Program Overview

Master of Science in Athletic Training

The mission of the Weber State University Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT) program is to prepare students to be proficient, autonomous, and research-based clinicians by fostering strong personal connections within an inclusive, growth-minded environment.

Vision

The Weber State University MSAT program will be an internationally-recognized leader in athletic training education, preparing forward-thinking graduates who make impactful contributions to healthcare in their communities while advancing the profession.

Overarching Goals

The MSAT curriculum is designed to:

• Prepare the student to meet the curricular content necessary to be eligible to sit for the Board of Certification (BOC) examination.
• Equip students to treat a diverse patient population with a variety of health care conditions as a valued member of the health care team.
• Prepare students to transition to practice.
• Provide a research experience for the students to produce graduates that can both conduct research as well as be educated consumers of published research.
• Provide an individualized clinical plan for each student based on:
  • The student's personal and professional interests
  • Providing the students with a variety of experiences and preceptors
  • The accreditation clinical education standards
• Offer opportunities for students to earn advanced certifications within or while in the program.
• Enable students to learn skills above and beyond the required curricular content, such as suturing, IVs, instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, force plates, EMG, isokinetic dynamometer, and BodPod/in-body.
• Prepare students to seek entrance into doctoral programs such as athletic training, sports psychology, kinesiology, and exercise physiology.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students who graduate from the Master of Science in Athletic Training Program will be able to demonstrate competencies in each of the following content areas as identified by the Board of Certification Practice Analysis, 7th Edition. At the end of their study, students in this program will be proficient in:

• Promoting health lifestyle behaviors with effective education and communication to enhance wellness and minimize the risk of injury and illness (Injury and Illness Prevention and Wellness Promotion).
• Implementing systematic, evidence-based examinations and assessments to formulate valid clinical diagnoses and determine patients' plan of care (Examination, Assessment, and Diagnosis).
• Integrating best practices in immediate and emergency care for optimal outcomes (Immediate and Emergency Care).
• Rehabilitating and reconditioning injuries, illnesses, and general medical conditions with the goal of achieving optimal activity level based on core concepts.
• Using the applications of therapeutic exercise, modality devices, and manual techniques (Therapeutic Intervention).
• Integrating best practices in policy construction and implementation, documentation, and basic business practices to promote optimal patient care and employee well-being (Healthcare Administration and Professional Responsibility).

Program Description

The WSU Master of Science in Athletic Training degree is designed to enable students with a bachelor's degree in an area other than athletic training to obtain eligibility for the Board of Certification (BOC) examination. This program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). Graduates of the MSAT are eligible for the Board of Certification (BOC) examination. The program provides students with knowledge and skills in the prevention, evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries and general medical conditions. The Master of Science in Athletic Training program (MSAT) is specifically designed to prepare students for a career in healthcare as a certified athletic trainer. Athletic trainers are currently employed in colleges and universities, public and private high schools, corporations, rehabilitation clinics, professional sports, the military, factories, and hospitals.

Assessment Plan

The WSU Master of Science in Athletic Training Education Program (MSAT) uses several assessment tools to evaluate the quality of individual courses and instructors, the quality of the clinical experiences and clinical affiliations, the performance of each student following each clinical rotation, and the satisfaction with the education provided by recent graduates and alumni. The program tracks students' pass rate on the Board of Certification (BOC) examination, their job/graduate school placement rate, and the graduation rate.

Evaluation of Courses/Teaching

• ATN Course evaluation (for courses taught in the Department of ATN) - completed by each student towards the end of each academic course.
• Peer evaluations are conducted on all full-time faculty by other faculty in the department.
• All full-time faculty must assemble a teaching portfolio for their second and fifth year tenure reviews as well as during the promotion process.

Data Analysis and Discussion

• Once a year, the Program Director and the Clinical Education Coordinator run the statistics on each of these assessment tools to identify trends.
• The AT faculty meet to review the data and trends to see where improvements can be made to the MSAT.
• With these trends in mind, strategies are developed and implemented to address areas of concern.

Overall Program Evaluation

• Approximately one year following graduation, each graduate is sent the Graduate Athletic Training Alumni Survey to complete.
• The program tracks graduate placement data, indicating where graduates were placed in jobs or graduate school.
• The program reports students' pass rate on the BOC certification examination, including the three-year aggregate data for first-time pass rates and overall pass rates.
• The program tracks the graduation/attrition rate.

Evaluation of Clinical Education Experiences

• When students are approximately halfway through each clinical rotation, they meet with their Preceptor to discuss their performance to that point.
• Students are asked to discuss strengths as well as weaknesses and recommendations for improvement.
• These mid-rotation conversations are then documented by the student, signed by the Preceptor, and submitted with their clinical course packet.
• Final Clinical Rotation Evaluation (Preceptor's evaluation of the student) - completed by each student's Preceptor at the end of each clinical rotation.

Evaluation of Learning Outcomes

• Each year, an annual outcomes report is submitted to the Office for Institutional Effectiveness documenting learning outcomes and student performance.
• In each graduate practicum course, students must score a minimum of 80% on all oral/practical and written examinations and satisfactorily complete every unit in their respective clinical course packet.
• Other outcomes in this report include BOC pass rates and successful completion of key projects and exams in the MSAT program.