Nov 02, 2024  
2003-2004 Springfield College Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2003-2004 Springfield College Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Athletic Training


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The athletic training major is a rigorous and demanding competency- based, professional preparation program leading toward eligibility to take the National Athletic Trainers Association Board of Certification (NATABOC) Exam. The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Athletic Training (JRC-AT). In addition to prescribed coursework, students complete a minimum of 800 clock hours of clinical experience under the direct supervision of NATABOC-certified and Massachusetts licensed athletic trainers. This clinical experience is sequenced to facilitate learning of both theoretical and clinical competencies and problemsolving skills needed by the athletic trainer. The supervised clinical experiences take place in Springfield College athletic training rooms as well as off-campus, JRC-AT-approved affiliate settings, including high schools and colleges.

Admission into the Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) is competitive, with more applications than admission slots. As required by the JRC-AT, standards must be adhered to in order to retain program accreditation. Factors that will be examined in the selection process include high school science and mathematics grades, high school grade point average, SATs, and communication skills demonstrated in application essays and the Athletic Training Supplemental Application. The admissions process may include an interview conducted by the athletic training faculty. Students who are admitted enter the major directly; there is no secondary selection process.

For more information about the athletic training major, contact Professor Charles Redmond, program director and chairperson of the Exercise Science and Sports Studies Department at (413) 748-3178 or the Admissions Office at (800) 343-1257.

General Education Program - 33 s.h. in addition to courses taken for the major.

I. General Education Program


To integrate the humanics philosophy into their lives, Springfield College students engage in the search for knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of values through a variety of courses in the sciences and humanities. In addition to those General Education courses, students must complete 6 s.h. of Writing-Across-the-Curriculum (WAC) courses. For more information see the General Education Program and WAC courses. In the major requirements listed below, selected courses which fulfill General Education categories are marked with an asterisk; selected WAC courses are marked with a “W”.

III. Athletic Training Core - Related Requirements (60 s.h.)


IV. Electives (7 s.h., to complete 132 s.h.)


The following courses are recommended:

V. Program Standards


In order to qualify for advanced standing as an athletic training major and to register for the third- and fourth-year sequences of athletic training courses, the student must meet the following standards.

  1. The student must have completed ATRN 110, ATRN 114, ATRN 227, ATRN 228, ATRN 284, ATRN 285, and EMSM 115.
  2. All ATRN courses must be completed with a grade of C- or better. Letter grades of D or F are unacceptable.
  3. All other required courses must be completed with a passing grade. Grades of F or I are unacceptable.
  4. A student must achieve and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.000 or higher at the conclusion of the sophomore year. At that point, students with a cumulative GPA below 2.750 will be dismissed from the program; students with a cumulative GPA between 2.750 and 2.999 may be placed on departmental probation. Probation may include a prescription and restriction from registering for any further ATRN courses until the prescription is met or until the cumulative grade point average reaches 3.000. Departmental probationary status is reviewed by the athletic training faculty on an individual basis after each semester.
  5. Proper professional and responsible behavior is expected of each athletic training student at all times. This includes behavior while acting as a student athletic trainer and a member of the Springfield College family.
  6. The student must meet the Athletic Training Technical Standards for admission and retention (available from the department).

Appeal Process

A Student may appeal any action taken by the department regarding his or her probation or dismissal from the major. In order to appeal, the student must submit a letter to the department chairperson requesting a review of their status. This appeal must be submitted within two weeks of the student being notified of his or her probation or dismissal. The athletic training program director will call a meeting of the appropriate faculty. The student will be notified within ten days of the meeting regarding the outcome of their appeal.

VI. Technical Standards


The Athletic Training Major at Springfield College is a rigorous and intense program that places specific requirements and demands on the students enrolled in the program. An objective of this program is to prepare graduates to enter a variety of athletic health care employment settings and to render care to a wide spectrum of individuals engaged in physical activity. The technical standards set forth by the Athletic Training Major establish the essential qualities considered necessary for students admitted to this program to achieve the knowledge, skills, and competencies of an entry-level athletic trainer, as well as meet the expectations of the program’s accrediting agency, Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). The following abilities and expectations must be met by all students admitted to the Athletic Training Major. In the event that these abilities are not met, a student will not be admitted into the program.

Compliance with the program’s technical standards does not guarantee a student’s eligibility for the NATABOC certification exam.

Candidates for selection to the Athletic Training Major must demonstrate:

  1. the mental capacity to assimilate, analyze, integrate concepts and problem solve to formulate assessment and therapeutic judgements and to be able to distinguish deviations from the norm;
  2. sufficient postural and neuromuscular control, mobility, sensory function, strength, endurance and coordination to accurately, safely, and efficiently perform and/or provide;
    1. appropriate physical examinations
    2. emergency care skills and procedures including transportation techniques (lifts, carries, and litters) c. appropriate therapeutic techniques including use of equipment an dexercise techniques
  3. the ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients, colleagues, other health care professionals including individuals from different cultural and social backgrounds; this includes, but is not limited to, the ability to establish rapport with patients and communicate judgements and treatment information effectively. Students must be able to understand and speak the English language at a level consistent with competent professional practice;
  4. the ability to record the physical examination results and a treatment plan clearly and accurately;
  5. the capacity to maintain composure and continue to function effectively and appropriately during periods of high stress;
  6. flexibility and the ability to adjust to changing situations and uncertainty in clinical situations;
  7. affective skills and appropriate demeanor and rapport that relate to professional education and quality patient care.
  8. the perserverance, diligence and commitment to complete the athletic training education program as outlined and sequenced.

Candidates for selection to the athletic training educational program at Springfield College will be required to verify they understand and meet these technical standards or that they believe that, with certain accommodations, they can meet the standards. Springfield College, office of student support services, will evaluate a student who states he/she could meet the program’s technical standards with accommodation and confirm that the stated condition qualifies as a disability under applicable laws.

If a student states he/she can meet the technical standards with accommodation, then the College will determine whether it agrees that the student can meet the technical standards with reasonable accommodation; this includes a review whether the accommodations requested are reasonable, taking into account whether accommodation would jeopardize clinician/ patient safety, or the educational process of the student or the institution, inluding all course work, clinical experiences and field work deemed essential to graduation.

VII. Recommended Program By Year


The program listed below is a sample—courses are not guaranteed to be offered during the semester or year listed. It is the student’s responsibility to insure that all requirements are met on a timely basis and that needed prerequisite courses are completed before taking upper-level requirements; therefore, they should consult carefully with an advisor when planning their program. Students must average 16.50 s.h. a semester to complete this program in four years.

In addition to the courses identified below, the following General Education categories need to be fulfilled for this major: Computer Science, Literature, Second Language/Culture, Visual and Performing Arts, History, Social Science, Social Justice, Philosophy, and Religion.

Courses marked with an * fulfill or partially fulfill a General Education category. Courses marked with a w may fulfill a WAC requirement, depending on the year taken.

A. First Year - Fall Semester


First Year - Fall or Spring Semesters


Second Year - Fall or Spring Semesters


  • 4-6 s.h. of General Education courses.

Third Year - Fall or Spring Semesters


  • 13-15 s.h. of General Education courses.

Fourth Year - Fall or Spring Semesters


  • Any uncompleted program requirements or General Education courses and electives to total 132 s.h.

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