Clinical Education in Athletic Training

Abstract

Context: Clinical education is a foundational component of healthcare education by which students acquire, practice, and demonstrate competency in clinical proficiencies through classroom, laboratory, and clinical experiences. Currently, the most common practice of clinical education in athletic training is clinical integration. Objective: The purposes of this article are to describe how athletic training and similar health professions implement clinical education and to present clinical immersion as an alternative to clinical integration. Background: Clinical education is delivered differently across healthcare disciplines. Some disciplines use clinical immersion, while others use clinical integration. Some professions have specific requirements, while others are left to the discretion of the program administrators. However, few professions are measuring the effectiveness of each, leading to questions about best-practice models in clinical education. Description: Clinical integration occurs when students complete clinical and didactic course work concurrently, while in the clinical immersion model, students are immersed in patient care full time with little or no didactic course work. A hybrid model of clinical education includes both integration and immersion. Clinical Advantage(s): Preliminary research within nursing suggests that students engaged in clinical immersion perform better on certification examinations than do those from an integration model. The clinical immersion model is enhanced by the implementation of standardized patients and simulations to prepare students for immersive experiences. These encounters provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate competency before engaging in patient care, which promotes patient safety. Conclusion(s): Program administrators have the opportunity and professional responsibility to explore different curricular models and to ultimately develop better methods of preparing future athletic trainers. Moreover, educators have a responsibility to measure and report outcomes to help provide a body of knowledge regarding best practices in clinical education.

Longitudinal Examination of Transition to Practice for Graduates of Professional Master's Programs: Socializing Factors

“…12 Although how clinical education is delivered can be up to the athletic training program administrators, it has been viewed as an effective means for students to be ready for transition to autonomous practitioners. [33][34][35] Our participants, reported that time engaged in their clinical education experiences allowed them to acquire knowledge of the professional responsibility of athletic trainers as well as to be aware of the types of things they would be required to do as well as treat. Moreover, research suggests that exposure to the employment setting one is assuming can also facilitate a successful transition to clinical practice, as awareness can reduce the stress associated with the transition.…”

Newly Credentialed Athletic Trainers' Perceptions of Professional Preparation for Their Role as Collegiate Graduate Assistants

“…Programs can opt to use clinical integration or clinical immersion models. 6,48 With the clinical immersion models, students are immersed full time into the clinical setting without taking classes concurrently or taking a few courses online. With this model, students are not limited to geographically convenient clinical sites, and programs can instead use clinical sites with effective preceptors who view the clinical experience as truly educational.…”

“…Athletic training programs could implement the clinical immersion model, in which athletic training students are immersed in clinical education full time, allowing them to experience all aspects of the ATs' role. 6,48 Another option would be to restructure clinical experiences to focus on completion of proficiencies instead of obtaining a certain number of hours. During the clinical experience, patient encounters could be tracked and evaluated to ensure athletic training students are implementing competencies during clinical education.…”

“…This professional preparation occurs in an athletic training program that has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) and consists of planned, supervised educational activities to prepare students to take on the roles and responsibilities of a newly credentialed AT. 5,6 Organizational socialization occurs after the individual enters the organizational setting, in which the individual is able to learn and adapt to their position through formal orientation and mentoring. 4,7 There are many skills associated with being an AT aside from those tested on the Board of Certification exam, such as the ability to think critically to solve problems; communicating professionally with patients, physicians, coaches, parents, etc; care for patients; being committed to the profession 8 ; and managing time effectively.…”

Preceptor Perceptions of the Immersive Clinical Experience in Athletic Training Education

“…Clinical education is important for the socialization of athletic training students (ATS) and is characterized by the integration of ATS into clinical practice through the supervision of a preceptor. 1 Researchers have demonstrated that ATS place a large value on the influence of the preceptor for mentorship and role modeling. 2 Clinical experiences can serve as a catalyst for smooth transition into the workforce.…”