"Duty and responsibility are a part of the price of change.
Exercise physiologists should not
retreat from either. Rather, they must embrace
them."
Everything
seems to be changing and, yet nothing changes very rapidly. The more people talk about change, the more
things appear to stay the same. Think
about it. The idea of changing something
in one's personal life is generally met with resistance. This might be the reason that non-exercisers
resist exercising. Or, in the context of
most things I've written about – ASEP – the reason so many exercise
physiologists still do not belong to the American Society of Exercise
Physiologists. To change one's thinking
from sports medicine to exercise physiology, even when it carries little to no
risk is not easy. There is always a price
to pay, real or perceived.
Interestingly, both render similar mental and physical results.
Change is a
Difficult Process
To
even argue for change is to experience a myriad of feelings, from dislike and indifference
to groupthink. Of course it is clear
that some change is supported by most colleagues and agreement is strangely
quick. Some suggestions for change in
how people think are believed to be strictly the right of every person. Others think change is surprisingly
preposterous. Underneath the new ideas
and the need for change is said to exist selfish motives, but the reality of such thinking is not likely to be true at all.
No matter what the reader may think, two things are clear: (1) change is
difficult; and (2) more often than not, it is a necessity.
Charles
Darwin's theory of evolution [1] has been under attack ever since it was first
offered in 1859. It is not easy to deal
with new ideas about evolution, much like the change process. Hence, in its simplest terms, to understand
what needs changing is often much like an exploration in the limits of one's
imagination. The process is not wishful
thinking and neither is it a function of only the powerful. In other words, what needs changing is viewed
only in the context – "Is it possible to imagine the change?" One way
to promote one's imagination is to become part of a larger group (e.g.,
organization or institution). This is just
one reason why organizations are important, yet it is extremely necessary to
taking steps toward a new way of thinking.
Part of the reason is that people find comfort in being a member of an
organization, that is, in reaffirming their collective beliefs and in arousing others
to join.
Change
Requires Courage
Sherlock
Holmes said, "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains,
however improbable, must be the truth." Making decisions is by no means
easy. This whole notion of dealing with
the "impossible" and the "improbable" is too much for some
people. But with optimism to stay the
course, to look beneath the surface of routine thinking, every exercise
physiologist stands to gain in pride and hope that their work will make a
difference in the lives of others. It
takes heart (i.e., courage) to risk one's self in the hope of achieving the
truth. Without moral courage, we remain
blind to the suffering of others. And,
even without knowing it, when we fail to act, we fail to show empathy for those
needing help. Hence, according to Rollo
May [2], the most prevalent form of cowardice hides behind the statement:
"I did not want to become involved."
The
truth of May's comment hits close to the heart.
Many people, not all, want to get involved, but they are afraid to do
so. Some people are probably cowards. Understandably, such a view may not sound
politically correct. But, there is
evidence that it speaks to the indifference and the groupthink that share in
the price of change. Leaders and members of any group must be
able to admit when they are wrong. Also,
they must be able to support an environment where everyone will be encouraged to
confront the change process. After all,
without mental courage to hope for something better, there is little to look
forward to in the future. Students, in
particular, need to know that the years of lecture content conveyed to them by
their teachers will help them survive financially when they graduate.
Because
a college education is thought to result in a financially stable career, it must
be appreciated that students attend college to promote achievement of their
career goals and objectives. When this
is not part of the college reality, one might correctly conclude that things
went badly. Life is a battlefield or, as
a college has been heard to say, "It is a jungle." Stories often are disappointing when the
time-honored college education fails to live up to its cultural
expectation. Perhaps, the point is simply
this: "It is not sufficient to have a college degree if the guardians of
the academic major personify the values of a failed rhetoric [3].
It
is as Terrence Deal and Allan Kennedy [4] said some years ago, which is still
true today: "Change always threatens culture. People form strong attachments to heroes,
legends, the rituals of daily life, the hoopla of extravaganzas and ceremonies,
all the symbols and settings of the work place.
Change strips down these relationships and leaves employees confused,
insecure and often angry…It can literally take years to achieve fundamental
change in an organization's culture."
The trivia of everyday life that characterizes "work" is not
separate from the rituals of daily relationships and commitments. The distinctive feature of both is the "strong
attachment to symbols and settings" that change threatens.
