’m no Gandhi or Churchill or Iacocca (5).  However, at the level of a single exercise physiologist, it is painfully important that he/she (YOU) think of him- or herself as a leader.  It would also help greatly if our educational system taught our students to think as leaders.  The world is changing so why not have more leaders and fewer followers?  In other words, why don’t more college professors teach their students “how to think vs what to think?”  Learning how to think is fundamental to strong leadership.  It is thinking that is crucial to producing and sustaining the ASEP movement in the long-term best interests of the members.  Rather a simple idea, don’t you think?  But, strangely, that’s the way it works.  Set little goals.  Work hard to meet them.  Then, set different but slightly bigger (yet attainable) goals.  Meet them, and YOU and ASEP will succeed.  It is as basic as keeping your eyes on the big picture. (6)  I’m reminded of Gilbert Highet and his wonder 1954 book, Man’s Unconquerable Mind where he states,  “With all its limitations, with all its dangers, reason is still one of the essential powers of man.”  (7)  But, unfortunately, minds of good students are wasted by professors who have narrow views, or students who are in situations where professors resist the freedom of speech or of the press.  The beauty of honest, sincere reasoning is that our minds are activated and our interest is aroused.  With so much energy and focus we are less apt to waste time dwelling on yesterday and more time on sentences that begin with, “You will find…” or “You can benefit by…” or “Imagine your…”  (8)  Sentences that begin with “You will find…”  could easily finish with such words as “…the respect that you desire with exercise physiology certification.”   Or,  “Imagine your colleagues at St. Luke’s Cardiac Rehabilitation treating you with the respect that nurses and physical therapists receive.”  Or,  “You can benefit mentally, emotionally, and financially when exercise physiology is referred to as a profession.”   Or,   “You will find that the exercise physiology public image can change when you have the right to control its agenda.” Few PhD exercise physiologists seem to understand that when the members of an occupation  “…create and utilize systematic knowledge in solving individual client problems or problems of groups of clients…”  -- the occupation can be referred to as a “profession”. (9)   Flexner’s six characteristics of a profession are:  It is intellectual, carrying with it high responsibility. It is based on a body of knowledge. It is practical rather than theoretical. It is taught through educational resources. It is organized internally. It is motivated by altruism. (10)  Clearly, exercise physiology meets all of these criteria and more!  Take the model of professions provided by Greenwood (11) and ask yourself,  "Do ASEP exercise physiologists have a demonstrated relationship with colleagues and clients regulated by a Code of Ethics?"  and  "Do they have a formal professional organization that supports their professional culture?"  If the answer is 'yes' to both questions, then exercise physiology fits the Greenwood model of professions. The word profession comes from the Latin professus, meaning to have affirmed publicly. (12)  It seems that the term described occupations that required new entrants to take an oath professing their dedication to the ideals and practices associated with a learned calling in the spirit of public service.  This is just one definition.  There are many defintions and the attempt to define a profession will go on for years to come.  Perhaps, in the long run, what is important is professionalism!  Professions can be defined in many ways by many different people for a 100 different reasons.  The same is true with the definition of professionalism.  The definition of professionalism is not as important as how exercise physiologists demonstrate it in their work.  Are they competent?  Ethical?  Do they have integrity?  Do the exercise physiologists demonstrate a commitment to develop their skills to the fullest and to apply them responsibly to the problems at hand?  Justice Sandra day O'Connor of the United States Supreme Court gives as her definition of professionalism: "Professionalsim requires adherence to the highest ethical standards of conduct and a willingness to subordinate narrow self-interest in pursuit of the more fundamental goal of public service." (12) How far are you willing to go to make a difference?  How about joining ASEP?  Why not share with your colleagues and friends the fact that ASEP has determined “standards of education” via its accreditation document?  Why not share with your professors the idea that, with ASEP exercise physiology certification, professional practice is recognized as well as autonomy of judgement of one’s performance?  Will you share the vision, goals and objectives of ASEP with your friends?  Will you recognize that ASEP is the professional organization that defines criteria of admission, educational standards, and career lines within the profession? References 1. Bender PU. (1977). Leadership From Within. Toronto, Canada: Stoddart Publishing Company. 2. Swanson RA and Massengale JD. (1977). Current and future directions in exercise and sport science.  John D. Massengale and Richard A. Swanson. (Editors). The History of Exercise and Sport Science. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. 3. Lee B. (1997). The Power Principle: Influence With Honor. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. 4. Lewis D. (1996). How To Get Your Message Across. New York, NY: Barnes & Noble. 5. Kotter J. (1988). The Leadership Factor. New York, NY: The Free Press. 6. Levin SR and Crom MA. (1993). The Leader In You. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.  7. Highet G. (1954). Man’s Unconquerable Mind. New York, NY: Columbia University Press. 8. Stettner M. (1995). The Art of Winning Conversation. New York, NY: MJR Books. 9. Moore WE. (1970). The Professions: Roles and Rules. New York, NY: Russell Sage Foundation. 10. Flexner A. (1915). Is social work a profession?  In Proceedings of the National Conference of Charities and Corrections. Chicago, Ill: Hildermann Printing Company. 11. Greenwood E. (1957). Attributes of a Profession. Social Work 2:45. 12. Professionalism CLE Guidelines. [Online] Available: www.gabar.org/ga_bar/cjcpcleguide.htm Copyright ©1997-2000 American Society of Exercise Physiologists. All Rights Reserved. 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