Clinical education represents the athletic training students' 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 a clinical instructor. Formal evaluation of the application and integration of clinical proficiencies are completed by an ACI and maybe 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 at Lee University occurs in a minimum period of two and a half academic years (5 semesters) and is associated with course credit. Typically, the obervational period occurs during the student's first three semesters. Courses shall include academic syllabi that contain measurable educational objectives and specific clinical proficiency outcomes that can be documented over time.
Clinical supervision is defined by constant visual and auditory interaction between the student and the approved clinical instructor. This policy of instructor supervision is a must and should be maintained in all occasions, without exceptions. Students will not be allowed to work in any sport or facility without direct supervision. Students should arrive early to assist with stretching and will assist after events when warranted. Students are discouraged to travel with teams unless the ACI or CI is accompanying the student. Students are not used to replace clinical staff at any time. A Clinical Instructor or an Approved Clinical Instructor must accompany all events in which students are allowed to participate as ATS.
Once admitted to the ATEP program each ATS will accrue approximately 100 hours during their sophomore semester and 200 hours each semester thereafter until graduation (see Appendix H,
clinical supervisor log). Hours are accrued at each clinical site with the ACI/CI. The ATS should not accumulate more than 20 hours per week except during semester breaks. These 200 hours are necessary for the student to have ample opportunity to practice as well as be evaluated on performances related to academic success. Although the program is proficiency based and does not require "hours", some states have specific clinical hours to be accumulated in order to become state licensed. Students are required to log supervised hours.
Purpose of Clinical EducationIt is the purpose of the Lee University Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) to be a functional educational and service facility for the Department of Health, Exercise Science, and Secondary Education. The program will endeavor to enhance the health care for the university's intercollegiate athletes as well as the broader habitually active community of the university. The program will service the college community by endeavoring to help its members attain higher levels of performance through proper health care and appropriate efforts to prevent injury and illness. Clinical Education is the bridge in which students affectively learn to utilize the various skill development taught in the classroom. This is a vital component to student learning.
The ATEP will establish and maintain a corps of athletic training students that will be trained in the knowledge and skills that are essential to an entry-level athletic trainer. The purpose of clinical education is multidimensional. The student will:
- Utilize clinical experiences for peer practice, skill acquisition, and skill development
- Interact with many differing health care professionals, each having separate philosophies & experiences that will provide students with innovative skills that will enhance student development
- Engage in peer teaching to enhance understanding and retention
- Gain confidence in self by practicing skills under direct supervision of allied health professionals (e.g. Certified Athletic Trainers, Orthopaedic Surgeons, Physician Assistants, Physical Therapist & Nurses)
- Accumulate many hours in field settings where critical thinking and problem solving will occur on a daily basis
- Develop a mentorship with clinical instructors in order to foster a professional code of conduct that reflects Christian commitment
At the completion of the program, the athletic training student should be able to function as a health care professional with minimal supervision in an allied health care setting and be eligible to sit for the BOC certification examination.
Instruction of Psychomotor Competencies and Clinical Proficiencies
The goal of Clinical Education is to facilitate a student's ability to utilize the cognitive knowledge, psychomotor skills, affective competencies (professional behaviors), and clinical proficiencies (professional/practice-oriented outcomes) as outlined in Athletic Training Educational Competencies (4th ed.). The Clinical Proficiencies (2006) published by NATA are Lee University's guide for the common set of skills that an entry-level athletic trainer should possess. Proficiencies also define the expectations of an out-come based clinical education system. Clinical proficiencies and psychomotor competencies will be introduced and instructed during coursework. The skills are taught, demonstrated, practiced, and then evaluated in at least two settings, demonstrating learning over time. Documentation of these skill sets will occur on the proficiency signature pages.
Learning over time is the documented continuous process of skill acquisition, progression, and student reflection. It involves the demonstration of systematic progression through the cognitive, psychomotor, and clinical proficiencies within different contextual environments (e.g., athletic training room, practice field, etc.). Assessment of learning over time is built around multiple indicators and sources of evidence such as observations (student affective behaviors, interviews); performance samples (clinical skill demonstration); and tests or test-like procedures. Learning over time will be demonstrated through proficiency evaluations during the academic and clinical experiences. ACIs are given the appropriate evaluation tools for a clinical review. Classroom laboratory examinations or classroom instructor proficiencies will be more in depth and will allow the student appropriate one-on-one interaction. All ATS will be assigned to a specific ACI or CI for each rotation. All ACI evaluations will be conducted in a one-on-one situation. Each student will be responsible for obtaining two peer evaluations on psychomotor skills prior to engaging the ACI or classroom Instructor for a formal evaluation on skill development.
Affiliated Sites
An athletic training student's primary clinical experiences will be on the Lee University campus. The ATEP will utilize off-campus rotations, such as football and other diversified experiences, to enhance the clinical education and field experiences of athletic training students. The campus health clinic plays an important role when students begin learning general medical conditions as they relate to the well-being of physically active individuals. Off-campus sites listed below are utilized to provide educational experience in a non-traditional environment. These rotations are designed to enhance the upper and lower extremity and general medical experiences. The physician assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and certified athletic trainers supervise, instruct, and guide students through clinical education experiences. McCallie High School and Ooltewah High School will provide students with experience in an equipment intensive, high-risk environment through sports such as football and wrestling. See Appendix P for individual site policies and procedures. Students are responsible for transportation to and from clinical sites and all costs incurred. The following traveling distances from Lee University to clinical sites are approximated:
- Benchmark Physical Therapy- I mile
- Ooltewah High School - 15 miles
- Center for Sports Medicine and Orthopaedics - 28 miles
- McCallie High School - 28 miles
- North River Physical Therapy- 30 miles
Rotation of Students for Clinical Sites and Field Experiences
Students are assigned to a specific ACI, CI, or Supervisor, not to a facility or sport. Clinical rotations during the sophomore and junior years will last approximately five weeks, and seniors will be assigned a specific ACI for the entire season of competition. Each student will gain experience in four general areas: Upper extremity, lower extremity, equipment intensive, and general medical. An overall emphasis on high-risk sports will foster student learning. Placement of students in Clinical Rotations is based in part on the following considerations:
- Classroom preparation
- Clinical preparation
- Performance evaluations in both classroom and clinical rotations
- Professionalism
- Educational needs
Examples of Each of the Clinical Emphases:
Upper extremity
Men's tennis
Women's tennis
Men's baseball
Women's softball
Women's volleyball |
Lower extremity
Men's cross country
Women's cross country
Men's basketball
Women's basketball
Men's soccer
Women's soccer |
|
General Medical
Lee University Health Clinic
Lee University Athletic Training Room |
Equipment Intensive
High school athletics
Intercollegiate athletics |