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Clinical component

 

soccer playerPre-Athletic training program

Freshmen and new students with an interest in athletic training become involved in our Pre-Athletic Training Program. The Pre-Athletic Training Program is designed to provide students with the opportunity to accrue 50 hours observing athletic training techniques prior to applying for admission into the Athletic Training Education Program. During the very first semester of their freshmen year, students will begin to learn valuable basic athletic training skills, such as athletic training room procedures, basic emergency procedures, wound care, taping, wrapping, and equipment fitting. In the Pre-Athletic Training Program period, each student will be assigned just 3 hours per week to observe in the athletic training rooms on campus. During this time, students will learn policies and procedures, participate in basic operational duties, observe certified athletic trainers and upper-level students, and practice skills learned in EXS 184 and EXS 185. Finally, each Pre-Athletic Training Program student will complete one-week clinical rotations (no more than two per semester) observing and assisting upper-level students with injury treatment sessions, pre-participation preparation, and practice/game coverage.

 

two man assistAthletic training education program

Once accepted into the Athletic Training Education Program, Athletic Training students will rotate through a variety of clinical experiences under the supervision of approved clinical instructors. These experiences serve as assignments within our clinical courses and aim to develop mastery of clinical skills in a real-world setting.  It is our goal to provide our students with the opportunity to experience a variety of structured field experiences so that they develop an understanding of various athletic training roles and responsibilities in other work environments. We also want them to be exposed to other allied health and athletic training settings, in addition to the usual intercollegiate athletics. Although most of the field experiences involve working with one of Southern's intercollegiate athletic teams, formal affiliations have been developed with local high schools, universities and St Raphael's Hospital.

The athletic training rooms located in Moore Field House and Pelz Gymnasium serve as the primary site for athletic training field experiences in which students will work toward the BOC requirements. Athletic Training Students are assigned to a clinical instructor or supervisor who will oversee their field experiences while working directly with an intercollegiate sport team. During the six semesters that students will be involved with the clinical education aspect of the program, they will have the opportunity to work with many different clinical instructors or supervisors and with a variety of sport teams. Field experiences will emphasize hands-on experience working in the following areas:

  • Equipment intensive sport (football)
  • Contact sports (soccer, basketball, and field hockey)
  • Low-risk, non-contact, lower-extremity sports (cross-country and track and field)
  • Overhead-upper extremity sports (swimming, gymnastics, volleyball, baseball, and softball)
  • Post-injury rehabilitation
  • Pediatric (Local high schools) 
  • Emergency / General Medicine (St Raphael's Hospital)