By Mark Jordan, MS, CEP, CCRP
- Do you serve your AACVPR affiliate organization or sit on an AACVPR committee?
- Have you been an AACVPR member for the past 3 consecutive years?
- Have you participated in at least two Annual Meetings (i.e., speaking, moderating, presenting posters or abstracts, working on the planning committee) over the past 10 years?
If you checked all of the above boxes, the next question is: Could this be your year to apply for AACVPR fellowship?
Imposter Syndrome
For me, becoming a Fellow of the AACVPR was never really on my radar. I believed this recognition was reserved for professionals who contributed much more to the field and to the organization than myself; so when a colleague asked if I was planning to apply for Fellowship last year, my response was, “Do you think I would qualify for that?”
If you’re familiar with the term ‘imposter syndrome,’ that mentality is what had kept me from thinking myself worthy of this endeavor. I’ve been a clinical exercise physiologist working in cardiopulmonary rehabilitation for nearly 20 years. I have been involved with AACVPR and my local affiliate, the Tristate Society for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (TSSCVPR), for more than 11 years. During my time with TSSCVPR, I’ve held multiple executive board positions, including a term as president during the COVID pandemic. I’ve presented numerous posters at both TSSCVPR Symposiums and AACVPR Annual Meetings. And yet, I didn’t believe I had done enough. I felt, and still feel, like I have so much to learn and accomplish to be deserving of this honor.
It was ultimately the encouragement from my TSSCVPR friends/colleagues during the AACVPR Annual Meeting in Milwaukee that motivated me to finally submit an application. Working with this amazing and experienced group of people, who have pushed me out of my comfort zone to the benefit of my professional and personal growth, has been a privilege. I can’t thank ”my village” enough for their support; they even provided me with a stipend to attend the meeting in Anaheim this year so that I could receive the award in person. Thank you all so much – Ruth, Pat, Pam, Jill, Denise, Dave, Lucia, Louise, Mia and everyone in TSSCVPR who I’ve had the privilege to meet. Joining TSSCVPR and the board in 2013 was the best decision of my career. Learning from such an amazing and experienced group of professionals and taking on roles with increasing responsibilities that pushed me out of my comfort zone has allowed me to grow both professionally and personally.
Receiving the fellowship award has been one of the greatest honors of my career. It has provided me with a sense of validation, emboldened me to seize new responsibilities as they are presented, and given me a new level of confidence to continue the work that we all do day in and day out in our programs: providing patients with the best possible care that we can. I’m excited to continue to work and contribute to both TSSCVPR and AACVPR throughout my career.
To conclude, I believe the hard work you do in your programs, with your affiliate organization, and with AACVPR should not go unrecognized. If you answered yes to the three questions at the top, I would encourage you to apply for Fellowship this year. If you aren’t sure where to start the process, there are likely AACVPR Fellows and Masters within your affiliate organization (your “village”) that would be happy to show you the way. You can find a list of current Fellows and Masters on the AACVPR website along with details on how to apply.
Mark Jordan has worked in cardiac rehabilitation for 19 years. He currently serves as a Senior Clinical Exercise Physiologist in the Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation department at UPMC Shadyside Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA.