Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline  


         ISSN 1099-5862   Vol 7 No 3  March 2004 
 
 

 
 
Editor-in-Chief:   Tommy Boone, PhD, MPH, MA, FASEP, EPC
 
 
The EPC Exam:  A Challenge for Academicians
Tommy Boone, PhD, MPH, MA, FASEP, EPC
Professor and Chair
Department of Exercise Physiology
The College of St. Scholastica
Duluth, MN 55811
    “The academic major is like building a house.  If the foundation is of poor quality, it will be useless.  You may also learn to hate the house.” – William T. Boone
Based on the work of Rademacher and Pittsley [1] and Boone [2], the vast number of departments with dozens of names other than exercise physiology is a problem for the emerging profession.  The nature of the problem is that it makes it much harder for students to pass the Exercise Physiologist Certified Exam.  There is one important step that would help students.  If the departments were to take steps toward accreditation, students would then take specific courses that underpin the ECP exam.  The ASEP plan of course is to accredit academic programs.  But, since accreditation is voluntary, the process is a slow one. 

The primary purpose of this article is to demonstrate several of the problems.  The conclusion is obvious:  University programs that address any combination of majors with concentrations in exercise science or exercise physiology must adapt the curriculums to meet this call for change.  This is important because the department chairs or directors of these programs can no longer allow for out-dated curriculums, especially when the students “think” they are exercise physiologists when they graduate.  At the heart of the “call for change” to course offerings is the ethical thinking, if not, legal thinking that the academic major (and job implications) are products purchased through an education by the students.  In short, the faculty and chairs, if not, the administrators may be held liable for "educational malpractice" when it is determined that the department/institution did not provide specific training, education, and/or direction.  This may be the case when the students are not provided adequate course work and hands-on experiences to qualify to sit for the EPC exam.

This failure of the academic setting to take this issue of professionalism to heart is also irresponsible [3].  Since health, fitness, rehabilitation, and athletics are important public manners, and since exercise physiologists are primarily the candidates for these jobs, it is clear that students must be educated to protect the public interest and welfare.  Graduates entering the profession will succeed only if they are capable of passing the EPC exam.  To do this, they must be capable of assimilating a large body of knowledge.  The purpose of the EPC exam is that the exercise physiology profession is recognized as accountable and credible.  The EPC designation carries with it the ability to make sense of non-sense and, therefore, communicate the right information based on objective science [4,5].

To this end, the failure of the department chairs, directors, and deans to step up to the plate and make the necessary changes in the curriculum and/or degree programs is an indication that they either do not understand the complex changes within the emerging profession of exercise physiology or they do not care.  Failure to address the latter is particularly troubling.  It is not acceptable [6].  In either case, the students’ ability to integrate and apply knowledge is crucial to carrying out professional responsibilities.  The EPC exam is designed to test the candidates’ knowledge of exercise physiology core course content, use research tools and equipment, and demonstrate an authoritative position as a healthcare professional.  To succeed in performing the right cardiovascular tests and other consultative and laboratory requirements, so that complex information can be translated into important health knowledge, today’s exercise physiologists must pass the EPC exam.  But, if students are to stand a chance of passing, academicians must respond to the need for change [7].  University administrators and faculty must adapt their curricula so that graduates are prepared to enter the new exercise physiology as a healthcare profession.  To do that, they first must earn the profession title, Exercise Physiologist” by passing the EPC exam.  Programs need to add courses (such as cardiac rehabilitation, sports nutrition, cardiovascular physiology, ECG/graded exercise testing to mention a few) to the academic major.  This is especially true for departments that advertise on the Internet an academic degree in exercise physiology that is actually an academic minor! 

It is no longer acceptable to try and teach everything within one or two courses or even three courses.  The courses (such as motor learning and research design in health and physical education) must be replaced with courses and content important to the EPC exam.  The work of Rademacher and Pittsley [1] demonstrate that only 55% of the 77 schools evaluated met less than 50% of the exercise physiology core content requirements.  Only 6.5% of the 77 schools met 80% to 89% of the ASEP exercise physiology core, and no schools were observed in the 90% and above percentage category.  This is unacceptable since it fails the students, and since it is unethical not to do everything possible to ensure the students’ success, changes in the curriculum must begin now if students are going to be able to conform to the ASEP Standards of Practice.  Keeping ahead of the so-called fitness professionals (primarily personal trainers with weekend certifications) requires serious augmentation of the curriculum.  If this requires thinking outside of the box [8], then it must begin now. 

