scholarly journals Examining Initial Perceptions of Transition to Clinical Practice from the Perspective of Professional Master's Students

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 167-173
Author(s):  
Thomas G. Bowman ◽  
Stephanie Mazerolle Singe ◽  
Brianne F. Kilbourne ◽  
Jessica L. Barrett
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Athletic Training ◽  
Clinical Education ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Independent Practice ◽  
Semistructured Interview ◽  
Master's Students ◽  
Master's Programs ◽  
Program Administrators

Context Newly credentialed athletic trainers are expected to be independent practitioners capable of making their own clinical decisions. Transition to practice can be stressful and present challenges for graduates who are not accustomed to practicing independently. Objective Explore the perceptions of professional master's students as they prepare to experience role transition from students to autonomous clinical practitioners. Design Qualitative study. Setting Nine higher education institutions. Patients or Other Participants Fourteen athletic training students (7 male, 7 female, age = 25.6 ± 3.7 years) participated. Main Outcome Measure(s) Participants completed a semistructured interview over the phone which focused on the perception of preparedness to enter clinical practice. All transcribed interviews were analyzed using a general inductive approach. Multiple-analyst triangulation and peer review were used to ensure trustworthiness. Results We found themes for facilitators and challenges to transition to autonomous clinical practice. Students felt prepared for independent practice due to (1) mentoring networks they had developed, (2) exposure to the breadth of clinical practice, and (3) autonomy allotted during clinical education. Potential challenges included (1) apprehension with decision making and (2) a lack of confidence. Conclusions Our findings suggest graduates from professional master's programs, although ready for clinical practice, may require more time and exposure to autonomous practice to build confidence. Professional master's program administrators should work to provide clinical education experiences that expose students to a wide variety of clinical situations (patients, settings, preceptors) with appropriate professional role models while providing decision making autonomy within accreditation standards.

Professional Master's Athletic Training Programs use Clinical Education to Facilitate Transition to Practice

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 146-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas G. Bowman ◽  
Stephanie M. Mazerolle ◽  
Jessica L. Barrett
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Athletic Training ◽  
Clinical Education ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Transition To Practice ◽  
Athletic Training Students ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Socialization Process ◽  
Master's Students ◽  
Major Facilitator

Context: Athletic training students' ability to transition into professional practice is a critical component for the future of the profession. However, research on professional master's students' transition to practice and readiness to provide autonomous care is lacking. Objective: To determine professional master's athletic training students' perceptions regarding how they were prepared to transition to practice as clinicians. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: Professional master's athletic training programs. Patients or Other Participants: Sixteen students, 8 program directors, and 5 faculty members from professional master's athletic training programs. Main Outcome Measure(s): An online questionnaire was distributed via Qualtrics and analyzed using an inductive technique. Participants responded to a series of open-ended questions related to the structure and curricular offerings of their respective programs. We secured trustworthiness through multiple analyst triangulation and peer review. Results: We found that both students and faculty identified clinical education as the major facilitator in the socialization process used to prepare students for the transition into clinical practice. Three further subthemes emerged: (1) Both stakeholder groups felt that students gained experience through diverse and immersive clinical education experiences; (2) Preceptors provided mentorship; and (3) Students developed confidence to enter clinical practice as a result of these supported experiences. Conclusions: Professional master's programs provide clinical education experiences designed to help athletic training students gain the skills and confidence necessary to become autonomous practitioners. The diversity and mentorship contained within these experiences facilitates confidence and preparedness.

scholarly journals A Report from the Athletic Training Clinical Education Network on Scholarship Requirements in Professional Athletic Training Programs

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-64
Author(s):  
Lindsey E. Eberman ◽  
Stacy E. Walker ◽  
Julie Cavallario ◽  
Cailee E. Welch Bacon
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Athletic Training ◽  
Clinical Education ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Content Standards ◽  
Semistructured Interview ◽  
Professional Programs ◽  
Traditional Research ◽  
Data Saturation ◽  
Education Network

