What to Expect
Thinking about joining our program? Find out what you can expect as a student at UIC.
The Doctor of Clinical Exercise Physiology program is a 12-month, full time program that includes nine months of clinical education experiences. While fall and spring classes follow UIC’s academic calendar, clinical education experiences may not.
Are you a current UIC DCEP student? Visit the student resources page on Inside AHS.
DCEP Program Heading link
Explore the each semester schedule — including courses, activities, and opportunities — by clicking through the tabs below.
Fall semester
Fall semester
CEP 600. Healthy Living Medicine for Diabetes and other Metabolic Disorders (4). This course introduces students to the etiology, diagnosis, and management of diabetes and other metabolic disorders. It reviews considerations for exercise testing, prescription and monitoring of patients with diabetes and other metabolic disorders.
CEP 601. Healthy Living Medicine for the Clinically Complex Patient (4). This course introduces students to exercise testing, exercise prescription and exercise monitoring of patients with clinically complex disorders (cancer, kidney disease, physical, neurologic or cognitive disabilities).
CEP 625. Professional Development I (3). Provide an overview of the clinical exercise physiology practice with special emphasis on the evolving roles of clinical exercise physiologists, laws, ethics, values, evidence, documentation of patient management, and risk management.
CEP 626. Professional Development II (3). Explores the impact of social and political issues on the practice of clinical exercise physiology and will identify, develop, and defend strategies for improving healthcare by enhancing the quality of care and access to service.
CEP 641. Clinical Education Experience I (6). A 12-week supervised practicum in a clinical setting to prepare for entry-level clinical exercise physiology practice.
CEP 642. Clinical Education Experience II (6). A 12-week supervised practicum in a clinical setting to prepare for entry-level clinical exercise physiology practice.
CEP 643. Clinical Education Experience III (6). A 12-week supervised practicum in a clinical setting to prepare for entry-level clinical exercise physiology practice.
CEP 655. Cardiovascular Imaging and Research Methods I (2). This course teaches students to understand the principal aspects of cardiac and vascular imaging modalities including physical principles, instrumentation, cardiovascular anatomy/physiology and pathophysiology.
CEP 656. Cardiovascular Imaging and Research Methods II (2). This course teaches the skills and knowledge to conduct cardiac and vascular imaging studies using advanced tools and techniques such as transesophageal echocardiography, contrast ultrasound, image analysis, archiving and retrieval.
CEP 657. Ultrasound Clinical Rotation I (3). Students will acquire the clinical skills and knowledge to conduct cardiac and vascular imaging studies and interpret the clinical finding and cardiovascular structural and functional parameters revealed by such imaging techniques.
CEP 658. Ultrasound Clinical Rotation II (3). Students will acquire the clinical skills and knowledge to conduct cardiac and vascular imaging studies and interpret the clinical finding and cardiovascular structural and functional parameters revealed by such imaging techniques.
CEP 697. Project in Clinical Exercise Physiology (1-5). Supervised practicum in laboratory or field setting in which recent research findings are applied, tested, and evaluated.
HLP 520. Nutrition and Healthy Living (3). Provides a clinician’s understanding of nutrition and chronic disease, nutritional assessment, and learn to provide guidance on nutrition to combat deficiency and degenerative diseases, and when to refer to a dietitian.
HLP 530. Behavioral Counseling for Healthy Living (2). Interrogates theories, principles and health coaching approaches to health behavior change. Evidence based approaches to supporting health behavior change including health coaching are demonstrated.
PT 510. Control of Posture and Locomotion (2). Provides an analysis of normal and developmental aspects of posture, balance and gait. In addition, assessment and rehabilitation of posture, balance and gait will be discussed through the use of current literature in the field.
Spring semester
| PT 510 | Control of Posture and Locomotion | 2 hours |
| HLP 530 | Behavioral Counseling for Healthy Living | 2 hours |
| CEP 642 | Clinical Education Experience II | 6 hours |
| CEP 656 | Cardiovascular Imaging and Research Methods II | 2 hours |
| CEP 626 | Professional Development II | 3 hours |
| CEP 657 | Ultrasound Clinical Rotation I | 3 hours |
| 18 total hours |
Summer
Summer
Completion of a thesis or dissertation will not be required, however, students will be expected to complete a portfolio which demonstrates the student’s ability to integrate knowledge and demonstrate professional skills and attitudes. The portfolio will be a record of learning that occurs outside of coursework and is a reflection of the learning process of an individual student. The purpose of the portfolio will be to:
- Extend student learning activities beyond the classroom
- Integrate and evaluate learning related to overall curriculum themes and objectives
- Foster independent, self-directed student learning for life-long professional development
- Foster reflective practice
Under the current legal constructs, the DCEP program will enable students to prepare for several specialized certifications to grow their skill set and increase their opportunities for employment. These certifications include:
- ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist
- ACSM Certified Cancer Exercise Trainer
- ACSM Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainer
- Certified Diabetes Educator
- Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer