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A Sport and Exercise Science New Zealand conference which ended in Dunedin at the weekend proved a "very positive success'', Dr Lynnette Jones said.
Dr Jones is a senior lecturer in the University of Otago School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise, and was a member of the conference organising committee.
It had been positive that many postgraduate students at the school had had the chance to make academic presentations during the two-day conference, which attracted 130 delegates from throughout the country, and some overseas keynote speakers, she said.
There were also "very exciting opportunities'' to further develop the international accreditation of graduates working in clinical exercise physiology.
The signing of memorandums of understanding with leading sport and exercise science professional bodies in the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States during the conference would help in several ways.
As allied health professionals, clinical exercise physiology graduates could play a key role in helping advance the future good health of patients with a wide range of medical conditions, including heart patients and people with a cancer diagnosis.
The conference also reflected a growing acknowledgement of the importance of appropriate exercise as a medicine which could greatly improve outcomes for patients with a wide range of medical conditions, she said.