The
Illusion of Diffusion
Here
lies the price of change. Exercise physiologists must recognize that they can
only change themselves with regard to the established professions as they build an ASEP Board Certified professional
healthcare perspective and create a less sports medicine-oriented
connection. They must also humanize
their interactions with students, especially the fact that they are more
important than profits and that of publishing yet another article or presenting another paper a national meeting. This
will require getting consulting out of
teaching so that teachers can once again serve the students rather than
the
business of CEOs. This will also require an ethical approach to
teaching and to sharing the responsibilities of being a professional.
Sports
nutrition, in particular, was never meant to be sports supplements, and exercise physiology per se is not sports medicine.
Fortunately, it is just a matter of time before the expectations
of both
sports supplements and sports medicine are better understood
(particularly, given the present-day approach to each). In fact,
it is not all that unlikely that both will at some point in the future
experience a decrease in popularity by exercise
physiologists. Joel Best refers to
situations like this as the illusion of
diffusion [5]. Most things that
undergird athletics and research status (as in presenting at the sports
medicine meetings) have enthusiasts who are caught up in this illusion. Similarly, thinking that sports supplements are necessary (or even right) to perform well in sports or that personal trainers
are a good healthcare investment are simply illusions.
Understandably,
no one can be sure what will be absolutely true with precision. Sports nutrition and sports medicine are
endorsed by CEOs, educators, sports nutritionists, and others who promote enduring institutions. Neither
is short-lived or fleeting, but none of this means that there aren't
consequences. Take, for example, the
following comment by Hacking and others [6-8], "…during the 1980s,
psychiatrists diagnosed thousands of cases [of
multiple-personality disorder (MPD)].
And whereas early cases almost always involved patients with only two
personalities, the 1980s patients diagnosed with MPD often displayed dozens of
'alters.' Diagnoses have since fallen off.
The 1980s epidemic of MPD was a medical
fad."
The
point is, according to Best [5], the emphasis on MPDs "…seems not just
misplaced but strange and even silly."
Why aren't exercise physiologists willing to label currently popular ideas
such as "personal trainers" and "exercise science" as an
illusion with repercussions so severe that neither is a laughing matter? In fact, next September, millions of young
men and women will enter their first year of college. Their parents – and society – hope and
expect that they will graduate from college with the academic ability and
essential professional skills to enter a career with a viable financial salary
and medical benefits. Today, though,
many parents worry about the integrity of the undergraduate degree in exercise
science and related programs.
Credibility
or Self-Satisfaction
Fortunately,
ASEP leaders have raised the academic bar [9].
Students who attend an ASEP accredited exercise physiology program are
expected to be graduates who are academically and professionally prepared to
enter the healthcare marketplace. Today,
which was not true prior to 2000, college graduates can now sit for a
credible certification designed specifically for exercise physiologists
[10]. As more EPCs move
into the public sector, one can foresee the positive outcome. There will be credible exercise physiologists
held accountable to the ASEP Code of Ethics [11] and Standards of Practice
[12]. Because all these things are so
basic and yet so important to the safety of the public sector, the less educated graduates will likely become the
graduates "left behind."
Since
the mid-70s, exercise physiologists have not had to deal with change. And, frankly, most academics are not prepared
for change. That is why the ASEP
organization has created opposition and anxiety.
Professors are critics when they should be supporters and doubters when a
little courage would go a long way. Honestly,
given how fast things change today, one would think that college teachers would
be among the growing numbers who would understand new ideas, inventions, and
challenges. That is not the case,
however. It also points out that many academic exercise physiologists are unaware that the exercise science degree is
no longer good enough. A lot has changed
since the 70s and 80s, and there is a big need to update these academic majors
and/or departments to exercise physiology [13].
The
good old days are gone, and now academic exercise physiologists must appreciate
that the financial stakes are very high for students. Not just a new academic upgrade is required
of the major, but new ideas and beliefs about exercise physiology are justified
as an appropriate responses to the 21st century ASEP perspective [14]. The
traditional approach to exercise science (or kinesiology or some other related
degree program) as something better than physical education needs a serious
reality check. Clearly, exercise science
is not progress! It is a story of failed
jobs with poor salaries and a host of other negatives [15]. It is, in short, a degree program that makes
parents nervous and uncomfortable. Some
have concluded that their children are wasting tuition dollars, and that the exercise
science degree does not command respect.
