Exercise physiology is the perfect profession for those who enjoy exercise
and good health. Whether you want to manage your local fitness club or conduct
research in a human performance lab, exercise physiology is all about helping
others reap the benefits of exercise.
Most exercise physiologists will tell you they love their jobs. That's
not really surprising considering they're always helping people. Plus,
they often get to choose the exact area they want to work in.
"Exercise physiology doesn't limit you," says Bill Kohl. He is the
director of physical activity and nutrition at the International Life Sciences
Institute Center for Health Promotion. "You could work with patients in a
clinical or rehabilitation setting...or in a more scientific setting, such
as a laboratory doing human performance studies."
Kohl is an epidemiologist by trade. He says he always has had an interest
in exercise. He has a biology and chemistry background, which he admits is
critical in exercise physiology.
"You have to fundamentally understand the scientific process," says Kohl.
But whether you choose to pursue a bachelor's degree, master's degree
or PhD is entirely up to you.
The level of education you will need depends on where your interests lie.
"Exercise physiology can span several areas of fitness and wellness," says
Karen Chad. She is an exercise physiologist and associate professor at a university.
Graduates can choose to work for themselves, in health care, in education
or in private industry. "It's one of the few occupations that have such
a wide range of duties and work environments. It's wonderful -- it's
such an exciting job!" says Chad.
Some exercise physiologists choose to work as fitness consultants, strength
and conditioning coaches or personal trainers.
Chad says many exercise physiologists work as athletic therapists, physical
therapists or occupational therapists. "A number of graduates are working
in ergonomics too," she says.
"The nice thing about exercise physiology," adds Chad, "is that there are
lots more opportunities now than when I first started."
Chad earned her undergraduate degree in science and education. She taught
high school for a while, then decided to return to school to earn her master's
degree in exercise physiology.
"I needed more of a personal challenge," says Chad, who then went on to
earn her PhD while living in Australia. She now works in health promotion.
She studies metabolism and weight control.
Some exercise physiologists work in several different areas before they
determine exactly where they want to be. That's what Frank Cerny did.
Cerny is the chair of the department of physical therapy, exercise and nutrition
sciences at the University of Buffalo.
"I always had an interest in biology and medicine in general," he says.
Cerny began his career in Germany, where he worked with elite athletes.
After that, he taught at the University of Windsor in Canada. "But I always
liked the clinical exercise area," says Cerny.
He then moved to a children's hospital, where he spent nine years
developing exercise treatment programs for children. He now works at the University
of Buffalo. He spends half his time teaching and conducting research and the
other half doing administrative work.
"The opportunities are virtually limitless," says Cerny. "And almost all
students have jobs when they graduate."
He says graduates can go into a variety of different professions. These
include the dental, chiropractic and pharmaceutical sales fields -- and even
medical school. "Some even start up their own businesses, either in retail
or exercise-related programs," says Cerny.
Kohl points out that students should also realize they don't need
to take all their education at once. He completed his master's degree
immediately after his undergraduate degree, but then took some time off to
work before pursuing his PhD.
A bachelor's degree will enable students to work in some areas of
exercise physiology. But Kohl says their career choices will be limited slightly.
Kohl explains that a bachelor's degree enables students to generally
work in the fitness industry, which he describes as a burgeoning field. "But
a large portion of the jobs are outside of the personal training and exercise
instruction areas -- but they require at least a master's degree."
A bachelor's degree is a good start, says Barbara Bushman. She is
an associate professor at Southwest Missouri State University in Missouri.
But for her, it just wasn't enough -- she wanted to know more.
"There's so much more that you need to know to be really good at what
you do," says Bushman. After completing her bachelor's in physical education,
she chose to pursue a combined master's-doctoral program at the University
of Toledo.
"It was really intense, but I was done in four years," says Bushman. Now
she spends her days teaching students in both undergraduate and graduate courses
as well as conducting research.
She admits her choice of work keeps her extremely busy, but it's something
she thoroughly enjoys. "The neatest thing is watching the students get it
-- you can see when the light bulb goes on in their heads," says Bushman.
Bushman also likes the fact that she's constantly learning. "Everything
is always changing," she says. New discoveries about the human body happen
regularly, and that keeps her job challenging.
For exercise physiologists, continuing education is a must,
she adds. "If you're unwilling or unable to keep up, you'll get
left behind."
Exercise physiologists must be willing to attend meetings and conferences,
earn continuing education credits and keep up on all the new journals. And
they should earn their certification and keep it up to date, adds Bushman.
"You should strongly consider certification," she says, "because it will
set yourself aside from others when you're looking for a job."
For Chad, her favorite part of the job is the variety it brings. "I like
the teaching, research and community service," she says. "And I like the self-directedness
of my job. If I have a question, I follow it through until I find the answer."
This requires motivation and dedication, which are both important factors
to think about if you're considering exercise physiology as a career.
The third thing to remember is that it involves working with people.
"It tends to be a people profession, and if you don't like working
with people, then you're in the wrong profession," says Cerny.
Chad couldn't agree more. "You are working with people's health
all the time," she says. "You need to have the brains, but you also need to
have that bedside manner."