The Exercise & Sports Science Awards recognise outstanding accredited professionals who demonstrate a depth of knowledge and commitment to exercise and sports science through their practice and advocacy.
Accredited Exercise Physiologist of the Year recognises outstanding Accredited Exercise Physiologists for exceptional service delivery to their clients, their practice, or the community. Innovation in program delivery or service models across the spectrum of the health and sporting sector is also highly regarded.
Congratulations to the 2023 Accredited Exercise Physiologist of the Year: David Mizrahi!
David Mizrahi, Chair of the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA) Exercise and Cancer Committee, has significantly advanced the role of exercise physiology in cancer care.
Under his leadership, the field has seen remarkable progress, from initiating groundbreaking fellowships to driving policy changes that enhance patient care.
"In this role, I have led initiatives like the inaugural COSA Exercise Fellowship, awarded to Dr. Kim Edmunds, focusing on a health economic analysis of exercise-oncology programs," David said.
David organised a sold-out exercise oncology workshop and advocated for increased Medicare sessions for Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP) services and more AEPs in hospitals. His efforts have boosted COSA’s research potential, enabling national and international researchers to conduct exercise oncology studies through COSA’s multidisciplinary members.
David’s international work is also significant. "As a Fulbright Scholar, I spent 2022 at St. Jude Children’s Hospital, a leader in childhood cancer research," he explains.
He gave lectures at universities in Memphis, Hawaii, Penn State, and Messiah, and presented at the Sport and Exercise Science New Zealand conference in Auckland. Mr Mizrahi chaired and presented at the Pediatric Exercise Oncology Congress and helped develop Health Behaviour Guidelines for childhood cancer survivors.
The Fulbright Fellowship gave David valuable international exposure and collaboration opportunities. "I was able to work with world leaders in pediatric exercise oncology research, which has continued remotely," he says.
This established him as an emerging leader, leading to roles like journal editor for exercise oncology submissions.
Collaborating with experts such as Prof. Katie Schmitz, David published significant research on exercise in young adults and adolescents with a North American consortium.
He leads several key projects, including a three-year Fellowship from The Kids Cancer Project to research exercise delivery to children during and after cancer treatment. "We will conduct quantitative analyses, qualitative studies, and randomised trials to identify priorities for delivering exercise," he notes.
His work with The University of Sydney, National Health and Medical Research Council, and World Cancer Research Fund focuses on exercise protocols for cancer survivors with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.
Through his leadership roles, David actively works on policy changes. "I've led many advocacy submissions calling for increased access to exercise in cancer care," he said. His efforts aim to expand AEP sessions for cancer patients via Medicare and increase AEP positions in cancer centers. David also launched the inaugural Exercise and Cancer Fellowship, highlighting the importance of health economic evaluations in advancing the field.