<>A
lot has changed in the past 30 to 40 years, especially among other healthcare
professions. The great majority of
students and their parents are interested in physical therapy, nursing, or some
other healthcare profession. The
career-driven dimension to these programs is extremely important. Just imagine how upset the PhD exercise
physiologists would be if they could not locate a teaching or research
position. Of course, this is not to say
that some do not have difficulty doing so, but having the doctorate degree
increases their changes of employment.
Why is it that the doctorate prepared, in particular, cannot look
straight on at the sad world of exercise science and not see the need for
serious improvement? Is
it because they are too comfortable, given the academic necessity to do
research and publish? After all, both
have represented the central theme in exercise physiology for many decades.
The ASEP Way!
It
is this emphasis on research that the founders of exercise physiology worked
hard to instill in all exercise physiologists.
The belief itself is fine, that is, as long as it is done in the
context of other responsibilities and the rights of students. Faculty members from physical therapy
understand this important point, why shouldn't exercise physiologists? Until they do, exercise physiology will always
be seen as falling short in spite of its history of research. Exercise physiologists should change,
regardless of the price that is usually associated with radically new ideas, the
power struggles among colleagues, and the inevitable, revolutionary thinking of
ASEP leaders.
Exercise
physiologists will achieve a new view of who they are and what they do only if they
start to do things the ASEP way. The old
sports medicine way has carried on too long with too many problems. That
is why ASEP was founded. Although the organization means different things to
different people, it was founded on a credible rationale that solutions were
needed to correct what is wrong with the present system. Naturally, this required the development of a
Code of Ethics [11], vision and mission statements [16], goals and objectives
[17], and other steps towards the professionalization of exercise physiology
[9, 10] such as slogans, T-shirts, and logos [18].
The
ASEP solution to the failed rhetoric [3] of yesterday means that the leaders
must walk the walk [19]. In essence,
with ASEP and change came the need to learn the new language of
professionalism, credibility, and accountability. Of course, what is missing of absolute
importance is networking among exercise physiologists to support the
assumptions underlying the change process.
College teachers, in particular, have failed to take on the ASEP
philosophy and initiatives. They have
failed to promote ASEP by not telling others (especially their students) about the ASEP organization. The price for their collusion with sports
medicine is continued failure of thousands of students who think they are
trendsetters in exercise. When in truth,
the tendency is for other students to think of them as either less
knowledgeable or as athletic types who work in gyms.
This
line of thinking is not meant to be hurtful.
It is considered part of the price of change, of thinking about ways of
doing things differently, and doing them as well as or better than others. Clearly, what is obvious is this: The academic gatekeepers [20] must step up to
the plate and promote the changed view (i.e., new view) of exercise physiology. They need to reform and manage exercise
physiology as a profession, not as a discipline. Academic institutions must lead the way and
the process of change. The price is hard
work, dedication, and social networking.
Another price is dealing with their egos, past mistakes, and wrong turns
so they can help others to get excited and emotionally involved. They need to know that ignoring the ASEP
organization is failing to do the right thing.
The Horse
Story
Best
[5, p. 87] says that people who fail to adopt an innovation are
"…obstructionists who balk at getting with the program….They're afraid of
change, stuck in their rut, unwilling to try something new." In other words, the price of change among
non-adopters is work that is required to deal with their emotions. Finding the
right solution is not always easy, particularly if a tenured department head or
faculty member expects a non-tenured faculty member to do as he or she
thinks. The old guard often wins out
over the non-tenured faculty. Hence, the
price for one's progressive, forward-looking views about exercise physiology
may be the search for a new job. Being
adaptable and flexible and having the ability to think outside the box [20] are
all critical to making the right decision. Hardly
anything makes this point better than the Horse
Story [21, 22]: Common advice from
knowledgeable horse trainers includes the adage, "If the horse you're
riding dies, get off." Seems simple
enough, yet, in the education business we don't always follow that advice. Instead, we often choose from an array of
alternatives which include:
- Buying a stronger
whip.
- Trying a new bit or
bridle.
- Switching riders.
- Moving the horse to a new location.
- Riding the horse for longer periods of time.
- Saying things like, "This is the way we're
always ridden this horse."
- Appointing a committee to study the horse.
- Arranging to visit other sites where they ride
dead horses efficiently.
- Increasing the standards for riding dead horses.
- Creating a test for measuring our riding
ability.
- Comparing how we're riding now with how we did
10 or 20 years ago.
- Complaining about the state of horses these
days.
- Coming up with new styles of riding.
- Blaming the horse's parents. The problem is often in the breeding.
- Tightening the cinch.
It
is rare to read a story as 100% true as the Horse
Story. Resistance and/or the failure
to change take on many different shapes and shades. The bottom line is that change has a price
(and, yes, a risk, too). Both must be
paid whether a person decides to join ASEP or not. No doubt many exercise physiologists are
riding the dead horse of sports medicine and, yet they continue to think it is
okay to switch leaders or come up with a new style of certifying members or
even threatening members with a stronger whip to stay the course! Not surprisingly, continuing to embrace the
"way we have always done it" makes little sense as well as having a
large price tag of delayed goals and disappointments.
The
Transformational Change
In
addition and, perhaps, the biggest challenge of all is that exercise
physiologists, particularly college teachers, will have to learn a new meaning
for the concept of what it means to be an exercise physiologist, and what it
means to be a member of a profession.
They will have to learn to see themselves as much as a healthcare
professional as a researcher. They will
have to define what they do and how they do it in different terms and learn to
work for their clients (especially students) as hard as they work for
themselves. Obviously, the importance of
doing these things bear differently on the professionalism in exercise
physiology (i.e., on the transformational change that is needed to achieve a significant
cultural change in exercise physiology).
Which means that to promote the cultural change, exercise physiologists
will have to leave the academy in the sense they know it and journey into the
unknown.
"Mastery
of others is strength; mastery of yourself is true power," Lao-tzu once
wrote. This is the road exercise
physiologists must take. To master
"yourself" -- to know who you are and what you do is true power. It is not found in an umbrella sports
medicine organization which is, after all, an illusion of invulnerability. In fact, the view from within sports
medicine, specifically, ACSM is one of an unrealistic optimism. Members will say, "But, I'm more likely
than non-members to be rewarded and to benefit from my membership with sports
medicine." Once again, this is part
of the transformational change that must take place to deal effectively with
the over-optimism that associates with the illusion. The ultimate price for the sports medicine illusion is incompetence
and gullibility.
Certainly,
some exercise physiologists tend to be less gullible than most. It is the
majority however that is caught up in the sports medicine's need to profit from
their membership. And, just as advertising works, sports medicine members drive
in other members because they know that colleagues are often willing to defer
to their position in the organization.
They do it many times by saying such things as, "ACSM has a
membership of 18,000" or "5000 professionals attend the national
meeting each year." The inclusion
of statistics is always a positive step in persuasion. Yet, to assume that
there is credibility with large numbers is to fail in understanding the
illusion itself. Bad critical thinking
is equal to propaganda presented as an education. The result is almost always manipulation
in one form or another. Over time,
inevitably, there is a price for the illusion.
For instance, after a certain number of pats on the back, members learn
to speak positively about sports medicine without realizing that they have
conformed to an expected behavior. Understandably,
the psychology of persuasion is deeply entrenched in the sports medicine myth
[23].
The Right
to Know
Students,
colleagues, and the healthcare sector have the right to know what is going on,
especially the discrimination against the psychic well-being of those who
understand choice. Yet, choice is
exactly the story of common men and women inspired to uncommon levels of conviction
that students ought to profit most from their education. They understand the most important thing is
that ASEP brings into play the full potential of all exercise
physiologists. This has not been the case with exercise physiologists in other organizations. Not only have they been exploited, but the
purpose that underlies these organizations is indifferent to exercise
physiology. The result is one of
"coasting" and atrophy in professional ambition. What is needed among all exercise
physiologists is an unleashing of energy and responsibility towards the
profession.
Greenewalt
[24] said, "Not only the organization, but society itself suffers when
people are allowed (or encouraged) to sacrifice identity in the damp laundry of
mediocrity." Each member of a
profession has the right to exploit his or her talents to the fullest and in the
way best suited to his or her academic training and experiences. ASEP is the catalyst to awaken the desire in
students and colleagues, but it comes with a price! Individuality must be fought for; it is not
automatic. Leadership skills must be
developed just as the essential skills of research. There is also the price of daydreaming and
entertaining the impractical as well as the indifference [25]. None is too much to deal with. In sum, this we must remember: Exercise
physiologists must learn that the "price of change" requires running
towards something and never away from something.
The rebel who is only running away from something and
never toward something is wasting himself. – Arnold A. Hutschnecker, MD, The Will to Live
So the question for exercise physiologists becomes -- who can handle the
professional issues? For exercise physiologists, the answer is
clear (or it should be) the American Society of Exercise Physiologists. ASEP, like other professional organizations, is founded with the expressed purpose to
assure the protection of its members.
