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Athletic Training Research Paper

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The growth and emergence of athletic training (AT) as a health professions is grounded in educational preparation and dates back to the founding of the AT profession in 1950 by the National Athletic Training Association (NATA). Known to be a gateway to changing behaviors and impacting practice, athletic training education goes hand in hand in creating professional identity, accountability of the profession and the increased awareness of athletic training as a health profession (Craig 2003). During the early years, AT education was rooted in apprenticeship-based training with intercollegiate athletics and housed as a unit in physical education. A more formal approach to education emerged over the next three decades resulting in significant …show more content…

From 1990 when the American Medical Association (AMA) officially recognized and endorsed athletic training as a health profession, the educational structure started to evolve into a highly regarded avenue for the preparation of health professionals in the field of athletic training (Herteletal et all 2009 and Proctor 2000). As the educational standards and breath of content broadened, a dedicated academic major was established which in turn brought the internship route to an end. The NATA Board of Directors and the Commissioners of the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE), recently approved a degree change to the master’s level as the terminal professional degree in athletic training. This degree change is expected to strengthen and solidify the role of the athletic trainer as a member of the health care team. While these changes better align athletic trainers’ (ATs) as peers to other healthcare professions, the desire of AT to be recognized as a bona fide health profession still persists (Breitbach A., Ross …show more content…

Educational viewpoints are segregated as each department work within its own distinct silo creating limited collaborative opportunities with other health care professions and the public (Barr, Koppel, Reeves, Hammick, & Freeth, 2005; Campbell, 2003;D’Amour & Oandsan, 2005). Often, the AT profession is not included in discussions of interprofessional education (IPE) at the institutional and governmental levels. This lack of comprehension about other professionals’ roles and responsibilities, as well as limited opportunities to learn together, both impact collaboration between disciplines and ultimately can impact patient centered care

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