Context Scholarship is a required element of the 2020 curricular content standards in professional athletic training education. Objective To explore the perceptions and experiences of implementing student scholarship within a professional program. Design Consensual qualitative research. Setting Individual phone interview. Patients or Other Participants Seventeen program directors of professional programs (professional bachelor's program = 12, 70.6%; professional master's program = 3, 17.6%; both = 2, 11.8%). Programs reported an average of 3 ± 1 core faculty (range, 1–5 faculty) supporting 37 ± 21 students (range, 3–96 students), with 3 ± 2 faculty (range, 1–8 faculty) involved in scholarship activities of their students. Data saturation guided the number of participants. Data Collection and Analysis Interviews occurred via phone using a semistructured interview guide. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed by a 3-person research team and coded into themes and categories based on a consensus process. Credibility was established by utilizing multiple researchers, an external auditor, and member checks. Results Two major themes emerged from the data: perceptions and mechanisms of scholarship. Student engagement in scholarship was perceived as valuable, but it was challenging to develop buy-in from students and preceptors. Participants felt that the term research carried a stigma, making it difficult to cultivate the value of scholarly clinical practice. When institutional culture embraced scholarship, participants indicated it was easier to integrate scholarly activities into the program. Participants reported students engaged in a variety of scholarly activities, including traditional research and evidence-based practice. Some scholarship experiences were singular, occurring once in the curriculum, while others were purposeful, sequenced, and integrated throughout the curriculum. Future scholarship endeavors included traditional theses and experimental research as well as practice-based, point-of-care research that might better integrate clinical practice and scholarship. Conclusions Participants perceived scholarship as important to professional preparation and required intentional action to integrate throughout the curriculum.

scholarly journals The Preparation and Development of Preceptors in Professional Graduate Athletic Training Programs

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 156-166
Author(s):  
Jessica L. Rager ◽  
Julie Cavallario ◽  
Dorice A. Hankemeier ◽  
Cailee E. Welch Bacon ◽  
Stacy E. Walker
Keyword(s):  
Athletic Training ◽  
Clinical Education ◽  
Professional Education ◽  
Clinical Teaching ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Clinical Skills ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Semistructured Interview ◽  
Program Administrators ◽  
Phone Calls

Context As professional athletic training programs transition to the graduate level, administrators will need to prepare preceptors to teach advanced learners. Currently, preceptor development is variable among programs and ideal content has yet to be identified. Exploring the development of preceptors teaching graduate learners can lead to an understanding of effective preceptorships. Objective To explore graduate professional athletic training program administrators' (ie, program directors', clinical education coordinators') experiences preparing and implementing preceptor development. Design Consensual qualitative research. Setting Individual phone interviews. Patients or Other Participants Eighteen program administrators (11 women, 7 men; 5.92 ± 4.19 years of experience; 17 clinical education coordinators, 1 program director). Participants were recruited and interviewed until data saturation was achieved. Main Outcome Measure(s) Interviews were conducted using a semistructured interview guide, and were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed by a 4-person research team and coded into themes and categories based on a consensus process. Credibility was established by using multiple researchers, an external auditor, and member checks. Results Participants reported the delivery of preceptor development occurs formally (eg, in person, online) and informally (eg, phone calls, e-mail). The content typically included programmatic policies, expectations of preceptors, clinical teaching methods, and new clinical skills that had been added to the curriculum. Adaptations to content were made depending on several factors, including experience level of preceptors, years precepting with a specific program, and geographical location of the program. The process of determining content involved obtaining feedback from program stakeholders when planning future preceptor development. Conclusions Complex decision making occurs during planning of preceptor development. Preceptor development is modified based on programmatic needs, stakeholder feedback, and the evolution of professional education. Future research should explore the challenges associated with developing preceptors, and which aspects of preceptor development are effective at facilitating student learning and readiness for clinical practice.

scholarly journals Perceived Challenges of Clinical Immersion in Professional Master's Programs: A Report from the Athletic Training Clinical Education Network

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-25
Author(s):  
Stephanie Mazerolle Singe ◽  
Sarah L. Myers ◽  
Matthew Campbell ◽  
Chad Clements ◽  
Lindsey E. Eberman
Keyword(s):  
Athletic Training ◽  
Clinical Education ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Athletic Training Education ◽  
Phase 2 ◽  
Clinical Experiences ◽  
Master's Programs ◽  
Program Administrators

Context A clinical immersive experience is a new requirement within the clinical education standards as outlined by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education. Objective Determine athletic training program administrators' perceptions of challenges facing athletic training programs as they implement immersive clinical experiences during clinical education. Design Sequential mixed methods. Setting Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education athletic training programs. Patients or Other Participants Twenty-four administrators (7 male, 17 female) from 24 institutions with undergraduate and professional master's programs (1 undergraduate, 12 professional master's, and 4 offering both undergraduate and master's programs) responded to the survey, which was Phase 1 of the study. Seventeen of those who previously completed the Phase 1 survey volunteered to participate in Phase 2 of one-on-one, semistructured phone interviews (4 clinical education coordinators, 12 program directors, 1 department chair). Data Collection Phase 1: 24 participants completed an online survey. Phase 2: 17 of the 24 respondents participated in a one-on-one, semistructured phone interview. Quantitative data collected in Phase 1 were analyzed by calculating means and frequencies, and in Phase 2, a general inductive approach was used to evaluate qualitative raw data from the interviews. Researcher triangulation and peer review were completed for credibility. Results The 3 subthemes that emerged specific to administrators' perceived challenges regarding immersive clinical experiences for students were (1) isolation, (2) financial burden, and (3) time engaged in learning. The 3 main subthemes that emerged specific to the administrators' perceived challenges regarding immersive clinical experience for programs were (1) lack of a definition of the experience, (2) scheduling, and (3) preceptor involvement. Conclusions Program administrators continue to seek clarity on when and how immersive clinical experiences should be implemented. These challenges, if not addressed, could influence buy-in from the faculty and preceptors, and affect the success of the student.

scholarly journals A Time for Reflection: Should We Reconsider the Direct Supervision Standard in Clinical Education?

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 106-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie M. Mazerolle ◽  
Thomas G. Bowman
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Educational Reform ◽  
Athletic Training ◽  
Student Development ◽  
Clinical Education ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Independent Practice ◽  
Direct Supervision ◽  
Health Care Professions ◽  
Student Safety

Context: Educational reform is occurring again in athletic training. The profession, at this time, should reflect on the structure of clinical education, particularly with direct supervision. Clinical education plays a critical role in the development of future practitioners and should provide students with a chance to gain autonomous experience, with appropriate feedback and discourse. Objective: In this commentary, we discuss direct supervision and present an alternative model for supervision (graduated supervision) in athletic training. Background: Currently, there are concerns regarding the readiness of students to transition to independent practice. These trepidations are centered on the policies related to direct supervision and chances for students to gain autonomous experiences needed to prepare them to make clinical decisions. Synthesis: Graduated supervision may provide an alternative lens for athletic training to regulate clinical education, while facilitating experiences that can assist in student development and preparedness to transition into independent, credentialed patient care. Results: Athletic training supervision policies do not align with other health care professions, yet a major impetus for educational reform was founded on the premise that we should model our degree level more comparably. Recommendation(s): Programs should allow for supervision that encompasses a trusting relationship between preceptors and students. Supervision can be modified (more versus less constant interactions) based upon the students' performance, knowledge, and skills. Shifting the way supervision is implemented can still allow for ensuring patient and student safety, but also allow for students to become critical thinkers. Conclusion(s): Direct supervision policies should be updated to allow students to develop confidence, competence, and critical thinking abilities as well as to better align the athletic training profession with other health care programs.

scholarly journals Clinical Education in Athletic Training

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica R. Edler ◽  
Lindsey E. Eberman ◽  
Stacy Walker
Keyword(s):  
Patient Care ◽  
Athletic Training ◽  
Clinical Education ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Clinical Integration ◽  
Integration Model ◽  
Program Administrators ◽  
Course Work ◽  
Classroom Laboratory

Context: Clinical education is a foundational component of healthcare education by which students acquire, practice, and demonstrate competency in clinical proficiencies through classroom, laboratory, and clinical experiences. Currently, the most common practice of clinical education in athletic training is clinical integration. Objective: The purposes of this article are to describe how athletic training and similar health professions implement clinical education and to present clinical immersion as an alternative to clinical integration. Background: Clinical education is delivered differently across healthcare disciplines. Some disciplines use clinical immersion, while others use clinical integration. Some professions have specific requirements, while others are left to the discretion of the program administrators. However, few professions are measuring the effectiveness of each, leading to questions about best-practice models in clinical education. Description: Clinical integration occurs when students complete clinical and didactic course work concurrently, while in the clinical immersion model, students are immersed in patient care full time with little or no didactic course work. A hybrid model of clinical education includes both integration and immersion. Clinical Advantage(s): Preliminary research within nursing suggests that students engaged in clinical immersion perform better on certification examinations than do those from an integration model. The clinical immersion model is enhanced by the implementation of standardized patients and simulations to prepare students for immersive experiences. These encounters provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate competency before engaging in patient care, which promotes patient safety. Conclusion(s): Program administrators have the opportunity and professional responsibility to explore different curricular models and to ultimately develop better methods of preparing future athletic trainers. Moreover, educators have a responsibility to measure and report outcomes to help provide a body of knowledge regarding best practices in clinical education.

