�鶹��Ƶ

Parallel to the mission of �鶹��Ƶ, the mission of the Athletic Training Program is to provide students with a comprehensive learning experience that leads to a mastery of athletic training skills while developing students who will, both professionally and personally, engage and serve their communities. This is achieved by incorporating the core values of �鶹��Ƶ – Excellence, Community, Justice, Service, and Faith – into their lives. Additionally, students are encouraged to practice cultural humility, recognizing the importance of ongoing self-reflection and respect for diverse perspectives. The program fosters an environment where ethical reflection and practice are integral to decision-making, ensuring that graduates are not only skilled clinicians, but also compassionate, culturally competent, and morally grounded individuals committed to equitable care for all.

The core principles of the athletic training program are based on the core values of �鶹��Ƶ, as seen in the mission of �鶹��Ƶ and the mission of the athletic training program.  These core principles shape our curricular planning, clinical experience design and placement, hiring and retention of faculty and preceptors, and assessment and quality improvement of our program on all levels.

• Excellence –aiming at creating mastery of athletic training practice and leadership in our students and ourselves

• Community and Service – being of service to our communities, diverse patient and student populations, and the profession of athletic training

• Justice – striving for cultural humility and advocating for healthcare needs of all

• Faith – engaging in ethical practice and self-reflection to best uphold our personal and professional moral and ethical standards

Students who graduate from the MAT will:

1.  Develop Excellence
   1. Demonstrate mastery of athletic training skills and knowledge required for professional certification and career readiness
   2. Formulate critical thinking and problem-solving to deliver patient-centered care across diverse clinical and didactic contexts.
   3. Apply evidence-based practice by critically evaluating research and translating findings into culturally sensitive interventions.
2. Engage with the Community and Provide Service
   1. Develop strategies to communicate effectively, empathetically, and culturally responsive to diverse communities and stakeholders.
   2. Collaborate effectively with an interprofessional healthcare team, by understanding and respecting the roles and contributions of other healthcare professionals.
3. Promote Justice
   1. Provide inclusive, patient-centered care for patients and clients from diverse backgrounds, with a lens of cultural humility. 
   2. Acknowledge and address social determinants of health in patient care.
4. Integrate Faith (Ethical Considerations)
   1. Evaluate personal values, faith, and morals, and compare how they intersect with professional standards of athletic training.

Clinical education experiences (including supplemental clinical education experiences) will:

1. Provide students with an environment that fosters and promotes clinical skill development primarily through direct patient care.
2. Promote the development of a student’s professional identity as an athletic trainer through experiential learning from various professionals in various professional settings.
3. Be led by knowledgeable and engaged preceptors who assist students in developing their athletic training knowledge, skills and abilities.
4. Occur in clinical sites that are clinically safe and stimulating learning environments.
5. Engage students with a wide variety of patient populations.
6. Expose students to a wide variety of conditions and circumstances common to athletic training practice. 
7. Contribute to students being ready for independent practice upon graduation.

Instructors who teach in the Master of Athletic Training program will:

1. Provide an environment where students feel respected.
2. Help students make connections between the goals/objectives of the course and the work required.
3. Provide feedback that helps students meet the course objectives.
4. Be prepared through education and/or experience to teach on the subject matter required for the course
5. Work with program administration to ensure educational standards are being met within the course.

These outcomes are parts of the rest of our assessment plan, but we pull them all together here to demonstrate how a major goal of most aspects of our program is to create students that are ready for independent practice.

1. The program will prepare athletic training students for the BOC Certification Exam
2. The program will produce high‐quality athletic trainers prepared for employment upon graduation from the MAT.
3. The program will promote professional and ethical conduct of athletic trainers and athletic training students.
4. Students who graduate from the MAT will demonstrate mastery of athletic training skills and knowledge required for professional certification and career readiness.
5. Clinical education experiences (including supplemental clinical education experiences) will contribute to students being ready for independent practice upon graduation.

