18 July 2019: The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and the University of Canberra (UC) have joined forces to develop a globally unique academic program that will provide health professionals with the skills and insights to optimise elite human health and performance.
Designed by industry leaders, the world-first Master of Applied Clinical Epidemiology (MACE) course is especially targeted for those working in sport, defence and emergency services.
MACE course participants will learn to better understand the health patterns associated with elite athletes and personnel in high performance environments – such as defence and emergency services – effectively identifying risk factors and enhancing preventative health care.
AIS CEO Peter Conde said that the ground-breaking program will enable national sporting organisations and the National Institute Network to use data analysis and research to plan and evaluate strategies for preventing athlete injury and illness.
“The MACE course offers students the chance to tap into specialised content developed by the AIS and globally leading practitioners in health implementation programs,” Mr Conde said.
“The partnership strengthens ties between the two organisations, and will bring together subject matter experts from the AIS Athlete Availability program with world-class UC academic resources.”
The University’s Research Institute for Sport and Exercise (UCRISE) Director and Professor of Sports Medicine Dr Gordon Waddington said that the initiative creates a unique opportunity – participants can learn from industry leaders in sports medicine and preventative health, within an innovative and flexible environment.
“The MACE course offers advanced online learning and intensive hands-on experiences, including in core units such as Fundamentals for Performance Health and Implementing for Real-world Change,” Professor Waddington said.
“Students can expect excellent job prospects in spaces like sports medicine, athlete wellbeing and performance health, and during the course they will benefit from an exceptional learning environment.
“The UC postgraduate Health Services and Support study area is ranked number one nationally for student satisfaction and teaching quality.”
The MACE course will be available to personnel working in high performance organisations who hold an undergraduate degree in Applied Health, Medicine, or Exercise and Sports Medicine. The AIS will also offer a limited number of scholarships to eligible participants.
