Treasure Our
Heritage, But....
Tommy Boone, PhD, MPH, FASEP
Professor and Chair
Department of Exercise Physiology
Director of Exercise Physiology
Laboratories
The College of St. Scholastica
1200 Kenwood Office
Duluth, MN 55811
When I think of exercise
physiology as a respected profession like so many other professional academic
programs, I think long and hard about why I decided to put
myself on the line. To argue
that exercise physiology is not where is should be is one thing, but to
suggest that academic PhDs have contributed to the problem is another.
As an educator, I must confess that exercise physiologists have achieved
a lot with relatively little. By this I mean (and to my surprise after
so many years in the field), exercise physiologists have been able to achieve
many laudable goals through their research efforts. This is probably one
area non-PhD exercise physiologists fail to understand. Exercise physiology
is entrenched in the practice of research. However, the practicing
professionals have failed to think in the present moment. They have been
instead consumed by the past. As a result, they continue to perpetuate
fragmentation (characterized as academic specialization) at a time when
we need unity.
While I also treasure our
heritage, it is time for new visions. Academic exercise physiologists who
do not, cannot or will not move their attention to their students and the
issues they face at graduation today should not be college professors.
I appreciate that giving advice in this area is questionable except for
the fact that the tendency is to continue as we have for years if someone
doesn't introduce a vastly different idea. The bottom line is simple. If
our programs in higher education don't move towards accreditation, we should
stop preparing students to assume "tentative" career positions. On the
other hand, with advancements in course offerings and academic consistency
from one college to the next, I believe our profession will be vastly strengthened.
Achieving this goal will take time. We must remember that it is the commitment
to the goal that is important and, in so doing, it should qualify the academic
exercise physiologist as a teacher.
My individual hope and the
collective hopes of ASEP members are founded in the unwavering belief in
the Society. I have never before place such trust as I have in a collective
body of professionals. In other words, I have come to understand and believe
that we have shared ideas and dreams. For this, I dedicate my work to all
of ASEP members. Through our dialogue and dedication, I believe the community
of exercise physiologists will become one; a transformation if you will
that gives power to the emerging professionals.
Heritage is important just
as memory is important. Responsibility to those who paved the way is good
to remember, but so is the ongoing battles teachers today are challenged
to cope with. Somewhere in all of this attempt to think critically (with
feeling) there is the respect that should be acknowledge for all of the
college and university teachers who work hard to construct (if not maintain)
the exercise physiology identify. With these brief reflections, despite
risk and vulnerability, I believe in our common struggles although we must
try harder.
What does all of this mean
for me personally? I am thankful to be an integral part of the contemporary
linkage between the past and the present rethinking (if not restructuring)
of exercise physiology. I have come to recognize the importance of pushing
forward to instill in our students pride, confidence, and self-esteem.
Eventually, all exercise physiologists will reinforce this point as they
must share the responsibility of changing "what is" for what "should be"
(regardless of the risk).
Copyright
©1998 American Society of Exercise Physiologists. All Rights
Reserved.