That is why ASEP has a Code of Ethics, accreditation, and a national
certification; all (and more) to benefit exercise physiologists and help to
assure them that the professionalization process is well underway on their
behalf.
Professionals or Business Consultants
Non-profit professional
organizations, like ASEP, do not take from professionalism. Rather, such organizations are designed to promote professionalism. Fortunately, since the founding of ASEP, the
idea of a "professional" in exercise physiology has taken on an entirely
different meaning. Before ASEP, exercise
physiology was essentially invisible (i.e., existed only at the doctorate level).
Many continue to stand idly by, as if they are powerless to join
the
change process. Hence, non-exercise physiologists (sports
medicine in particular) dictate how exercise physiology is viewed
within academics. Frankly, this thinking is similar to what has happened with sports
nutritionists. As entrepreneurs and consultants, they dictate the content of
sports nutrition by promoting performance-enhancing substances. Is it professional to just sit back and allow them to define sports nutrition in exercise
physiology? Is it professional to promote
sports supplements to athletes of all ages?
The price is too high not to think differently about sports and
athletics. Simply stated, too many good
exercise physiologists are forced to deny a commonsense approach to athletics
and forsake their ethics in order to earn money for the sports supplement
industry. The point is obvious or at least it should be. Change
comes with a price. If exercise physiology is to be a profession
like other healthcare professions, exercise physiologists must be
professionals. In the race for healthcare professionalism,
there is no finish line. It
is always an
ongoing process. Challenges along with different points of view
are the costs that members must pay for quality, professionalism, and
credibility. Also, it is obvious that many of the problems
of professionals arise from the extraordinary developments and
knowledge from understanding sedentary diseases in the United States. In fact, in a "big" way, obesity is
dependent on inactivity. As a result,
other major problems often surface (such as diabetes, depression, heart disease, and high blood pressure). The cost of human suffering is one of the
factors in an increasing emotional and mental deficit as human beings. Often, a key raw part of this problem is the
failure to appreciate the role of spirituality and the mind in healthcare [26]. In fact, in dealing with change and how it affects
a person state of mind and health, it is also important to study and understand
the role of faith and spirituality. Both
help exercise physiologists grow, add new ideas and service to the healthcare
practice, and help in dealing with the emotional price of change.
The
Problem of Invisibility
Academic exercise physiologists have not been taken
to task (i.e., held responsible for both the integrity and credibility of the
non-exercise physiology degree programs).
Yet, it is increasingly clear that they are responsible for many, if
not, most of the problems students face in their need to find solid employment in the public
sector. Like it or not,
"change" brings on new responsibilities. It takes courage to assume this new
role and this new way to think. ASEP exercise physiologists have
defined their own values and what they believe is exercise physiology versus,
for example, exercise science.
Rather than abdicating a strong position on
professionalism in exercise physiology, exercise physiologists should embrace
the ASEP philosophy for all the obvious reasons. For example, while the statement – "All
men are created equal." -- in the Declaration of Independence is a basic
understanding of the political development of the United States, it is not true that
"All academic majors are created equal." To be frank, it is a sad state of affairs
today that students are still encouraged to think that they can call themselves
"exercise physiologists" with a college degree in "kinesiology"
or "exercise science." Unquestionably
this kind of thinking has created a very significant problem in the
relationship between exercise physiologists and society, and particularly
between exercise physiologists and the healthcare community.
The problem is lack of credibility and straight thinking. College graduates are scrambling for jobs,
but not just any kind of job.
Overwhelmed by tuition loans and everyday bills, the recent arrivals to
the "real world" arrive without having paid attention to their
academic major. Now, without a
career-driven identity, they are invisible and cannot get attention of
others. Surprised where they find
themselves, they are more than a bit embarrassed.
Not knowing what to do, often knowing better not to do so, they recall
their professors saying, "Oh, you can call yourself an exercise
physiologist." This is a tragedy of
significant proportions, but it is not unprecedented. There are best-selling books about quackery
and quacks in healthcare [27]. It is
simply wrong for a person with an exercise science degree to call him or
herself an exercise physiologist, however fashionable it may be. It is not a legitimate attention-commanding
step.
However, more often than not, exercise science and
related degree majors are not thinking about being "legitimate" when they
are "invisible" and do not get even the minimum attention that should
be awarded to college graduates. Not
being able to command attention from colleagues and employers, they lack
forcefulness and self-assurance [28].