scholarly journals Advancement of Athletic Training Clinical Education Through Preceptor-Led Instructional Strategies

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 223-232
Author(s):  
Connor A. Burton ◽  
Zachary K. Winkelmann ◽  
Lindsey E. Eberman
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Instructional Strategies ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Athletic Training ◽  
Clinical Education ◽  
Clinical Decision Making ◽  
Clinical Experiences ◽  
Reflective Journaling ◽  
Clinical Site ◽  
Safe Environment

Context Athletic training programs blend didactic experiences with clinical practice opportunities with varied patient populations. Traditionally, clinical education relies heavily on the preceptor to supervise, instruct, and mentor the professional athletic training student (P-ATS) during clinical education. Objective To describe a preceptor-led educational technique focused on creating meaningful clinical experiences that guide the P-ATS to self-reflect and improve clinical decision-making. Background Preceptors are expected to create an effective learning environment at their clinical site that prepares the P-ATS for independent clinical practice, yet some authentic patient encounters and administrative tasks may not be possible because of the nature of the clinical site. By implementing novel clinical education techniques that mimic clinical practice, the P-ATS can engage in meaningful clinical experiences in a safe environment, which aids in professional readiness for independent clinical practice that address learner goals and deficiencies in areas with minimal opportunities for real-time encounters. Description The preceptor designed educational techniques to cultivate meaningful clinical experiences that included incognito standardized patient encounters, structured debriefing, and reflective journaling. Clinical Advantages A 3-fold benefit exists. First, the P-ATS engages in meaningful clinical experiences to enhance professional readiness for replication of independent clinical practice. Second, the P-ATS develops soft skills, such as metacognitive reflection and quality improvement strategies, after completing the debrief sessions and reflective journaling. Lastly, the preceptor shares contemporary expertise through designing and implementing instructional strategies that mentor the P-ATS through difficult conversations and unique patient presentations. Conclusions Implementation of novel instructional strategies within clinical education demonstrates the ability for the P-ATS to engage in real-time clinical experiences in a safe environment and under the guidance of the preceptor.

scholarly journals Barriers to Scholarship Integration in Professional Athletic Training Programs and Resources Needed to Overcome Barriers: A Report from the Association for Athletic Training Education Research Network

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-27
Author(s):  
Julie M. Cavallario ◽  
Cailee E. Welch Bacon ◽  
Stacy E. Walker ◽  
Lindsey E. Eberman
Keyword(s):  
Athletic Training ◽  
Professional Education ◽  
Institutional Support ◽  
Scholarly Activity ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Semistructured Interview ◽  
Professional Programs ◽  
Program Administrators ◽  
Data Saturation ◽  
Faculty Time

Context Athletic training program administrators have identified that it is important to incorporate a scholarship component into professional education curricula. Objective Explore the barriers to implementing student scholarship in professional programs and identify resources necessary to overcome the barriers. Design Consensual qualitative research. Setting Individual teleconference interview. Patients or Other Participants A total of 17 program directors of professional programs was interviewed. Programs reported an average of 3 ± 1 core faculty supporting 37 ± 21 students, with 3 ± 2 faculty involved in scholarship activities of their students. Data saturation guided the number of participants. Data Collection and Analysis Interviews occurred using a semistructured interview guide. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed by a 3 person research team and coded into themes and categories based on a consensus process. Credibility was established by using multiple researchers, an external auditor, and member checks. Results Two major themes emerged from the data: (1) current challenges and shortcomings and (2) resources and strategies needed to achieve scholarship. Participants noted a lack of research or scholarship culture at their current institution and a lack of faculty time and expertise to implement and guide research throughout the curriculum as current challenges. Participants further identified that a lack of clear expectations for how much scholarship was necessary and lack of buy-in from faculty, students, and preceptors made it difficult to implement scholarly projects in the curriculum. Necessary resources to overcome barriers included institutional support in the form of faculty release, support, training, or all of the aforementioned. Participants identified that collaborative research opportunities as well as publicly available examples of completed student scholarly activity would further guide them in overcoming the curricular challenge of implementing scholarship. Conclusions Internal institutional support, external peer collaboration, and public examples of success are necessary to overcome barriers to scholarship integration in professional athletic training curricula.

