Clinical Progression Philosophy

Purpose

To provide experiential learning opportunities to students throughout a 6-semester course sequence, progressing the student from foundational knowledge to autonomous clinical decision-making under the direction of a preceptor.

Overall Philosophy:

Clinical rotations will reinforce didactic content respective to each individual semester.
Students must enroll in Clinical Rotation courses (ATHT 201, 202, 301, 302, 401, & 485) sequentially.
Each experience follows a logical progression of increasing amounts of clinically supervised responsibility.
All clinical experiences have been purposefully chosen to expose the student to a variety of orthopedic and non-orthopedic experiences, non-sport patient populations across the lifespan, and health care settings. Previous courses and clinical experiences are the foundation on which future course and clinical experiences are built, culminating into an entry-level Athletic Trainer capable of autonomous clinical decision making.

The AU ATP believes in a logical progression of clinical education experience that allows for increasing amounts of clinically supervised clinical practice. Students in the athletic training program are required to gain interdisciplinary clinical education with a variety of care providers, as well acquire experiences that address a variety of patient populations and health care settings that demonstrate the significance of continuum of care. The objective is to provide athletic training students with experiential learning opportunities in a variety of settings, exposing them to patients with varying levels of activity, and with pathologies across the lifespan. Clinical education experiences that allow for increasing amounts of supervised clinical practice with patient-engaged health care providers are designed to promote the clinical instruction and socialization of athletic training students at an outpatient clinic, emergency room, and/or primary care office, in addition to the traditional athletic training practice settings. Clinical education experiences are organized to prepare students to function in a variety of settings with patients predisposed to a variety of conditions. To ensure the student meets the requirements of the respective healthcare facilities where affiliation agreements with the University have been confirmed, all experiences must be established with assistance from the Clinical Education Coordinator.

Students entering their sophomore year may NOT participate in preseason athletic responsibilities. They may begin their clinical education rotation upon the commencement of the regular academic term.

Students enrolled in ATHT 201 – Clinical Experience in Athletic Training I, are expected to participate in four (4), four (4) week on-site rotations (based on a 16-week semester) with a certified athletic trainer. This experience serves as the introductory clinical education opportunity for students newly admitted to the athletic training program. The variety of preceptors serves to familiarize students to the collegiate
practice setting, allowing students to witness professionalism and patient-centered care for an athletic and orthopedic patient population.

Students enrolled in ATHT 202 – Clinical Experience in Athletic Training II, are expected to participate in two (2), eight (8) week rotations (based on a 16-week semester). One of the 8-week rotations must be completed with a non-sport patient population at an outpatient rehabilitation/therapy clinic setting (e.g., HealthWorks). The second 8-week rotation must be completed with a certified athletic trainer at an on- or off-campus affiliation site. By requiring an outpatient rehabilitation/therapy clinic setting, students will have the opportunity to learn from preceptors not associated with the university, in addition to gaining experience in therapeutic interventions at a rehabilitative/therapy clinical practice setting with non-sport patients engaged in a range of activities across the lifespan.

Sophomore FOCUS: Develop autonomy applied to therapeutic interventions specific to the non-sport population across the lifespan.

Students entering their Junior year in the Athletic Training Program may participate in voluntary hours during pre-season and/or the winter break under the direct supervision of an AU ATP affiliated preceptor. Students will be responsible for documenting hours but only to ensure the seven-day policy is followed. There are no minimum or maximum hours. Because the hours are strictly voluntary, no competencies or proficiencies can be completed. However, students may engage in athletic training skills, as well as deliver any necessary immediate or emergent aid, if they are participating in a formal clinical experience under the direct supervision of a preceptor.

Students enrolled in ATHT 301 – Clinical Experience in Athletic Training III, are expected to participate in two (2), eight (8) week rotations (based on a 16-week semester). One of the 8-week rotations must be completed at a secondary school setting that exposes student to pediatric athletes. The alternative 8-week rotation must be completed with a certified athletic trainer at an on- or off-campus affiliation site. By requiring off-campus rotations, students will have the opportunity to learn from preceptors not associated with the university, in addition to gaining authentic experiences with student-athletes/patients across the lifespan (specifically pediatric patients) to improve clinical reasoning and decision making.

