There is increasing recognition that an appropriately prescribed program of exercise can make a significant contribution to an individual’s health status, health management and overall health outcomes.  In line with this thinking, Professor Greg Gass of Bond University, in collaboration with colleagues from Griffith University and Massey University, has secured a National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Grant.  The grant, conferred by the Minister of Health and Ageing under the Primary Health Care Project Grant Scheme, will provide funds in excess of  $660K.

Professor Gass has worked extensively in the area of rehabilitation and exercise for individuals challenged by disabilities and the ageing process, as well as with elite athletes. The NHMRC grant will fund a study which proposes to resolve the exercise dose-response relationships in older females and provide this knowledge to General Practitioners and other allied health professionals.

“It is essential that GP’s who have the main responsibility and commitment for prescribing exercise for their older patients have access to information on these dose-response relationships if the onset of chronic disease and disability is to be delayed and the decline in physiological function capacity typically associated with ageing attenuated,” Professor Gass said.

Commencing in February/March 2007, the three-year study will involve 240 women between the ages of 65-74 years walking on treadmills at 50% of their maximum capacity using a variety of exercise durations and frequencies to establish the interaction of frequency, duration and intensity upon selected health outcomes.
 
Professor Gass was recently recruited to Bond University to introduce a new Bachelor of Exercise Science degree and revise the existing Bachelor of j Sports Science degree within Bond’s Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine.  The revised Bachelor of Sports Science Degree will see an increased focus on high performance and the elite athlete and is intended to provide graduates with access to careers in the high performance sport industry.

The new Bachelor of Exercise Science developed under Professor Gass will provide a high level of basic science, clinical science and exercise science content, and will serve as a pathway into the proposed new graduate entry-level Doctor of Physiotherapy to be offered at Bond University from May 2007.

“The design of the Bachelor of Exercise Science recognises Exercise Science as an emerging field of academic and clinical relevance to the medical model, to patient care and health outcomes, and will focus on leading graduates into health-related careers such as Physiotherapy,” Professor Gass said.

Professor Elizabeth Gass is coordinating the introduction of the new Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT) program, which, subject to accreditation by the Australian Physiotherapy Council, will commence in May 2007 and will  qualify graduates to apply for registration as physiotherapists.

“The cornerstone of the proposed Doctor of Physiotherapy at Bond University will be clinical education and clinical excellence.  The DPT will be the first full Problem Based Learning curriculum in Physiotherapy in Australia.” Professor Gass said.

If you would like to find out more about Bond University’s new programs in Exercise Science, Sports Science or Physiotherapy, please contact:

Ms Jenny Dimento 
Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine
Phone: +61 7 5595 4456 
Email: jdimento@bond.edu.au.

A substantially revised Bachelor of Sports Science degree will be offered by the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine Bond University starting January 2007.  Enrolments are still being accepted. The new Bachelor of Sports Science will be one of two degrees (the other degree being Bachelor of Exercise Science also offered by Bond University) designed as entry degrees for Doctor of Physiotherapy* planned to start at Bond University in May 2007. (*Subject to accreditation by Australian Physiotherapy Council)

The following new degree programs are under development and are proposed to be ready for 2008 and beyond:

• Master of Clinical Sciences (proposed 2008)
• Master of High Performance Science (proposed 2008)
• Master of Coaching Science (proposed 2008/2009)
• Master of Sports Counselling (proposed 2007/2008)

In a recent article (The Australian 6.12.06), a higher education policy analyst at a public university in Queensland suggested that students from private high schools achieve lower marks in their first year of university than students from public high schools with the same Year 12 ranking.  Of particular note was the reasoning for the difference in academic performance in first year of university.

Bond University students are now able to take advantage of FEE-HELP which:

• Is an interest free government loan that helps eligible fee-paying students pay their tuition fees;
• Offers a maximum loan of $80,000 which would cover tuition fees for the Bachelor of Exercise Science or the Bachelor of Sports Science
• Is available to Australian citizens or holders of a permanent humanitarian visa;
• Is repaid to the Australian Taxation Office by compulsory repayments through the taxation system when approximately $35,000 is earned in a financial year;
• Grants a 10% bonus for any voluntary payments over $500.

Take a moment to browse the images of campus life at Bond University and the learning environment in which our students and staff excel.
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This is the last edition of FRONT RUNNER for 2006. We in the academic grouping of Physiotherapy, Exercise Science, Sports Management and Sports Science in the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine at Bond University wish you a very Merry Christmas and a successful 2007.

Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine
BOND UNIVERSITY
GOLD COAST QLD 4229

Phone:	+ 61 7 5595 4400
Fax:	+ 61 7 5595 4122
Website:	www.bond.edu.au/about/faculties/hsm

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As a private, not for profit university, Bond University does not receive yearly funding from the Federal Government, so we are in the position to accept two advertisements in each issue of FRONT RUNNER.  Your audience is approximately 4000 readers (and growing) who have either expressed an interest in exercise science, sport science, sport management or physiotherapy, or those who currently work in related industries, including education. 

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DR JEROME FLEG TO VISIT BOND UNIVERSITY IN 2007

Dr Jerome Fleg, a cardiologist with extensive refereed publications and clinical experience will visit the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University in February 2007.  While visiting Bond University, Dr Fleg will present seminars to staff and students, local general medical practitioners and complete a “Grand Rounds” at a major teaching hospital. 

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If you are interested in joining the ‘Bond University Experience’ and are well credentialed with excellent clinical experience in Physiotherapy then please consider the following vacant academic positions.

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