Expectations of Athletic Training Students
You will be expected to attend class, turn in assignments, and take exams on time. To do otherwise suggests that you are not taking your position in the program seriously. Clinical settings are to be treated as critical learning experiences and as a professional commitment. You are expected to attend as scheduled. You are further expected to be inquisitive to take initiative. As you gain experience, you should begin to assume a leadership role. You will also contribute to the completion of support chores such as cleaning or folding towels. You will seek to improve your athletic training skills each day that you are in the athletic training facility. If this approach is followed, active learning time will be maximized. It is expected that you demonstrate positive interaction skills with fellow students, staff, and patients. You are expected to be a team player and a professional.
Application Status
Admitted
Applicants who meet all application requirements and are deemed by the selection committee to be excellent candidates will be admitted to ATEP.
Not Admitted
Applicants who do not meet all application requirements or are deemed by the selection committee to need improvement in one or more areas will not be admitted to ATEP.
Conditional Acceptance (1) Before Beginning of Summer Session
Conditional acceptance (1) may be granted to applicants who do not meet all application requirements, but demonstrate high quality work in the completed requirements. If the applicant completes the remaining requirements at a high level the conditional status will be removed and the applicant will be officially admitted to ATEP. Completion of the remaining application requirements at a significantly lower quality will result in the removal of the conditional status and the applicant will not be admitted to ATEP.
Conditional Acceptance (2) After Beginning of Summer Session
Conditional acceptance (2) may be granted to applicants who are deemed “marginal” applicants. The conditional status will remain until the completion of summer coursework. If the summer coursework is completed with grades of “C” or higher, the conditional status will be removed and the applicant will officially be admitted to ATEP. If the applicant earns a grade less than “C”, the conditional status will be removed and the applicant will not be admitted to ATEP.
Retention Policy
Following admission into the Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) each student receives further formal evaluation upon completion of each clinical rotation. If the ATS demonstrates appropriate progress he/she is advanced to the next clinical rotation. The ATS who fails to demonstrate satisfactory performance in either the clinical or classroom requirements is placed on probation. This student then has one semester to remedy any deficiencies. If the deficiencies are not remedied in the time frame allotted, the ATS will be dropped from the program. The Program Director and Clinical Coordinator monitor ATS progress from one clinical rotation to the next and make all probationary decisions in consultation with their respective ACI/CI.
Requirements
Classroom Requirements:
ATSs must maintain an overall grade point average of 2.80 in all Athletic Training and Kinesiology course work and an overall university GPA of 2.50. All coursework must be C- or above. Students have the opportunity to repeat coursework in which they received a grade below C-, but may have to take a leave of absence from the program for a semester or year until the needed course is offered again.
Clinical Requirements:
Each ATS’s clinical performance is assessed each semester by the ACIs/CIs. If the ATS is making appropriate progress, he/she will be allowed to enter the next clinical rotation of the program. ATSs must maintain their CPR/First Aid certifications. The ATS who has fallen behind in skills or is not meeting the responsibilities of his/her level is placed on probation for up to one semester. This provides the student an opportunity to remedy the deficiency.
Satisfactory Progress:
The ATSs are expected to meet appropriate deadlines for the completion of proficiencies and other responsibilities for membership in the Athletic Training Education Program. Failure to meet the defined deadlines is grounds for probation or dismissal from the program.
Certificatin Requirements
As of December 31, 2003, the internship route to certification for athletic trainers was eliminated as a route to certification. As a result, anyone pursuing the athletic training certification must complete an accredited athletic training education program (ATEP). The accredited programs are now competency-based, which means that each student must demonstrate competency of knowledge and proficiency of basic skills before they are allowed to graduate. This will provide more consistency in the level and abilities of entry-level athletic trainers. Due to this educational reform, the accumulation of hours is no longer required to sit for the Board of Certification (BOC) examination. Any hours that may be required by various programs are directly related to the coursework and are not required for certification.
In order to become a certified athletic trainer, ATSs must:
2. Maintain current certification in Emergency Cardiac Care
3. Pass the Board of Certification Examination.
For more information on the Board of Certification Examination visit
http://www.bocatc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=41&Itemid=43