Junior Semester 1 FOCUS: Develop autonomy related to pediatric patients.

Students enrolled in ATHT 302 – Clinical Experience in Athletic Training IV, are expected to participate in two (2), eight (8) week rotations (based on a 16-week semester). One of the 8-week rotations must be completed with non-sport, non-orthopedic patient populations at an Emergency Room (e.g., St. James Hospital). The second 8-week rotation must be completed with a certified athletic trainer at an on- or off-campus site. By requiring off-campus rotations, students will have the opportunity to learn from preceptors not associated with the university, in addition to promoting learning over time with a variety of patient populations in traditional and non-traditional settings.

Junior Semester 2 FOCUS: Develop autonomy applied to emergency care procedures as well as observing immediate care for the non-orthopedic/non-sport population.

Students entering their Senior year in the Athletic Training Program may participate in voluntary hours during pre-season and/or the winter break under the direct supervision of an AU ATP affiliated preceptor. Students will be responsible for documenting hours but only to ensure the seven-day policy is followed. There are no minimum or maximum hours. Because the hours are strictly voluntary, no competencies or proficiencies can be completed. However, students may engage in athletic training skills, as well as deliver any necessary immediate or emergent aid, if they are participating in a formal clinical experience under the direct supervision of a preceptor.

Students enrolled in ATHT 401 – Clinical Experience in Athletic Training V, are expected to participate in one (1), sixteen (16) week rotation or two (2), eight (8) week rotations (based on a 16-week semester). The rotations must be completed with a certified athletic trainer and/or physician at an on- or off-campus site. Students will have the opportunity to potentially learn from preceptors not associated with the university, in addition to working with patient populations that expose students to orthopedic and non-orthopedic conditions.

Senior Semester 1 FOCUS: Continue to develop autonomy while enhancing and refining the senior student’s clinical skills specific to prevention and wellness, urgent and emergent care, orthopedic evaluation, and rehabilitation.

Students enrolled in ATHT 485 – Clinical Internship in Athletic Training, are expected to participate in one (1), twelve (12) week rotation (“Immersive Experience”) and one (1), four (4) week rotation. The 12-week rotation must be completed with a certified athletic trainer or physician at an on- or off-campus site. This is a practice-intensive clinical education experience that gives students the opportunity to develop a better understanding and appreciation for the roles and responsibilities of an athletic training provider working with patient populations, and in the health care setting, that align with their professional interests. The second 4-week rotation must be completed at a primary care office that exposes student to a variety of non-sport patient populations with a variety of conditions other than orthopedics. The objective of this clinical experience is to promote interdisciplinary education, while exposing athletic training students to a variety of conditions other than orthopedics (i.e., primary care, internal medicine, dermatology, etc.)

Senior Semester 2 FOCUS: Students should focus on developing the autonomy necessary to make informed decisions as it relates to the diagnostic and referral protocols for general medical conditions specific to the pediatric, adult, and elderly patient. This knowledge should be applied to the assignments required in ATHT 485, thereby requiring students to consider how they may have adapted their evaluation and/or care to patients they encountered during their immersive experience.

Students are exposed to a variety of patients across the lifespan, orthopedic and non-orthopedic conditions, and with a variety of health care providers and environments.
The Clinical Education Coordinator will assign students to preceptors at the beginning of every semester to ensure EVERY student participates in all rotations.
Because all students participate in clinical experiences that relate to the didactic content, we are progressing their knowledge and abilities throughout every semester. Students gain autonomy in their clinical decision making every semester culminating in an immersive experience where they can apply knowledge and abilities from all of the previous experiences (orthopedic evaluations, therapeutic interventions, general medical evaluations with the use of diagnostics, immediate and emergent care principles, and administrative concepts) to make appropriate clinical decisions under the direction of a preceptor but with confidence in their autonomy.