Training Program Gets National Accredidation, Better Student Jobs
Kelly Bromley/Muleskinner
Issue date: 3/29/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 2 next >
On Monday March 22, the athletic training program earned national accreditation - only the 11th in Missouri to achieve such a status.
The Commission of the Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) did a two-day on-site review in October 2006 to make sure the Central program met the national standards.
The on-site review follows a self-study review by CAATE to find strength, weaknesses and areas for the program to continually make improvements, according to the CAATE Web site.
"We had a strong indication we would be approved," said Brian Hughes, director of athletic training education.
This accreditation allows for graduates to take the Board of Certification (BOC) exam. The BOC allows for those who pass to become certified athletic trainers.
Without the accreditation athletic training students had two options - change majors or graduate with a degree and try to get into an entry level graduate program.
Hughes said, the process to be approved has been going on for years.
"The [athletic training] program has been in existence for several decades, but we had to change a few things," Hughes said.
"I came on board in 2001 to revamp the program, to make it accredited or have potential to have accreditation as an educational program," Hughes said.
Originally, athletic training was an internship program. Hughes came to Central to change the internship into a curriculum.
"I had to write a curriculum to make a bachelor of science degree," Hughes said. "Faculty had to agree to teach certain competencies in class; we needed the right equipment, a student lab in Morrow/Garrison and a stand-alone budget."
Those were a few aspects the CAATE reviewed in October.
"The students also did a lot," Hughes said.
The 17 Students in the program are required to take all the necessary classes and participate in 900 hours of clinical work. This includes a rotation among the athltic teams at Central under the direction of an on-staff certified athletic trainer.
The Commission of the Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) did a two-day on-site review in October 2006 to make sure the Central program met the national standards.
The on-site review follows a self-study review by CAATE to find strength, weaknesses and areas for the program to continually make improvements, according to the CAATE Web site.
"We had a strong indication we would be approved," said Brian Hughes, director of athletic training education.
This accreditation allows for graduates to take the Board of Certification (BOC) exam. The BOC allows for those who pass to become certified athletic trainers.
Without the accreditation athletic training students had two options - change majors or graduate with a degree and try to get into an entry level graduate program.
Hughes said, the process to be approved has been going on for years.
"The [athletic training] program has been in existence for several decades, but we had to change a few things," Hughes said.
"I came on board in 2001 to revamp the program, to make it accredited or have potential to have accreditation as an educational program," Hughes said.
Originally, athletic training was an internship program. Hughes came to Central to change the internship into a curriculum.
"I had to write a curriculum to make a bachelor of science degree," Hughes said. "Faculty had to agree to teach certain competencies in class; we needed the right equipment, a student lab in Morrow/Garrison and a stand-alone budget."
Those were a few aspects the CAATE reviewed in October.
"The students also did a lot," Hughes said.
The 17 Students in the program are required to take all the necessary classes and participate in 900 hours of clinical work. This includes a rotation among the athltic teams at Central under the direction of an on-staff certified athletic trainer.
Be the first to comment on this story