Case studies: Exercise physiologist: Tommy

Tommy has an MSc Exercise Physiology from Loughborough University and is currently working on a PhD in Exercise Physiology, looking at the effects of concurrent strength and endurance training on skeletal muscle adaptations...

At the end of my MSc, I saw an advert on Mid Sweden University's website for a PhD student in exercise physiology. I applied for the position, was called for an interview and was offered the position. I started my current work only two weeks after graduating from Loughborough University.

The skills I gained during my MSc at Loughborough University have been extremely useful and relevant in my PhD work. In particular, I gained a lot of experience and knowledge about the research process and research methodology. In addition, completing my own research project as part of the MSc course gave me a lot of confidence to work independently with research.

Completing the MSc Exercise Physiology was absolutely critical to securing my current position. I could not have wished for a better preparation in terms of field of study. I now know that the reputation of sports science research at Loughborough played a vital part in the decision to offer me this position.

A typical working day depends heavily on where I've got up to in my research projects. In terms of research, I spend a lot of time preparing my research studies, reading articles, planning exercise protocols, validating exercise equipment, etc. The fun part is, of course, the actual interaction with subjects, and getting all the results after months of preparations and experiments.

I also enjoy the actual part of writing a research paper, which is a bit of an art itself. My position also includes teaching, and I teach modules in human biology, exercise physiology, fitness testing and training adaptations to our undergraduate students on the Sports Science programme. Outside of work, I also work with a local football club giving physiological support.

One of the best things about my job is that it is very flexible and covers many areas and work tasks. Even though the job is flexible, you often need to be prepared to work long hours. But in a way, you work for yourself and want to produce a good thesis, and lack of motivation has never been a problem for me.

Right now I really feel I would like to continue within academia and establish a research career. This is a very challenging plan as I know that this research area is very competitive and the research money available is very limited.

I like the combination of science and practical work, and by this I mean the mixture of sitting in the office thinking scientifically and being in the lab working with hands-on physiological testing.

My advice to other students and graduates interested in an academic career in physiology is to study hard and make the most of your studies. Make contacts, show your interest and speak to other researchers.