Academic Requirements

All students at WPUNJ must complete general education requirements and requirements for an academic major as outlined in the WPUNJ Undergraduate Catalog and the Department of Exercise and Movement Sciences Student Handbook. In addition to the general education requirements, athletic training students must complete the following general requirements:

BIO 118 Anatomy and Physiology I (4 credits)
BIO 119 Anatomy and Physiology II (4 credits)
PEAC 150 Introduction to the Profession of Movement Science (1 credit)
PEAC 200 First Aid and CPR (3 credits)
PEAC 230 Tests & Measurements (3 credits)
PEAC 330 Biomechanics (3 credits)
PEAC 350 Exercise Physiology (3 credits)
PEEP 370 Essentials of Strength and Conditioning (3 credits)
PEGE 330 Psychology of Sport (3 credits)

The following are Core Requirements for the BS in AT:

ATEP 240 Prevention and Care of Athletic Injuries (4 credits)
ATEP 250 Clinical Experience in Athletic Training I (2 credits)
ATEP 260 Assessment of the Extremities (3 credits)
ATEP 270 Athletic Training Modalities (3 credits)
ATEP 350 Clinical Experience in Athletic Training II (2 credits)
ATEP 360 Assessment of the Core Body (3 credits)
ATEP 370 Therapeutic Exercise (3 credits)
ATEP 375 Clinical Experience in Athletic Training III (2 credits)
ATEP 380 Organization and Administration in Athletic Training (3 credits)
ATEP 450 Clinical Experience in Athletic Training IV (2 credits)
ATEP 460 General Medicine and Pharmacology in Athletic Training (1 credit)
ATEP 475 Seminar in Athletic Training (2 credits)

In addition, six credits of electives, preferably from the EMS and CMHL departments, are required. (BS in AT Curriculum Control Sheets for all general education and major requirements.)

Students are encouraged to pursue a second concentration or an additional major or minor to increase their marketability to potential employers or graduate schools.

Clinical Education Experience Requirements

The clinical portion of the ATEP at WPUNJ is built around competency-based education and hands-on exposure. All students in the program must abide by the policies and procedures governing the program’s clinical education experiences and complete all requirements in order to be eligible to take the BOC examination and to graduate from WPUNJ with a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training.

The ATEP clinical education experience requirement includes the following:

• direct supervision of the athletic training student by an ACI or CI.
• National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) athletic training competencies and proficiencies
• oral/practical examinations;
• inservices and meetings;
• ACI or CI and student evaluations
• WPUNJ athletic training room clinical education experiences;
• WPUNJ intercollegiate athletics clinical education experiences;
• affiliated site clinical education experiences.

The responsibilities and expectations for clinical education and field experiences are outlined below.

Clinical Education Experiences

 Approved Clinical Instructor (ACI) Assignment
Each semester, each student will be assigned an Approved Clinical Instructor (ACI). During the semester, the ACI assigned will be the student’s primary source of information in regard to gaining clinical education, and will assist the student with completing course proficiencies for the semester.

Proficiencies
The NATA Athletic Training Educational Competencies, 4 th Edition contain competencies that the students must learn and proficiencies (skills) that the students must successfully demonstrate. These competencies and proficiencies are for the students' benefit as this knowledge and skills are critical to their professional preparation to take the BOC examination and become competent certified athletic trainers.

Oral/Practical Examinations
Each semester, along with completing proficiencies, each student must take oral/practical examinations corresponding to their current Clinical Experience in Athletic Training or Seminar in Athletic Training course. The oral/practical exams will be part of the student’s Clinical Experience in Athletic Training or Seminar in Athletic Training course grade. The oral/practical exams test the students’ athletic training knowledge and skills in a formal testing atmosphere and are designed to facilitate the learning over time process.

ATEP Inservices and Meetings
Students are required to attend mandatory ATEP inservices and meetings as part of their Clinical Experience in Athletic Training and Seminar in Athletic Training courses. The inservices and meetings are educational opportunities for the students and will assist in expanding the student’s knowledge. Inservices consist of formal classroom presentations by medical and allied health care personnel. Meetings consist of ATEP student-instructor discussion regarding programmatic topics.

Approved Clinical Instructor and Clinical Instructor Evaluations
Students will evaluate their ACI or CI on their leadership, mentorship, professionalism and other characteristics. Each student will evaluate his/her ACI or CI a minimum of one time per semester. These evaluations must be completed and turned into the student’s Clinical Experience or Seminar in Athletic Training course instructor in hard and electronic copies as they will be part of the student’s Clinical Experience in Athletic Training or Seminar in Athletic Training course grade..

Student Self Evaluations
Each semester, students must complete self evaluations as part of their current Clinical Experience in Athletic Training or Seminar in Athletic Training course. The purpose of these evaluations is for the students to reflect upon their professional and personal growth and performance as an athletic training student. These evaluations will take various forms, such as journal writing and questionnaires, as per the Clinical Experience in Athletic Training or Seminar in Athletic Training course instructors’ preference. As outlined in the respective course syllabi, self evaluations are worth a certain percentage of the student’s Clinical Experience in Athletic Training or Seminar in Athletic Training course grade.