The program will:

1. Develop Excellence
   1. Prepare athletic training students for the BOC Certification Exam
   2. Produce high‐quality athletic trainers prepared for employment upon graduation from the MAT.
   3. Provide athletic training students with high quality clinical and didactic education, that is based on the best available evidence and professional standards.
2. Engage with the Community and Provide Service
   1. Advocate for the athletic training profession and promote engagement with the profession
   2. Foster leadership qualities and skills in athletic trainers and athletic training students.
3. Promote Justice
   1. Promote equitable and culturally humble athletic training education and healthcare.  
4. Integrate Faith (Ethical Considerations)
   1. Promote professional and ethical conduct of athletic trainers and athletic training students.

On behalf of the athletic training program and the health and exercise department at �鶹��Ƶ, I want to warmly welcome you to the master of athletic training program! You have worked extremely hard these past few years, diligently and successfully completing all of the pre-athletic training requirements necessary to enter the program. The athletic training program has dedicated and engaging faculty with a passion for developing holistic athletic trainers with strong critical thinking skills, a passion for advocacy, lifelong learning. The program trusts that your dedication and passion for the vocation of athletic training will continue to grow during your time here. 

The faculty, staff, and preceptors of the athletic training program work persistently to implement a comprehensive and challenging curriculum to prepare you for autonomous practice as an athletic trainer upon graduation. Just as each of you bring your own unique experiences and perspectives to your role as an athletic training student, the faculty bring their own experiences and perspectives to their philosophy on athletic training and style of teaching. They also bring a diverse array of experiences to the classroom and clinical environments. We are grateful that you have entrusted us in facilitating your learning and pledge to do so in a responsible and respectful manner. We also expect responsible and respectful behavior from each of you. 

The curriculum is designed to build from being a novice to a certified athletic trainer. You will have many experiences and opportunities over the next two years that will elicit many emotions. From some of the best days of your patients’ lives to some of the worse, you will walk with your patients through it all while advocating for their health and wellbeing. With that, you are a community within your athletic training cohort. Care for each other. Care for yourself. Treat each other with respect. You do not have to agree on everything, but value each other and what each brings to the profession of athletic training. You make each other stronger and set the foundation for how you will perform as a certified athletic trainer.

was prepared to help guide you along the way. Other resources that will help you are the Gustie Guide and the �鶹��Ƶ �鶹��Ƶ Academic Catalog

Here’s to a productive and fulfilling experience in the �鶹��Ƶ Athletic Training Program! 

Shine on Gusties, shine on!

Mary Westby, EdD, LAT, ATC

Program Director, Athletic Training

.

�鶹��Ƶ is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) located at 6850 Austin Center Blvd., Suite 100, Austin, TX 78731-3184. The program will have its next comprehensive review during the 2031-2032 academic year. Currently, 49 states and the District of Columbia regulate the practice of athletic training (California does not regulate the practice of athletic training). Individuals must be legally recognized by the appropriate state regulatory agency prior to practicing athletic training. The Board of Certification (BOC) exam is recognized by all athletic trainer state regulatory agencies to meet their exam requirement. Compliance with state regulatory requirements is mandatory and the only avenue to legal athletic training practice. In order to be eligible to sit for the Board of Certification exam, a student needs to graduate from a program that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). �鶹��Ƶ’s Athletic Training Program is currently accredited by the CAATE, thus all students who graduate from the �鶹��Ƶ’s Athletic Training Program are eligible for the BOC exam. With passing the BOC exam, those students would be eligible for state regulation in the 49 states and the District of Columbia (California does not regulate the practice of athletic training). Additional expectations of each state are the applicant’s responsibility and the �鶹��Ƶ program administrators will assist an alumni applicant with documentation of those additional expectations, if they are within the purview of the program. Information on state regulation of athletic training can be found at the

�鶹��Ƶ is currently accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE), 2001 K Street NW, Third Floor North, Washington, DC 20006 USA..