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Useful experience for cardiac physiologists includes:

• other medical technician or hospital-based work
• experience dealing with the public
• working with technology.

Clinical physiologists may do some or all of the following:

• operate specialised equipment to monitor and record activity and functioning of the heart or other organs
• monitor patients during exercise or sleep tests to check for disease or disorders
• test and monitor patients' lung function
• perform dialysis to treat patients with kidney failure
• interpret patients' test results, and write reports to help general practitioners or physicians decide on treatment
• take part in research projects.

Demand strong for clinical physiologists

Demand for clinical physiologists is strong due to:

• increasing demand for physiology treatment, especially with the growing elderly population
• not enough people training for the role.

Medical technician appears on Immigration New Zealand's regional skills shortage list. This means the Government is actively encouraging skilled medical technicians from overseas to work in New Zealand.

Clinical physiologists (sleep, renal, exercise, respiratory, neurology, and cardiac) appear on Immigration New Zealand's Green List. This means the Government is actively encouraging skilled workers in those roles from overseas to work in New Zealand.

According to the Clinical Physiologists Registration Board, there were 272 cardiac physiologists, 77 renal physiologists, 51 exercise physiologists, 43 respiratory physiologists, 31 sleep physiologists and 24 neurophysiology technicians registered in 2019.

Most clinical physiologists work in hospitals

Most clinical physiologists are employed by public hospitals. Some also work for private hospitals or health clinics.

Clinical Physiologists Registration Board 

www.cprb.org.nz

Clinical physiologists may progress to more senior roles or managerial positions.

Clinical physiologists can specialise in a number of roles, including:

Cardiac Physiologist

Cardiac physiologists use technical equipment to monitor, record, measure and analyse the way patients' hearts are working to help doctors diagnose and treat patients with heart disease.

Respiratory Physiologist

Respiratory physiologists test the way patients are breathing to help treat lung disease or disorders such as asthma. They may be involved in exercise tests or sleep studies.

Renal Physiologist (Dialysis)

Renal physiologists help to treat patients with renal or kidney failure.

Sleep Physiologist

Sleep physiologists work with patients who have health issues relating to poor sleep quality. They treat conditions such as sleep apnoea.

Neurophysiology Technologist

Neurophysiology technologists record brain and nerve activity using specialised equipment. They may also be involved in sleep studies.

Exercise Physiologist

Exercise physiologists analyse patients' fitness to help them improve or maintain good health. They also help to treat other chronic health diseases, such as heart disease.

Clinical physiologists need to be:

• responsible and reliable
• focused and accurate
• able to remain calm in emergencies and to work well under pressure
• able to work well as part of a team
• good communicators
• good at keeping records.