Athletic Training Room Assignment
Each semester, each student will have a Wightman Gymnasium athletic training room assignment. The student is required to submit his/her schedule of classes and regularly scheduled weekly obligations to the head athletic trainer during the first week of classes each semester. The student will be assigned to perform their duties a minimum of 6 hours in the athletic training room each week. Students are encouraged to spend more than the minimum time in the athletic training room to enhance their learning experience.

During this time, the students, under the direct supervision of an ACI or CI, are to assist with prevention, treatment, assessment, rehabilitation and reconditioning of athletic injuries. The students are also required to assist with administrative responsibilities relating to care of athletes, such as medical record keeping, insurance paperwork and related administrative tasks. Likewise, students are encouraged to work on their course proficiencies with an ACI during any slow time during their athletic training room assignment.

Rotations
Students will be assigned various clinical education experience rotations during their progression in the ATEP. Each student will gain clinical experience with each of the following: an upper extremity sport, a lower extremity sport, an equipment intensive sport, general medical conditions.

On Campus: During semesters 1, 2, and 5 in the program, students will enroll in ATEP 250 Clinical Experience in Athletic Training I, ATEP 350 Clinical Experience in Athletic Training II, and ATEP 475 Seminar in Athletic Training, respectively. During these semesters, each student is assigned a rotation with a WPUNJ intercollegiate athletic team(s). Each rotation is designed to provide the student with on-campus athletic training clinical education experiences which will focus on gaining athletic training knowledge and skills with upper and lower extremity sports. During the rotation, the student is responsible to provide athletic training services, under the direct supervision of an ACI or CI, for all practices and competitionsfor that athletic team. Likewise, the student will be exposed to as many of the aspects of athletic training practice as possible under the supervision of an ACI or CI.

Affiliated Sites: During semesters 3 and 4, the students will be enrolled in ATEP 375 Clinical Experience in Athletic Training III and ATEP 450 Clinical Experience in Athletic Training IV, respectively. During these semesters, the students’ rotation will be at their assigned affiliated high school or college. ATEP 375 Clinical Experience in Athletic Training III will include both upper and lower extremity rotations, while ATEP 450 Clinical Experience in Athletic Training IV will focus on the students’ equipment intensive rotation. The students will be under the direct supervision of an affiliate ACI. While working with the ACI and athletic teams at the assigned affiliated sites, the students will gain valuable clinical education experience. (Note: Under certain circumstances, students in semesters 3 and 4 may be assigned WPUNJ athletic teams along with their affiliate sites.)

During semester 5, the students will participate in their general medical rotation along with their on-campus rotation. The students will enroll in ATEP 475 Seminar in Athletic Training, in which they will complete observations and gain general medical knowledge under the supervision of affiliate medical physicians and other allied health professionals who are CIs.

Required Hours for Clinical Education Experiences
Studentsin the program must complete a minimum of 1000 hours of clinical education experience during their five semester progression in the ATEP in order to meet ATEP requirements and graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training. These clinical education experience hours can only be completed at WPUNJ or WPUNJ affiliated settings under the direct supervision of an ACI or CI. Hours not completed under the direct supervision of an ACI or CI cannot be counted towards their ATEP requirements.

If a student chooses to voluntarily take on the duties of an athletic training student under the direct supervision of a WPUNJ ACI or CI when WPUNJ is not in session, then the student must either be on work study at WPUNJ or have their own liability/malpractice insurance. The students’ hours during these times can be recorded for informational purposes, but are not totaled into the Clinical Experience in Athletic Training courses, Seminar in Athletic Training course, or total 1000 hour requirements. Voluntary athletic training services rendered by students are not requirements of the ATEP. At no time are athletic training students to be taking on the role of certified athletic trainers.

Student Evaluations By Approved Clinical Instructors and Clinical Instructors
Students will be evaluated on their overall clinical performance a minimum of two times per semester by their ACI or CI. Each ACI or CI will discuss the evaluations with the student and give feedback to the student on how to improve their field experience clinical performance. The ACI or CI will return the evaluations to the Clinical Experience in Athletic Training or Seminar in Athletic Training instructors. The evaluations will be part of the student’s Clinical Experience in Athletic Training or Seminar in Athletic Training course grade.

Additional Student Costs
In order to partake in and complete the ATEP curriculum, additional programmatic costs, other than tuition, University fees, and lab fees, exist for athletic training students. Students are required to provide personal funds for activities such as, but not limited to, round trip travel costs to affiliate sites, uniform purchase, enrollment in athletic training and related professional organizations, Professional Rescuer CPR, Advanced First Aid certifications, and required equipment (i.e. fanny packs, CPR masks) purchase, etc.

 Fall 2007