The Athletic Training Program (ATP) at Saginaw Valley State University is committed to creating opportunities for athletic training students to achieve intellectually, professionally and personally through their academic, professional, clinical and cultural experiences. Through didactic and clinical experience, ATS will demonstrate proficiency in the educational competencies and clinical proficiencies developed by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) and will thus be prepared to lend their leadership and expertise to the advancement of the athletic training profession.
In the ATP, the only acceptable professional goal is excellence. In order to be successful in the SVSU ATP, students must be committed to excellence in all phases of their program, including scholarship, clinical practice, and personal development. In healthcare, no patient wants or deserves mediocre care. Therefore, as healthcare providers, athletic training students must strive to provide the best care available. Athletic trainers must learn to work as part of the interpersonal healthcare team. In order to accomplish this goal, you must demonstrate exceptional commitment to both knowledge and skill acquisition and development. This can only occur when ATS are both prepared to learn and actively seek to apply his/her knowledge and skill to a variety of clinical situations. These two things are completely interdependent. The marriage between classroom preparation and clinical practice is absolutely essential.
Likewise, knowledge is NOT something that can be given to a student. Knowledge is earned only when students actively seek it. Students must constantly look to improve their understanding and refine their skills and this involves seeking out ongoing interaction between the student and the instructor. The academic and clinical programs in the SVSU ATP contains a wealth of knowledge and experience to be gained, but as a student, you will only get from this program what you actively seek. You can have an outstanding education or a mediocre one, but you are the personal who controls what you will learn. To this end, you must constantly ask questions and seek the guidance from the faculty and clinical instructors. The only bad questions are ones that were not asked. At the same time,you cannot effectively seek knowledge without first demonstrating a strong and genuine professional commitment. Always remember, no one cares how much you know until they know how much you care. This is true both for your professional education and for working with patients.
The following program assessment was created to align student learning with the National Athletic Training Association education competencies.
Athletic Training Students will be able to:
1. Understand risk management and injury prevention and demonstrate the necessary skills to plan and implement prevention and risk management strategies to reduce the risk of injury and illness in the physically active.
2. Recognize, assess, and treat patients with acute/emergent injuries and illnesses and provide appropriate medical referral when applicable.
3. Demonstrate the ability to clinically examine and diagnose a patient for the purpose of identifying (1) common acquired or congenital risk factors that would predispose the patient to injury and (2) musculoskeletal orthopedic injuries to determine proper care including referral of the patient to other health care providers when appropriate.
4. Understand general medical conditions and disabilities associated with physically active individuals.
5. Plan, implement, document, and evaluate the efficacy of therapeutic modalities in the treatment of injuries to and illnesses of their patients.
6. Plan, implement, document, and evaluate the efficacy of therapeutic exercise programs for the rehabilitation and reconditioning of injuries and illnesses.
7. Possess the ability to recognize, intervene, and refer when appropriate, patients exhibiting sociocultural, mental, emotional, and psychosocial behavioral problems/issues.
8. Possess an understanding of the nutritional aspects of injuries and illnesses.
9. Demonstrate mastery of the cognitive and psychomotor competencies in each of the 12 content areas established by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Executive Committee for Education.
10. Demonstrate foundational behaviors of professional practice as established by NATA-Executive Committee for Education as outlined in the NATA Athletic Training Education Competencies 5th Edition.
11. Understand the need for continuing professional education and provide opportunities for athletic training students to participate continuing professional education programming such as national, district, and state professional meetings.
12. Understand the need for performing quality research (ie., original research, case reports, evidence-based practice, systematic reviews) and provide opportunities for obtaining, interpreting, evaluating, and applying relevant research data, literature, and/or other forms of information to add to the current body of knowledge and/or affect change in the local community.
13. Pass the Board of Certification (BOC) certification examination and obtain licensure as an athletic training TRAINER? in the State of Michigan if and when applicable.
14. Be prepared for employment as an entry-level athletic trainer and/or admission into post-professional graduate education programs (ie, physical therapy, physician’s assistant, medical school).
15. Assist local certified athletic trainers to (1) maintain or renew professional certification, (2) prevent outdated clinical practice, and (3) advance ones knowledge, skills and abilities by addressing pertinent issues related to the healthcare delivery of athletes and the physically active in our community.
Accrediting/Certifying Body: Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education; National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Executive Committee for Education.
Professional Organizations/Standards that informed development of learning outcomes: National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Executive Committee for Education; Board of Certification Standards of Professional Practice; Board of Certification Approved Provider Program-Provider #P8379