The attempt to think of themselves as exercise physiologists relieves
their invisibility. Symbolically, it
suggests that they understand, as exercise science graduates, they are not
entitled to acknowledgment or recognition from the healthcare community. The impact of this problem of being invisible
remains completely unseen by the academic exercise physiologists. They are such self-oriented individuals that
the impact of their self-orientation is paradoxically dooms them without
attention to institutional transformation.
The
Law of Belief
Remember the old saying, "If you think you can
or can't, you are right?" "The
truth will set you free" is another such saying. Implied in both is the law of belief. Murphy [29] said it best, "As a person
thinks, feels, and believes, so is the condition of his or her mind, body, and
circumstances." To put it bluntly,
graduates of academic programs related to exercise physiology, but are exercise
physiology are closed off to their potential as healthcare professionals
because deep down in the center of their being they believe that their education
is problematic. Yet, it is clear that if
students want to change their academic conditions and stop wasting time and
effort, they must do something about the cause of their problem. Change the exercise science major to exercise
physiology, and graduates will go into the real world as changed
practitioners. It is just that simple.
The price of change is challenge, isn't it? Look around you. How many how the will and the power to
accomplish their goals? Conviction requires
backbone [30]. Anyone with backbone can
change his or her way of thinking, and when this happens, that person changes
his or her destiny. The most important
point to remember is this: To live one's
destiny requires the willingness to nurture your thoughts. This is true whether it is a student or a
college teacher. The law of belief is
this: Destiny is defined as a person
thinks! Therefore, the price of change is
to engage the right thinking. Right
thinking means that you must stop the following:
1. It is no use going up against ACSM. The organization is too big.
2. You will fail without the help of exercise
physiologists who are big time in sports medicine.
3. You cannot do it.
It is just that simple. Why try?
4. What is the use in trying?
5. But, it has always been done this way.
Why not pick up a piece of paper and pen and write
out what you are going to do to pay the price of your destiny? In other words, why not believe in your
ability to make amazing things happen in your life. Or, as asked by St. Augustine, "Do you wish to be
great?" And, if not, why not wish
for greatness, believe in your greatness and, as Emerson said, "we should
give something of ourselves." Above
all, conviction and belief overcome resistance, but both come with a price. It is of the utmost importance that exercise
physiologists direct their attention to the strengthening and improvement of
their power to believe in the impossibilities.
Or, as stated somewhat differently, according to Mahony [31], "The
power to will is that which, once admitted to our minds, can change the course
of our lives."
The
Neglected Theme
The culture of professionalism is the neglected theme
in exercise physiology. For at least 60
years academic exercise physiologists have explored the significance and
meaning of research. But the
significance of the culture of professionalism, its influence upon exercise
physiology, especially the undergraduate programs, remains undeveloped. In many ways it is has been taken for granted
that all exercise physiologists through their research become professional. This perception is not wholly mental or
imaginary, but corresponds to the reality of present day events. This is most unfortunate. Undeniably older habits of thought continue
to persist and underestimate the false reliance on research. The inestimable toll (and price) on the
integrity of the academic programs is enormously high.
Above
all, what has been missing in the old-time view of exercise physiology as a
research discipline is an academic culture.
Professors have not taken sufficient pride in their work to ensure its
development, ensure viable career-driven opportunities, and commit themselves
to the sacrifices necessary to make a contribution to exercise physiology as a
healthcare profession. Again, this is
precisely the predicament of exercise physiology. Reliance on research itself has fueled the
neglected theme all too commonly understood in established professions. Also, the politics of survival has another
facet of importance beyond the individual, and that is the obligation to the
community of exercise physiologists. The
time has come to pay the price which individuals must pay simply in order to
remain within it with any dignity at all.
It
is thus not surprising that the investment in professionalism comes with a
price. This simple fact is consistent
with the comments by Pavalko [32], who wrote in reference to the qualities
attributed to professions.
- A unique knowledge base justifying the claim to
special expertise. Certainly from the ASEP perspective, exercise
physiology has a unique knowledge base.
Personal trainers, fitness instructors, and other non-exercise
physiologists cannot justify ownership to the expertise in exercise
physiology.
- A long training period requiring specialized
knowledge and indoctrination into the occupational subculture. The ASEP
leaders developed the first-ever academic accreditation for the
undergraduate programs. This work
has come with a price!
- Relevance of work to social values. There
cannot be any valid reason to disregard "exercise is medicine"
and, therefore, ASEP exercise physiologists are relevant to society's
social and medical needs.