Clinical Preceptors' Perspectives on Clinical Education in Post-Professional Athletic Training Education Programs

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 103-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelvin Phan ◽  
Cailee W. McCarty ◽  
Jessica M Mutchler ◽  
Bonnie Van Lunen
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Athletic Training ◽  
Clinical Education ◽  
Professional Education ◽  
Clinical Skills ◽  
Athletic Training Education ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Professional Students ◽  
Guided Practice ◽  
Telephone Interviews

Context: Clinical education is the interaction between a clinical preceptor and student within the clinical setting to help the student progress as a clinician. Post-professional athletic training clinical education is especially important to improve these students' clinical knowledge and skills. However, little research has been conducted to assess the pedagogical principles for clinical education at this level or what factors are necessary to enhance the clinical skills and decision-making abilities of post-professional students. Therefore, exploring the perspectives of clinical preceptors involved in post-professional education will help educators understand what strategies are necessary to improve post-professional athletic training education programs (PPATEPs). Objective: To qualitatively investigate clinical preceptors' perspectives and experiences regarding clinical education within PPATEPs. Design: Consensual qualitative research (CQR) with an emergent design. Setting: Telephone interviews were conducted with all participants. Patients or Other Participants: Eleven collegiate post-professional clinical preceptors (7 males, 4 females; average age = 38±7.3 years; average years as an athletic trainer = 15±6.6 years) who were affiliated with a PPATEP were interviewed, representing 11 out of 16 PPATEPs. Data Collection and Analysis: Interview transcripts were coded for themes and categories. Triangulation included a consensus process by the research team and member checking to verify the data. Results: Data analysis yielded four themes relating to clinical education in PPATEPs: importance of clinical education, clinical preceptor responsibilities, clinical preceptor qualities, and barriers to clinical education. Participants indicated that clinical education was important for students to develop clinical skills and give them opportunities to make patient care decisions, and that several fundamental responsibilities and qualities contribute to being an effective clinical preceptor at the post-professional level. Conclusions: Post-professional clinical preceptors recognized that an appropriate balance between autonomy and guided practice in clinical experiences fostered an effective learning environment which allowed post-professional students to improve their clinical and decision-making skills beyond their entry-level skill set. Preceptors should also demonstrate attributes of a clinician, educator, and communicator to be an effective mentor.

scholarly journals Evaluating Perceptions of Culminating Clinical Education Experiences of Senior Athletic Training Students

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 219-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia A. Aronson ◽  
Thomas G. Bowman ◽  
Stephanie M. Mazerolle
Keyword(s):  
Training Program ◽  
Athletic Training ◽  
Clinical Education ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Clinical Skills ◽  
Athletic Training Education ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Athletic Training Students ◽  
Education Administrators

Context The perceptions of athletic training students (ATSs) regarding their clinical education experiences are not fully understood. It is important to investigate ATS perceptions of clinical education to allow athletic training educators to provide educational experiences that will maximize learning. Objective To determine what ATSs value during their clinical education experiences. Design Qualitative study. Setting Participants completed an electronic preceptor evaluation. Patients or Other Participants Nineteen (14 female, 5 male; average age = 22 ± 1 years) senior ATSs over 2 years enrolled in a Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education–accredited athletic training program participated in our study. Participants came from 1 Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education–accredited athletic training program in the Mid-Atlantic region. Data Collection and Analysis We asked seniors to evaluate their final clinical education experience by completing an open-ended questionnaire. We analyzed the data following the principles of grounded theory. We negotiated over the coding scheme until we reached full agreement, performed a peer review, and conducted member checks to ensure trustworthiness of the results. Results Three major themes emerged from the data. Athletic training students enjoy interacting with preceptors who act as appropriate professional role models. Our participants also found value in being able to develop their clinical skills with appropriate situational supervision. Finally, ATSs appreciate when preceptors teach them new information by stimulating their critical thinking skills. Conclusions To help provide positive learning environments for senior ATSs, athletic training education administrators should select preceptors who can successfully model professional responsibilities, present ATSs with authentic learning experiences, and promote higher-level thinking. We believe providing ATSs with exposure to preceptors who can meet these criteria may better prepare students for professional practice, alter persistence decisions, and should be a goal of clinical experiences for the benefit of ATSs.

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