Adopting a Public Health Lens: One Program's Story

Context The clinical practice of athletic training involves the daily application of public health (PH) principles and practices. In recent years, there has been an increased interest in understanding and promoting the intersections of athletic training and PH. Objective The primary objective of this article is to share the path taken by the Oregon State University athletic training faculty to integrate PH perspectives into our work and provide examples of how this has affected our program, scholarly work, and service activities. Background Our college pursued and obtained accreditation from the Council for Education for Public Health. During the pursuit of accreditation, the college's leadership encouraged each academic program to integrate direct connections to PH. Description Our athletic training program embraced the administration's encouragement to adopt a PH lens and took definitive steps developing relationships and establishing collaborations with PH experts. Additionally, we started to establish approaches for infusing PH content and perspectives into our curriculum. Clinical Advantage Athletic training programs can position themselves and their students to forge partnerships and find resources, solutions, or skill sets that are currently underutilized in athletic training. Conclusions The adoption of a PH lens by the athletic training program at Oregon State University has benefitted students and faculty. We recommend all athletic training programs explore opportunities to integrate PH into activities inside and outside of the classroom.

Survey of International Experience Opportunities for Athletic Training Students and Faculty

Context International topics in athletic training are gaining recognition. Particularly interesting are opportunities for athletic training students to gain international experiences and develop cultural competence through study abroad. However, little is known about current international experience opportunities for these students. Objective To identify international experience opportunities for athletic training students, investigate student and faculty participation, and describe characteristics of institutions and programs offering such experiences. Design Survey. Setting Online. Patients or Other Participants All directors of Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education–accredited professional athletic training programs were recruited. The response rate was 41.9% (163/389). Data Collection and Analysis An e-mail soliciting participation was sent in January 2019. The online survey had 4 sections: (1) questions about athletic training–related international experiences, (2) questions about discipline-related international experiences, (3) questions about athletic training faculty or student participation, and (4) demographic questions about the program or institution. Data were analyzed descriptively. The characteristics of programs offering athletic training–related international experiences were compared with programs offering discipline-related international experiences using χ2 tests for degree level, institution type, and athletic division. Results Twenty-nine programs (17.8%) offered athletic training–related international experiences and 68 programs (41.7%) offered discipline-related experiences. Private universities were more likely to offer an athletic training–related experience, and public universities more likely to offer a discipline-related experience (χ2 = 4.197, df = 1, P = .04). There were no other differences between institution types, program degree levels, or athletic divisions (all P > .05). Some programs reported no recent athletic training student (44%) or athletic training faculty (58%) participation in any international experience. Conclusions A minority of programs currently offer either athletic training–related or discipline-related international experiences. Characteristics of available programs vary widely. To keep pace with professional globalization, future work should identify ways to develop international experiences.

Organizational Socialization: Experiences of Junior Faculty in Athletic Training Education Programs

Background: New faculty members become oriented to their new positions through numerous methods, such as institutional mechanisms as well as networking with various individuals. The process of acculturation is often complex, and best understood from a socialization framework. Role transition for the faculty member is often accomplished through professional socialization, or the experiences prior to beginning a faculty position. However, role transition also continues once the newly minted doctoral student is catapulted into employment. This dynamic, on-going process is often seen as organizational socialization. Objective: We sought to understand how Athletic Training faculty members navigate role transition, from doctoral student to faculty member during the pre-tenure years. Procedures: 19 junior Athletic Training faculty members completed semi-structured interviews to discuss their role transition and inductance into higher education. Data were analyzed following a general inductive approach. Credibility was secured through triangulation, peer review, and interpretative member checks. Results: We found that several organizational mechanisms were in place to support this time of role transition: 1) interviews, 2) orientation, 3) professional development activities, and 4) role consistency. Also, internal motivation and individual inquisitiveness supported this transition, as the junior faculty often solicited feedback or advice from others in their department to evaluate what was expected of them and how to succeed while performing their roles.

Work-Life Balance in Higher Education for Women: Perspectives of Athletic Training Faculty

Context: Women are largely underrepresented in science fields in academe, and most often issues with motherhood and career-life balancing are identified as reasons. In athletic training, career-life balancing has become the dominant factor in women leaving the field, as they feel they cannot fulfill the roles of mother, spouse, and athletic trainer adequately. Objective: To better understand the perceptions of women athletic training faculty members regarding balancing their roles in higher education and those outside of the workplace. Design: Interpretative phenomenological analysis study, with semistructured interviews. Setting: Higher education institutions sponsoring Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education–accredited athletic training programs. Patients or Other Participants: Sixteen (8 with children, 8 without children) women athletic training faculty participated. Ten were married at the time of the interview, 3 were single, 2 were engaged, and 1 was in the process of getting a divorce. Main Outcome Measure(s): Each participant completed a one-on-one interview with a researcher and all data were coded following interpretative phenomenological analysis. Data saturation was attained. We completed member checks, peer review, and researcher triangulation for credibility. Results: We found that motherhood was perceived to be a challenge and balancing the role of motherhood created conflict. Despite concerns for motherhood and balancing faculty roles, higher education was perceived to provide flexibility. Support networks and individual strategies were common to manage the responsibilities of faculty as well as nonfaculty roles. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that higher education cultivates a climate of balance through flexible workplace arrangements and that support networks are necessary to create role balancing in and out of the workplace. Finally, time management and organization are necessary for women to establish balance, regardless of roles outside of the workplace (eg, spouse, mother, friend).