- A service versus a profit motivation. The ASEP
leaders believe exercise physiology is a healthcare profession, thus it is
driven by a powerful and necessary service factor.
- Occupational autonomy. The profession is
self-regulating and self-controlling. Only members of the profession judge
and certify who is competent to practice. ASEP was
founded to position identify exercise physiologists as the responsible
party in their self-regulation via Academic Accreditation, Board
Certification, and Standards of Professional Practice.
- A strong sense of commitment and loyalty to the
profession. ASEP Commitment and loyalty are critical to the
recognition of exercise physiology as a profession.
- A strong sense of a common identity resulting in
a significant subculture. A sense of identity and subculture of
viewing what is exercise physiology and who is an exercise physiologist
are evolving as part of the ASEP culture of professionalism.
- A code of ethics and system of norms that are
parts of the subculture, reinforcing motivation, autonomy, and commitment. The ASEP
Code of Ethics was written and incorporated into the ASEP professional
infrastructure to reinforce ethical and professional commitment in the
application of exercise physiology to real-world events and conditions.
Because of these
attributes, professions are perceived to exhibit a high quality of work in
terms of requisite expertise, experience, and dedication to service which
justifies public trust and respect. The
problem is that United
States faces a big challenge in making sure
that the use of "exercise as medicine" is implemented by a sufficient
supply of well-educated, well-prepared exercise physiologists. Also, members within the profession face the
problem of agreement that professional exercise physiologists are vital to dealing
with the issues and concerns that face healthcare. The answer to both problems clearly lies with the
support of the ASEP professional society of exercise physiologists. Therein lies one of the key reasons exercise
physiology is where it is today (i.e., caught in yesterday's thinking).
The transition
from sports medicine to the ASEP culture starts with disciplined exercise
physiologists who are willing to pay the price for neglect of the right
behaviors. Creating a path to greatness
is never easy, but it is possible.
Indeed, it takes discipline to say "No, thank you" to ACSM
opportunities. The fact that something
is "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" is irrelevant if it doesn't help
with the professionalism of exercise physiology. To be sure, it is one giant leap for most
academics. Here again, most have not
figured out the right thing to do much less stop doing the wrong things. Or, Collins [33] puts it, "The real
question is, once you know the right thing, do you have the discipline to do the right thing and, equal important,
to stop doing the wrong things?"
Stop Doing
the Wrong Things
Stop and think about it for a moment. Mediocrity results from many things. One is failure to stop doing the wrong
things. Indeed, it is clear that history
teaches this lesson repeatedly. Exercise
physiologists cannot be satisfied with things consistently being done wrong. There is no justification for it, and there
is all the reason in the world to do the right thing for students and exercise
physiology. The truth is that change is inevitable. It comes from many different sources,
particularly evolution per se. The
evolution of the history of exercise physiology is therefore creative and
necessary in the same way that biological evolution is creative and
inevitable. And, it is clear from the
following 2005 content that the evolution of exercise physiology is an evocative
story [34].
The truth is exercise physiology was always a failure
within sports medicine. Not sure how to market exercise physiology
without hurting the initiatives and/or objectives of other established
professional groups that belong to ACSM, its success has always depended on
overlooking the small and less political membership for the more established
and politically powerful groups. It’s all about ACSM, an organization
based on dollars and politics with a heavy emphasis on building a sports medicine
empire. When you think about it, it is no way to exist. This is
understandable, since the sports medicine design is outdated and hugely
problematic. The leaders do not respect the rights of exercise
physiologists to manage their own future.
From
the perspective of increasingly more exercise physiologists, what was good
about ACSM and, therefore, what set it apart from other organizations years ago
is no longer true today. The mistake is not in understanding this point,
but in failing to do something about it. Leadership is about being
willing to look at your circumstances and doing something about them.
Even if you are uncertain as to what should be done, “leaders” connect with
their thoughts and feelings. They see a better future for all exercise
physiologists. Put another way, leaders give meaning and purpose for
doing what they do. They help provide the energy to act and to lead
others.
The
good news is that the ASEP leadership is well into marketing and promoting
exercise physiology as a healthcare profession. The leadership
understands that it is not enough to accredit just any academic program, but to
do the right thing for the right reason. This is a great idea. It
makes sense, and it is logical and correct. It is not about making money
or taking advantage of unsuspecting students. Rather, it is about putting
students first, about understanding their problems, and doing so with
integrity. It is about advancing exercise physiology by getting exercise
physiologists to talk about their problems, hopes, and dreams and, yes, it is
about getting them to do something about the future of all exercise
physiologists.