The rapidity of course content and technology is always pressing down on students and the faculty.  Change is inevitable in everything [9].  Hence, it is no longer reasonable to argue against change.  To maintain the knowledge base required of the professional exercise physiologist, the scientific research that supports the exercise physiology body of knowledge, the technology in metabolic and other laboratory equipment and related software are obvious reasons to find time to explore the change process.  Perhaps, in one sense, it is no more complicated than scheduling a meeting among the members of a department and talk about the future of the department.  What must be done to bring the department’s educational programs into the 21st century [10]?  What areas of the academic curriculum need evaluation and updating?  What are the appropriate journals and online newsletters and Web sites to read to help with the change?

Half the battle is won by going to the ASEP “Accreditation Guidelines” and the ASEP “Exercise Physiologist Certified” Web sites for authoritative information about the steps toward professional development of exercise physiology.  These sites are important and, therefore, individual faculty members should take whatever time is required to read and study the content.  By reviewing the materials, departments can begin the change process to align the academic programs with major changes in the field.  Students, in particular, will find these sites helpful in their preparation for the EPC exam.  Administrators can help by getting out from under the misconception that there is meaning in staying the same.  Staying the same is a problem because all other professions have moved on.  Exercise physiologists must also do what is right for their students.  The following includes, in rank order:

  • Do what is honest and right for your students.
  • Organize the faculty to commit to change.
  • Share the importance of caring for the profession.
  • Make the commitment to professionalism.
  • Demonstrate strong and caring leadership qualities.
  • Invest in the students’ expectations.
  • Visualize career opportunities beyond yesterday’s thinking.
  • Think outside the box into the future.
  • Speak with colleagues about the ASEP vision.
  • Help all exercise physiologists live their dreams. 
The vision that underlies this article is that colleges, universities, and departments are places with integrity, that the academic education is important and has distinctive career values, and the best institutions are open to change and respect for students.  Both are essential elements of a credible academic process for developing ethical and professional thinking.

References
1. Rademacher, E. and Pittsley, J. (2001). Analysis and Comparison of Colleges and Universities with Degree Titles of Exercise Physiology or Related Titles. Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline. Vol. 4, No. 12. [Online]. http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/MinimalStandards.html
2. Boone, T. (2000). Undegraduate Programs in Exercise Science / Exercise Physiology: Issues and Concerns. Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline. Vol. 3, No. 11. [Online].  http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/UndergraduateProgramsExerciseScience.doc
3. Boone, T. (2004). Indifference to Professional Standards is Irresponsible Behavior. Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline. Vol. 7, No. 2. [Online].  http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/IndifferenceToProfessionalStandards.html
4. Boone, T. (2004). The Professional Practice of Exercise Physiology and Ethical Thinking. Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline. Vol. 7, No. 2. [Online].  http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/ProfessionalPracticeANDethicalTHINKING.html
5. Boone, T. (2004). Athletics, Quackery, and Exercise Physiology. Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline. Vol. 7, No. 1. [Online].  http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/AthleticsQuackeryExercisePhysiology.html
6. Boone, T. (2003). Creating a Better Academic Degree for Our Students. Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline. Vol. 6, No. 2. [Online].  http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/betterACADEMICdegree.html
7. Boone, T. (2002). A New Academic Paradigm for Exercise Physiology Teachers. Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline. Vol. 5, No. 9. [Online].  http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/TeachingWithINTEGRITY.html
8. Boone, T. (2002). Exercise Physiology of the Future: Thinking Out of the Box. Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline. Vol. 5, No. 11. [Online].  http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/ThinkingOutsideTheBoxExercisePhysiology.html
9. Boone, T. (2003). You Are Not a Healthcare Professional. Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline. Vol. 6, No. 12. [Online].  http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/ExercisePHYSIOLOGISTasHEALTHCAREprofessional.html
10. Boone, T. (2003). The COURAGE to QUESTION What is Exercise Physiology in the 21st Century. Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline. Vol. 6, No. 1. [Online].  http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/COURAGEtoQUESTION.html

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