The clinical education component of the Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) offers both on-campus and off-campus clinical education experiences. The educational experiences provide the athletic training student (ATS) an opportunity to progress from competency to proficiency in clinical skill work. These clinical skills are directly related to the profession of Athletic Training as outlined by the 5th Edition of the NATA Educational Competencies. Students will be assigned by the Clinical Education Coordinator to be supervised by a preceptor at one of many on and/or off campus clinical education sites. Each student will be typically assigned to three different clinical rotations per academic calendar year. The clinical experiences are directly tied to the ATEP Clinical Coursework (see below). The ATS will gain experience working in a variety of clinical settings and patient populations. The ATS will also gain practical clinical educational experiences that will provide direct and regular interactions with various physicians, certified athletic trainers, registered nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, chiropractors, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and other relevant members of the sports medicine team.
Clinical Education Requirements:
- Adherence to all ATEP Policies and Procedures, see the complete ATEP Student Handbook
- Under the direct supervision of a Heidelberg University ATEP ACI/CI at an ATEP affiliate clinical site, ATEP students will:
- Complete a minimum of 800 clinical hours in a variety of settings including but not limited to collegiate, high school, rehabilitation, general medical, and other settings as assigned by the Clinical Coordinator.
- Completion of 75 clinical observation hours as an Athletic Training Candidate as a requirement of the ATEP application. NOTE: observation hours do not count toward the required minimum 800 clinical hours.
- Complete the six sequential clinical courses including ATR 270, ATR 271, ATR 371, ATR 372, ATR 470, and ATR 471
- The general medical rotation requirements are outlined in the clinical course syllabus for both ATR 270 and ATR 271found in the AT Student Handbook (see link below)
- Each clinical course reflects didactic instruction of clinical skills learned in previous semester of academic coursework
- Each clinical course has specific completion criteria and is appropriate to the ATS level within the ATEP (See Item 3 below for more details)
- If a student does not successfully complete all of the requirements of their clinical course as outlined in each clinical course syllabus, the student will not be allowed to proceed to additional clinical or didactic ATR coursework which will result in the student needing to complete a(n) additional semester(s) at Heidelberg University beyond the traditional 4 year plan to complete the ATEP.
- Enroll in Athletic Training Clinical Course appropriate to student level and successful completion at 80% of the overall course grade. Additional detail regarding the ATEP Clinical Coursework can be found in the AT Student Handbook.
Clinical Education Evaluation Forms
- Clinical Site Evaluation Form (ANNUAL ONLY)
- Clinical Site Emergency Action Plan Locations
- ACI/ CI Evaluation of ATS Form (MID & END OF SEASON FORM)
- ATS Evaluation of ACI/CI/Clinical Setting Form (MID & END OF SEASON FORM)
- ATS Self Evaluation Form (MID & END OF SEASON FORM)
- ATS Leave of Absence Request Form