clinical exercise physiologist
the role of a clinical exercise physiologist is a varied one; working as part of a multidisciplinary team of clinicians and allied health professionals our aim is to provide expert advice on exercise for persons with chronic diseases (coronary heart disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, etc). the emergence of this role requires a range of skills,including good clinical investigative skills, presentation skills and being organised.
within a cardiac rehabilitation setting clinical exercise physiologists are involved in interpreting clinical data from exercise tolerance tests and other associated clinical investigations, enabling suitable risk stratification for appropriate cardiac rehabilitation. in order to provide the most appropriate advice all patients are seen within exercise physiology clinics where modification of lifestyle risk factors are discussed and addressed, and relative referrals made to other health professionals where appropriate.
exercise physiologists need to keep up-to-date with ongoing research, so we can be innovative in our practice. being involved in the development and delivery of phase lll cardiac rehab programmes, both within the hospital setting and the community ensures the best for patients. as a relatively new discipline we are often involved in presenting and teaching within secondary and primary care settings to allied health professionals including cardiologists and other medical staff. also important. this ensures awareness of evidence-based guidelines for exercise, so that literature given to the public is up-to-date and accurate.
requirements
employers typically require physiology based degree and relevant experience in dealing with patient/client groups.
experience and further training is gained on the job.
typical employers
-NHS Hospital Trusts
-Private Healthcare Organisations
opportunities and pay
pay ranges from 19,000 to 23,000. at present most clinical exercise physiologists are employed as MTO3 (medical technical officers). however, as the role of clinical exercise physiology is a new and developing one, it is likely to change.
how ? (qualifications,training and experience)
-BSc (Hons) sport science (exercise science)
-certificate in education post 16
-BACR Phase IV Instructor
-Volunteer Walk Leader
-Immediate Life Support
following my degree I spent some time teaching at further education level. my time as a lecturer has proven invaluable when presenting to both patients and doctors alike. clinical experience was gained working as a lead health advisor for BUPA where I was involved in patient assessments and also managing a team. the skills learnt in both these jobs have definitely been valuable in managing a caseload of patients. training is ongoing and over the next couple of years I will hopefully by undertaking my MSc.
I really enjoy the variety that the role provides. helping patients to make appropriate lifestyle choices can be really rewarding.