A new postgraduate program at Charles Sturt University (CSU) has recently been accredited by the national body and is redefining clinical exercise physiology higher education in Australia.

 

Dr Stephen Bird, senior lecturer and course coordinator of the Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology - Rehabilitation at the CSU School of Human Movement Studies in Bathurst, said the course was accredited after a lengthy and detailed assessment by Exercise and Sports Sciences Australia (ESSA) under the National University Course Accreditation Program (NUCAP).

 

“The importance of this accreditation for students is that after 1 January 2014, only graduates from courses accredited by NUCAP will be eligible to apply to ESSA for registration as an accredited exercise physiologist (AEP),” Dr Bird said.

 

“Consequently, once a graduate is accredited, they can offer their services under Medicare through general practitioner referrals, thus the course has immediate implications for the way AEPs can work and be remunerated.

 

“This course accreditation is a first for Australia, as it is Australia's only Master degree dedicated to clinical exercise physiology delivered by distance education.

 

“It is a success story as far as student interest and enrolment is concerned. Feedback from current students is extremely positive, with praise for the delivery methods, which enhance their learning experience.”

 

The course includes residential schools, which have an open learning structure of small groups with teachers circulating and available to answer questions. The course provides hands-on experience which is directly applicable when the student returns to the workplace, including how to prescribe exercises for chronic conditions, how to conduct an ECG, and clinical and non-clinical exercise testing. It also assists students to understand and address important client psychological and psychosocial needs which may not be adequately addressed by many health professionals.