ASEP,
its vision, mission, and goals are surprisingly powerful. The strength
comes from knowing what is important and doing what is right. The message
is new, and it is improved over yesterday’s thinking. Why not stand up
and shout it from the rooftops? Why not write a friend and share the good
news? Why not begin now to think as an exercise physiologist? Why
not let the power of ASEP work for you? Stop searching for certifications
in different organizations. Hit a hole in one with ASEP! Get board
certified. Get a new attitude. Discover the unlimited opportunities
as a board certified exercise physiologist, such as certainty about who you
are, increased financial stability, and more professional opportunities.
In 1997, the ASEP leadership hit the floor
running. Perhaps, you should too. Start your own future in exercise
physiology through your membership with ASEP. There is no organization
like the right organization to start professional development and to live the
American dream. Wake up and look around you. It is time to break
free from yesterday’s thinking. With this in mind, how could you not see
that professional development and credibility starts with ASEP; it is the true
measure of success. The answer to your future is ASEP. Membership
will pay for itself. Take responsibility for your future. Connect
with the resources and talents of other exercise physiologists like yourself
who want to create a future with integrity and opportunity. You will feel
good inside about the ASEP choice.
Imagine the
Future
Imagine that you are in the 2020, and you have your
own healthcare clinic. All your years of
education, all your hopes, have been driven by taking responsibility for your
own future. Imagine that you have all
the mental and physiology resources and talents working with you. The success of everything you have done
depends largely on integrity and opportunity.
You feel good about exercise physiology as a healthcare profession. Imagine also that you are a recognized
professional in the healthcare community.
Having proved yourself before physicians and others that the use of exercise
to prevent and treat disease and dysfunction, you are now in position to
mobilize your heaviest artillery (mind-faith-body medicine).
Seeing the future comes with a price. It is very much like leadership, in fact, as
Drucker [35, p. xi] has said before, "Leadership must be learned and can
be learned…." Seeing the future
must be learned and, clearly, it can be learned by exercise physiologists. It is all about being responsible, just as
ASEP is about the future of exercise physiology. Looking beyond what is comfortable is the price
one pays for envisioning the future. The
world is changing and exercise physiologists must change with it. Believing in yourself is another price every
exercise physiologist has to pay to live up his or her dreams. Others are passion and a sense of
responsibility to the society. Still
another price and, perhaps, the biggest price to pay is recognizing that the
sports medicine way is obsolete for exercise physiologists and that a new
leadership (ASEP) is required.
Waiting for permission to begin…is not characteristic
of leaders. Acting with a sense of
urgency is. If you're going to lead now
or in the future, the first thing you've got to do is launch a voyage of discovery.
– James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner
Imagine the
future. YOU are a leader in exercise
physiology. Everything about you is
different by choice! YOU have decided
what you want, what you value, and your actions demonstrate that you are
willing to go after your dream. YOU have
a clear vision and, therefore, a shared reality of exercise physiology as a
healthcare profession. YOU have paid the
price for your success. YOU understand
the value of the ASEP Board Certification and how it protects the exercise
physiologist's professional capacity.
YOU are in position to testify to others that the exercise physiology
Standards of Practice [12] includes, but is not limited to,
"administration, counseling, delegation, evaluation, supervision, and
teaching of the exercise physiology scientific body of knowledge including, in
particular, the use of exercise as medicine health, wellness, and
rehabilitation." YOU understand
that the ASEP Code of Ethics is essential to the professionalism in exercise
physiology, and that the Code provides a means by which professional standards
of practice are established, maintained, and improved.
To imagine that you have it is akin to believing you
can do it. Belief is everything. If you think you can make it, you probably
will. If you think you can't, then
taking counsel of your insecurity will probably defeat you. Be tenacious and disciplined in your desire
to be a professional exercise physiologist. Hence, if you believe in paying the
price for success, you will find that becoming successful is in your future. It is indeed as Mahony [31] has written,
"When the power to will is developed properly we become possessed of an
individual character, prepared to fulfill the ends for which we were
created. It is the most important
attainment of the human spirit. Whoever
has the power to will strongly enough has within him the gift of miracles."
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©1997-2007
American Society of Exercise Physiologists All Rights
Reserved.