Student Retention in Athletic Training Education Programs

Dodge

2011

Self Cite

136

Context: Previous researchers have indicated that athletic training education programs (ATEPs) appear to retain students who are motivated and well integrated into their education programs. However, no researchers have examined the factors leading to successful persistence to graduation of recent graduates from ATEPs.Objective: To determine the factors that led students enrolled in a postprofessional education program accredited by the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) to persist to graduation from accredited undergraduate ATEPs.Design: Qualitative study. Setting: Postprofessional education program accredited by the NATA.Patients or Other Participants: Fourteen graduates (12 women, 2 men) of accredited undergraduate entry-level ATEPs who were enrolled in an NATA-accredited postprofessional education program volunteered to participate. Data Collection and Analysis:We conducted semistructured interviews and analyzed data through a grounded theory approach. We used open, axial, and selective coding procedures. To ensure trustworthiness, 2 independent coders analyzed the data. The researchers then negotiated over the coding categories until they reached 100% agreement. We also performed member checks and peer debriefing.Results: Four themes emerged from the data. Decisions to persist to graduation from ATEPs appeared to be influenced by students' positive interactions with faculty, clinical instructors, and peers. The environment of the ATEPs also affected their persistence. Participants thought they learned much in both the clinic and the classroom, and this learning motivated them to persist. Finally, participants could see themselves practicing athletic training as a career, and this greatly influenced their eventual persistence.Conclusions: Our study gives athletic training educators insight into the reasons students persist to graduation from ATEPs. Specifically, athletic training programs should strive to develop close-knit learning communities that stress positive interactions between students and instructors. Athletic training educators also must work to present the athletic training field as exciting and dynamic.

Section: Acknowledgmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors of Persistence Among Graduates of Athletic Training Education Programs

Dodge

2011

Self Cite

136

“…[7][8][9][10] Although that information is critical, learning about the opinions and experiences of those who have left the profession is equally necessary to fully appreciate their reasons. Our study is unique, as it is one of the first, to our knowledge, to examine departure reasons from a group who initially demonstrated professional commitment and long-term goals within the athletic training profession, as evidenced by completion of a PPATP, yet later decided to leave.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The topic of retention within athletic training has received attention recently, as the profession looks to solidify its role in health care and the medical community. Although the literature is rich with information on retention and factors associated with it, [7][8][9][10] there is a paucity of information regarding why athletic trainers make the decision to pursue a degree from a PPATP, indicating commitment to the profession, but later depart for another primary role outside of athletic training. Consequently, the purpose of our investigation was to understand why ATs invested in advanced training via a PPATP but then decided to leave the profession.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Career Commitment of Postprofessional Athletic Training Program Graduates

Mazerolle

Goodman

2015

Context: Choosing to pursue an advanced degree in athletic training appears to indicate professional commitment and passion for the profession. Currently, there is a paucity of information regarding why some athletic trainers pursue enrollment in a postprofessional athletic training program (PPATP), indicating commitment to the profession, but later depart for another primary role outside of athletic training.Objective: To understand why athletic trainers invested in advanced training via a PPATP but then decided to leave the profession.Design: Qualitative study. Data Collection and Analysis: Recruits responded to an email invitation to participate by completing a confidential online questionnaire. We analyzed data using a general inductive approach and secured trustworthiness using multiple-analyst triangulation, peer review, and member checks.Results: Two higher-order themes emerged regarding the career commitment of former athletic trainers who were PPATP graduates: (1) departure from an athletic training career and (2) partial continuance in athletic training. Two second-order themes emerged from the reasons for departure: (1) decreased recognition of value and (2) work-life imbalance. Finally, we identified 2 third-order themes from the participants' reasons for departure because of a perceived lack of value: (1) low salary and (2) long, inconsistent hours worked.Conclusions: Most of our participants intended to stay in the profession when they chose to attend a PPATP. However, during role inductance in either the clinical experience of the PPATP they attended or early in their careers, they began to have thoughts of leaving mainly because of inadequate financial compensation, challenging work schedules, or both.Key Words: retention, attrition, career inductance Key PointsDespite their initial intentions to remain in the profession, athletic trainers who departed cited low salaries and long, inconsistent hours as the main factors in their decisions. Also influencing the decision to leave athletic training were decreased perceived value as a health care provider and work-life imbalance.

“…In fact, the lack of respect for the profession has been a facilitator for students departing athletic training programs. 7,15 Furthermore, as highlighted by our participants' perceptions, a move to graduate-level education may improve the reputation of the profession and help retain students. However, we acknowledge that evidence to support some of these claims may be lacking.…”

Section: Advantages Of and Support For The Transition To A Pm Modelmentioning

confidence: 93%

Multistakeholder Perspectives on the Transition to a Graduate-Level Athletic Training Educational Model

Mazerolle

Pitney

2015

Context:The decision has been made to move away from the traditional bachelor's degree professional program to a master's degree professional program. Little is known about the perceptions about this transition from those involved with education.Objective: To examine multiple stakeholders' perspectives within athletic training education on the effect that a change to graduate-level education could have on the profession and the educational and professional development of the athletic trainer.Design: Qualitative study. Setting: Web-based survey. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 18 athletic training students (6 men, 12 women; age ¼ 24 6 5 years), 17 athletic training faculty (6 men, 9 women, 2 unspecified; 7 program directors, 5 faculty members, 3 clinical coordinators, 2 unidentified; age ¼ 45 6 8 years), and 15 preceptors (7 men, 7 women, 1 unspecified; age ¼ 34 6 7 years) completed the study.Data Collection and Analysis: Participants completed a structured Web-based questionnaire. Each cohort responded to questions matching their roles within an athletic training program. Data were analyzed following a general inductive process. Member checks, multiple-analyst triangulation, and peer review established credibility.Results: Thirty-one (62%) participants supported the transition, 14 (28%) were opposed, and 5 (10%) were neutral or undecided. Advantages of and support for transitioning and disadvantages of and against transitioning emerged. The first higher-order theme, advantages, revealed 4 benefits: (1) alignment of athletic training with other health care professions, (2) advanced coursework and curriculum delivery, (3) improved student and professional retention, and (4) student maturity. The second higher-order theme, disadvantages, was defined by 3 factors: (1) limited time for autonomous practice, (2) financial concerns, and (3) lack of evidence for the transition.Conclusions: Athletic training students, faculty, and preceptors demonstrated moderate support for a transition to the graduate-level model. Factors supporting the move were comparable with those detailed in a recent document on professional education in athletic training presented to the National Athletic Trainers' Association Board of Directors. The concerns about and reasons against a move have been discussed by those in the profession.