Athletic Training Education Program

Welcome to the Luther College Athletic Training Program. The ATS (athletic training student) serves a vital role in the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of athletic injury and physically active individuals. Through curricular qualifications the ATS obtains the knowledge and clinical experience necessary to become an entry-level athletic trainer.

Description of the Profession:

A certified athletic trainer is a qualified health care professional educated and experienced in the management of health care problems associated with physical activity. In cooperation with physicians and other health care personnel, the certified athletic trainer functions as an integral member of the health care team in secondary schools, colleges and universities, professional sports programs, sports medicine clinics, and other health care settings. The certified athletic trainer functions in cooperation with medical personnel, athletic personnel, individuals involved in physical activity, parents, and guardians in the development and coordination of efficient and responsive athletic health care delivery systems.

What is Clinical Education?

Clinical education represents the ATS formal acquisition, practice, and ACI evaluation of the Entry-Level Athletic Training Clinical Proficiencies through classroom, laboratory, and clinical education experiences under the direct supervision of an ACI or clinical instructor. Formal evaluation of the application and integration of clinical proficiencies are completed by an ACI and may be in conjunction with additional clinical instructors. Related to clinical education is field experience, in which students have the opportunity to practice clinical proficiencies under the supervision of a clinical instructor. Clinical education will occur over the course of three academic years. Clinical education will be associated with academic credit and will be included as a component of course syllabi and grading. Course syllabi will reflect measurable educational objectives and specific clinical proficiency outcomes that can be documented over time.

What is a Certified Athletic Trainer?

A Certified Athletic Trainer, or ATC, is a highly educated and skilled member of the allied health care profession. The ATC works with physicians and other members of the sports medicine team to help injured athletes and physically active individuals return to their sport or activity safely. Certified Athletic Trainers (ATC's) are specialized in the prevention, recognition, evaluation, care, and rehabilitation of athletic injuries. Under the supervision of a licensed physician and other members of the sports medicine team, the ATC provides quality health care to athletes and physically active individuals.

Since the inception of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) in 1950, the profession of athletic training has expanded significantly in scope and practice. As the profession continues to evolve, the opportunities for individuals to provide quality health care to athletic populations is also expanding. The American Medical Association (AMA) recognized athletic training as an allied health care profession in 1990. In 1998, the AMA recommended that certified athletic trainers be in every high school to provide athletic training services to this large population.

Where does an Athletic Trainer work?

Employment settings for certified athletic trainers can be found almost anywhere people are physically active. The traditional settings include sports medicine clinics, college and university, and professional teams. However, graduate assistantships exist for student who wish to pursue an advanced degree. In exchange for an advanced degree, the graduate assistant provides athletic training services for the teams of the college or university. In this way both the student and institution benefit from the certified athletic trainers skills. Over the recent years these positions have become very competitive and students wishing to pursue this direction are encouraged to plan ahead in their curricular sequence to complete application criteria for the graduate school. It is also relatively common for corporations or industries to employ athletic trainers to oversee fitness and injury rehabilitation programs for their employees. Secondary schools have also seen the advantages of hiring an athletic trainer in a faculty-trainer role. These individuals typically have teaching responsibilities with release time for athletic training duties. If this direction is desirable, students should be reminded of the qualifications of obtaining teacher certification. Conflicts between teacher education and clinical requirements do frequently exist.

How do I become a Certified Athletic Trainer?

In order to become a certified athletic trainer a student must graduate from an accredited athletic training curriculum, reviewed and approved by The Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). The accredited program offers didactic and clinical education to develop the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective skills of the entry-level athletic trainer.

Once the student graduates from the accredited program, he/she must pass the Board Of Certification (BOC) certification exam. This exam includes three components: written, written simulation, and practical exams. Through these three components the students knowledge and hands-on skills are tested over the subject matter of the domains of athletic training. A student is not considered certified until he/she has passed all three components of the exams. Examination dates and schedules are available on the NATA webpage (NATA.org), click on the education link for the BOC information. Forms for application are also available.

Students are reminded that graduation from an accredited program does not guarentee certification by the BOC.