Faculty Mentorship in Higher Education: The Value of Institutional and Professional Mentors

Context: Mentorship has been identified as a key aspect to the transition into higher education for the junior faculty member, as it is an effective organizational socializing agent. The literature, however, often examines mentorship as a derivative of the socialization process, rather than as the primary focus of investigation. Objective: Explore the perceptions of mentorship for the athletic training faculty member on professional development and transition into a new faculty role, specifically looking at mentorship through a role transition and inductance lens for the junior faculty member. Design: Phenomenology. Setting: Higher education institutions. Patients or Other Participants: Twenty junior athletic training faculty members (14 women, 6 men) who met our inclusion criteria. All participants were in positions leading to promotion or tenure. Saturation was met with our 20 participants. Main Outcome Measure(s): Semistructured phone interviews were conducted and transcribed verbatim afterward. Using a phenomenological approach, we analyzed the data. Credibility of the data was confirmed with peer review and researcher triangulation. Results: Mentoring relationships were determined to be internal and external to the athletic training faculty member's institutions. Relationships were classified as informal, regardless of the location of the mentor. Internal mentoring relationships were informal and navigated by the faculty member with individuals the faculty member believed to have valued experiences and knowledge regarding the institution's culture and expectations for role performance and promotion. External mentors, mostly doctoral advisors, were individuals who could continue to support professional development and the specific tenets of higher education independently of institutional expectations. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that mentoring is done by a constellation of individuals, as each mentoring relationship fulfills a particular need of the junior faculty member and one mentor may not provide or possess all the necessary experiences to support the transition.

Exploring Work-Life Balance of Junior Athletic Training Faculty Members During Role Inductance

Context: Work-life balance has become a growing concern in athletic training, but little is known about the experiences of faculty and finding it. Challenges in finding work-life balance have been reported among faculty in higher education, and those who are new to a role are often susceptible to increased stress and overload. Objective: Examine junior athletic training faculty members' experiences with work-life balance during their role inductance. Design: Qualitative inquiry. Setting: Higher education institutions. Patients or Other Participants: Sixteen junior faculty (7 male, 9 female) representing 7 National Athletic Trainers' Association districts participated. The average age of the junior faculty members was 32 ± 3.5 years. Twelve were in tenure track and 4 had non–tenure track positions. Main Outcome Measure(s): All participants completed phone interviews with one researcher following a semistructured interview protocol. Recorded interviews were transcribed and analyzed following a phenomenological approach. We intentionally selected 3 primary measures of trustworthiness to establish the rigor of the study: (1) peer review, (2) multiple-analyst triangulation, and (3) researcher triangulation. Results: Three factors were identified as inhibitors of work-life balance for junior faculty: (1) role inductance, (2) research and teaching, and (3) upcoming deadlines. Two organizational strategies (flexibility and mentorship) and 2 individual strategies (time management and personal outlets) emerged as facilitators for work-life balance. Conclusions: Junior faculty in athletic training can experience conflict in balancing their roles as faculty members as well as their outside and own personal interests. The data support previous literature, and illustrates that organizational factors precipitate imbalance and a combination of organizational and individual strategies promote balance.

Mentoring Processes in Higher Education: Perspectives of Junior Athletic Training Faculty Members

Purpose: Mentorship is a valuable mechanism of socializing faculty members to higher education, but understanding of how mentoring relationships develop is limited. The purpose of this study was to seek a more complete understanding of how mentoring relationships develop for junior faculty members, and how these effective mentoring relationships can be fostered. Method: A qualitative, phenomenological design was used to examine junior athletic training faculty members’ experiences with mentoring. Twenty athletic training faculty members: 14 women, 6 men, 32±3 years of age and averaged 2.4±2.1 years as a full-time faculty member in an accredited athletic training program participated in this study. Participants completed one telephone interview, which was audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed with an inductive phenomenological approach. Data saturation was obtained Trustworthiness strategies included peer review and the use of multi-analyst triangulation. Results: Junior faculty participated in informal and formal mentoring relationships that evolved over time, which aided their transition from doctoral student to full-time faculty member. Additionally, mentoring relationships were strengthened when participants took initiative, engaged in the relationship, and set clear goals. Mentors who exhibit good communication skills, willingness to participate, and genuine interest in the mentee are particularly valuable. Conclusions: Both formal and informal mentoring experiences appear to be valuable for junior faculty members, particularly informal relationships. If institutional mentoring programs are lacking then junior faculty should seek out additional mentoring opportunities. These findings also confirm existing literature on effective mentoring characteristics.

