Context Athletic training programs are required to incorporate the development of many foundational skills and behaviors into the curriculum. Athletic training students must develop soft skills such as effective communication, exhibiting empathy, dependability, and integrity, which are all associated with quality athletic trainers. Objective To describe a novel approach to promoting the awareness of values and development of the characteristics and soft skills associated with being a successful student and health care professional for students before they enter their clinical experiences. Background Graduate and undergraduate programs typically offer an introductory course to students before their first clinical assignment. The main emphasis of introductory courses is often on learning foundational knowledge and technical skills. However, early adoption of professional values and development of soft skills may benefit students as they start their clinical experiences. Description A course was designed using 11 main themes to guide student learning in values and behaviors important to academics and a career in health care. This article describes how the 11 themes were selected and developed, how the course was delivered, and how various pedagogical strategies were incorporated. Clinical Advantage(s) Development of soft skills may benefit athletic training students as they enter the professional phase of an athletic training program. Conclusion(s) As athletic training education shifts to the master's level, fostering soft skills and necessary preclinical skills for students from varied backgrounds is becoming ever more important so students are all equitably prepared for their first clinical experiences.

Context Peer learning often happens naturally in athletic training education. Deliberate use of evidence-based learning models and strategies related to peer learning could make the peer work more effective. Objective To describe the approach to learning in the athletic training classroom, using the peer-assisted learning model, reciprocal teaching style, and structured peer feedback, that may improve student progress toward learning outcomes. Background The 3 complementary strategies have been described independently in the athletic training literature as well as in other health care curricula. The positive findings related to student learning continues to support the use of these pedagogic practices; however, they have not been explored as a collective way to design a course that includes a multitude of cognitive and psychomotor competencies. The reciprocal teaching style and structured peer feedback complement the peer-assisted learning model, offering a familiar didactic environment to address learning outcomes. Description Two therapeutic modalities courses were taught using the peer-assisted learning model with the use of reciprocal teaching style to encourage the expected student roles and behaviors. Structured peer feedback offered opportunities for increased student socialization and focus on improving clinical skills through low-stakes interactions. Advantage(s) The integration of reciprocal teaching style and structured peer feedback within the peer-assisted learning model may allow students to deliberately interact with each other and progress through course content and application. Conclusion(s) Through purposeful course design, athletic training educators may foster a classroom environment (lecture and lab) that focuses students on practicing skills and reinforcing correct technique through productive and constant communication.

Purpose: Requiring students to complete and record professional development type activities similar to the requirements of certified athletic trainers may help promote the values and behaviors associated with life-long learning in the evolving practice of athletic training, as well as prepare students more practically for the expectations of credential maintenance. We sought to design, implement, assess, and improve a new professional development program requirement in a professional-level athletic training program that closely mirrored the process and re-certification requirements for certified athletic trainers. Methods: a quasi-experimental mixed-methods approach was used. Data were collected over two consecutive years at a private university in the Midwestern United States. A convenience sample of students enrolled in a professional athletic training program participated in the study. Student-rated perception of the new professional development requirement and qualitative student perceptions were mined from various data sources. Results: Participants in the study reported positive, self-reported progress toward achieving program outcomes. Major benefits as identified by the participants included socialization opportunities, exposure to emerging practices and techniques, and appreciation of the process for credential maintenance. Feedback given by students was integrated into the professional development program requirement where appropriate between years one and two of the study, and changes were received well by participants. Conclusions: Athletic training students in the current study benefitted from participation in overt pedagogy in professional development. Establishment and cultivation of a professional development requirement may benefit athletic training programs for the best preparation of athletic trainers before they transition to practice.

Purpose: Educators should not assume that students will acquire the soft skills and professional behaviors that are valued without instruction and guided practice. Early establishment of a positive professional identity may empower and motivate students to work towards excellence. We sought to explore and describe student perceptions of online learning modules designed to promote soft skill development in professional level athletic training students early in their education program. Methods: A qualitative approach was used. We designed a course curriculum using a series of online learning modules to promote the development of soft skills and the appreciation of professional values. It was implemented at two universities with professional-level masters of athletic training programs. Students completed the curriculum in the first term in their respective programs. Participants included a convenience sample of 14 students enrolled in two masters-level professional athletic training programs. We invited students enrolled in two targeted programs to participate in the study by email and in person. We collected data in the form of survey and semi structured focus group interview responses as well as student artifacts from the courses. We analyzed the data in an ongoing, inductive, constant comparative manner, and the researchers used peer debriefing and member checking to enhance data trustworthiness. Results: Participants appreciated attention to professional behaviors in a modality that was time-efficient and through a scope relevant to their practice. Three main themes emerged from the data including the value of soft skills, interpersonal communication and collaboration, and personal growth. Conclusions: Athletic training educators should consider overt attention to teaching soft skills and professional behaviors. Educators should also consider doing so in a manner that is perceived as valuable to students.