Identifying the Current Program Development Trends for Accredited Undergraduate Athletic Training Educational Programs

Athletic training is an allied healthcare profession which at the present time offers two routes for certification. Students can sit for the National Athletic Trainers Association Board of Certification (NATABOC) through successfully completing either an accredited curriculum program or an internship program and pass the NATABOC examination in order to practice as a certified athletic trainer. In January 2004, the internship option towards certification will be eliminated. If institutions want to continue to qualify students to take the NATABOC examination, they must develop curriculum programs that meet the Standards and Guidelines set by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) before this date. To develop an athletic training education program, Program Directors must implement the new standards into their programs in accordance with CAAHEP and institutional policies. The purpose of this study was to survey current Athletic Training Education Program Directors and identify how they developed their programs, with their available resources, to meet CAAHEP accreditation standards. The population selected to identify and describe the current trends of program development included Program Directors from all currently accredited undergraduate athletic training programs (N = 114). Of the 114 participants surveyed, 53 (46%) responded. Using Internet technology, a cross-sectional survey instrument was constructed to electronically survey current Program Directors of accredited undergraduate athletic training programs. The data gathered were primarily informational, and the analysis of this data was descriptive in nature. Data analysis identified, trends regarding the demographics of current Program Directors, curricular patterns, and institutional support roles. The new CAAHEP standards appear to necessitate greater institutional support in terms of faculty and resources, scientific and technological upgrades in curriculum, and clearly defined academic placement for Program Directors.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Curriculum and Instruction

Department dc:contributor.department

Teaching and Learning

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2001

Author dc:creator

• Brown, Kirk W.

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Graham, George M.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Krouscas, James A. Jr.
• Weber, Larry J.
• Magliaro, Susan G.
• Glasgow, Margaret

• Athletic Training
• Accreditation
• Program Director

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-12132001-144819

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/30071