The Doctor of Philosophy Experience of Athletic Trainers: Facilitators and Barriers to Anticipatory Faculty Socialization

Context: It is important to understand the process whereby athletic trainers learn about their future roles, particularly when the roles can be complex and demanding. Little is known about the experiences of athletic training doctoral students, including facilitators and barriers to socialization as aspiring faculty members. Objective: To investigate factors influencing the anticipatory socialization of athletic training doctoral students into future faculty roles. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: Universities with athletic training doctoral students. Patients or Other Participants: We recruited 28 students (19 women, 9 men, age = 28 ± 3 years) with a minimum of 1 year of doctoral coursework completed and participating in an assistantship at the time of the study to reach data saturation. Participants were certified for 6 ± 3 years and represented 5 National Athletic Trainers' Association districts and 9 institutions. Data Collection and Analysis: We completed semistructured, 1-on-1 telephone interviews with participants. We transcribed each interview verbatim and analyzed the data using an inductive approach. Peer review, multiple-analyst triangulation, and member checks ensured trustworthiness. Results: We uncovered 4 themes from our analysis related to facilitators and barriers to professional socialization. Participants described comprehensive autonomous experiences in research that allowed them to feel confident they could sustain a scholarly agenda. Independent experiences and lack of pedagogy training yielded mixed preparedness relative to teaching responsibilities. Limited formal experience led to incomplete role understanding related to the service component of the professoriate. Finally, with regard to the administrative duties associated with athletic training faculty positions, participants noted a lack of direct exposure to common responsibilities. Conclusions: Role occupation in various aspects of the professoriate helped doctoral students prepare as future faculty members, although full role understanding was limited. Intentional exposure to research, teaching, service, and administrative expectations during doctoral experiences may facilitate the socialization of future athletic training faculty into academic roles.

Perceived Benefits of Graduate-Level Professional Education in Athletic Training

The commissioners of the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) and the Board of Directors of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) have acted to move the professional degree in athletic training from a bachelor’s degree to a graduate degree. The decision was largely based upon growth of the profession and aligning with the face of healthcare education. Therefore, we wanted to understand the perceived benefits of the graduate model. Using a qualitative paradigm, we electronically interviewed 29 students and faculty members (13 athletic training faculty and program directors, 16 students) currently in Professional Masters Athletic Training Programs (PM ATP). These represented 13 of the 29 (45%) CAATE-accredited PM ATPs. Five themes emerged from the data: (1) engagement and time spent in clinical education allows students to prepare for their roles as athletic trainers, (2) faculty stress the importance of interprofessional education, (3) expecting prior foundational knowledge allows focused education training at the graduate level, (4) increased professional commitment to stay in athletic training rather than use the training/education as a stepping-stone to other career paths, and (5) higher student maturity facilitates deeper learning. Based on these results, the perceived benefits of the PM ATP model are multifactorial.

Examining the Factors that Facilitate Athletic Training Faculty Socialization into Higher Education

Context: Doctoral education is the mechanism whereby athletic trainers can develop an awareness of their future roles and responsibilities in higher education. Evidence suggests that doctoral education may provide an incomplete understanding of these roles and responsibilities, warranting further investigation. Objective: To gain a better understanding on how athletic training faculty members are socialized into their role. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: Higher education institutions. Patients or Other Participants: Twenty-eight athletic training educators (14 men, 14 women) who had completed doctoral training. Participants' average age was 39 ± 6 years, with 11.6 ± 5.6 years of experience working in education. Main Outcome Measure(s): One-on-one interviews were completed with all participants following a semistructured framework. Data saturation drove sampling. Inductive analysis was used to evaluate the data. Member checks, peer review, and researcher triangulation established rigor. Results: The first theme, professional socialization, was defined by participants as those experiences in their doctoral training that provided role understanding. The second theme, organizational socialization, speaks to those experiences that occurred once the athletic training faculty member was employed full time in higher education. The category of mentorship was articulated, in both themes, as impactful in both professional preparations at the doctoral level and during the institutional socialization process once a novice faculty member is hired. Conclusions: Doctoral education provides the platform for role understanding, which allows the athletic trainer to be prepared to transition into the faculty member role. Specifically, engagement in the role and mentoring provided this role awareness, which is common within the socialization framework. Institutions also offer formalized orientation sessions as a means to assimilate, and mentoring is also available for support.