Graduate Program Options for Cardiac Rehabilitation

Cardiac rehabilitation is a career in the medical field that involves using nutrition and exercise plans to prevent cardiovascular disease. If you are hoping to find employment in this field, you should look for cardiac rehabilitation graduate programs. This typically involves pursuing a Master of science in exercise science.

Education Prerequisites

You must have a Bachelor's degree before you can enroll in a graduate degree program. You must also have successfully completed courses in kinesiology, anatomy and physiology, and exercise physiology.

Master of Science in Exercise Science

This degree will prepare you to work with athletes and patients who suffer from metabolic, orthopedic, cardiovascular, and neurological disorders. Many four-year universities in the United States will allow you to choose a specific concentration, such as cardiac rehabilitation.

A concentration in cardiac rehabilitation typically combines laboratory experience, classroom lectures, and a field internship. You will learn how to prescribe exercise, assess patients, and conduct workshops in physical education. You will also further explore the fundamentals of exercise science, cardiovascular disease, human physiology, and nutrition.

Possible Courses

Throughout your cardiac rehabilitation graduate program you will attend classroom lectures, have clinical experiences, and attend laboratory classes. Some courses you may take include: clinical aspects of physiology, exercise, fitness law, advanced exercise physiology, cardiac rehabilitation, nutrition and physical activity, and biomechanics.

If you wish to make a career out of this field, it is highly recommend that you take advantage of continuing education opportunities. You can find these through the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. Some employers may actually require you to keep up with continuing education.

Cardiac Rehabilitation Career Outlook and Salary

Once you finish your Master's degree in exercise science, you can start to apply for cardiac rehabilitation job openings at hospitals and other medical facilities. You may find a position as a cardiac rehabilitation specialist, cardiac stress testing specialist, health improvement director, exercise physiologist, and exercise specialist. Urban areas where the larger medical centers are tend to have the most employment opportunities. If you are finding it difficult to find employment, taking an internship may help to give you the experience needed to open up job prospects.

On average, those in this field earn about $52,000 per year. Average annual salary can vary greatly depending on several factors, such as geographic location, your level of experience and education, the company you work for, and the industry you work for.

Resources

University of Wisconsin La Crosse: Cardiac Rehabilitation Program