Athletic Training (Comprehensive)

Admission to the Athletic Training Major is competitive and not all who apply can be accommodated. Admission requires each applicant to complete an initial process of application and selection for the first year and meet retention standards prior to final acceptance into the Athletic Training Major. The application process for the major in Athletic Training is separate from the application process for admission to the University. Both application processes must be followed by students interested in the major. The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). 

1. Application Requirements:
   1. Before a student can be considered for the first year, the following application requirements must be met:
      1. Admission to Missouri State University
      2. Completed application for Athletic Training Curriculum
      3. Written narrative response to application questions
      4. Submission of official transcripts of high school and college courses
      5. Three recommendations
   2. Application deadline is April 1 for consideration for each fall semester. Applicants will be notified of the selection committee’s decision on or before May 1. New students are admitted beginning in the Fall semester each year.
   3. Application materials may be procured by contacting the Department of Sports Medicine and Athletic Training; Missouri State University; Professional Building 160; 901 S. National Ave; Springfield, MO 65897 or by downloading them from the department's web site. All completed materials must be returned to the Department Office on or before the April 1 deadline for fall enrollment consideration.
2. Preliminary Selection Process for the First Year :
   1. All applicants will be ranked using a numerical scale on the following criteria:
      1. Cumulative high school or college GPA (4.00 point scale)
      2. GPA in sciences and sports medicine related course work (4.00 point scale)
      3. Rank in class
      4. ACT score
      5. Previous athletic training/sports medicine experience
      6. Strength of applicant’s knowledge of AT profession and career goals reflected in narrative.
      7. Extracurricular and leadership activities
      8. Strength of support from others as shown in recommendations
   2. Students receiving the highest scores in the rating process and a positive recommendation from the selection committee will be invited to enter the first year of the major. These same students will be granted permission to enroll in the ATC 220 “Introduction to Athletic Training” course for the Fall semester.
   3. Applicants not invited to enter the first year may reapply the following year. All applicants who re-apply must meet all requirements in effect at the time of application. Students are encouraged to contact the department for current admission requirements.
   4. All students selected for the first year of the program must provide evidence of being able to meet the technical standards of the program. Only those students who verify that they can meet those technical standards, with or without reasonable accommodations, will be allowed to enter the first year of the program. The technical standards for the program are available upon written request or may be viewed at the department’s web site.
   5. Students will be required to initiate and pay for any security checks and drug screenings required for clinical agencies.  First year students must initiate a criminal record check and receive response that the applicant has not been convicted of any crime pursuant to Section 660.317 RSMo or other disqualifications that would prohibit licensure as an athletic trainer.
   6. All students are expected to provide their own transportation to clinical sites.
   7. All students will be required to purchase student professional liability insurance.
3. Final Selection Process Following the First Year:
   1. Following the second semester of the first year students will be selected to continue in the Athletic Training major. Final selection will be determined based on following criteria:
      1. Academic Performance
         1. Cumulative university GPA of 2.80
         2. A grade of “B” or better in ATC 220 and 221 and a grade of “C” or better in BMS 307
      2. Clinical Evaluations
         1. Students are required to complete a series of clinical rotations during the first year of the program. In doing so they are formally evaluated by the  Clinical Instructors (CI’s) at each rotation. Clinical performance is critiqued on areas involving both “Skills/Abilities” and “Personal Attributes.” 
         2. Recommendation of department faculty.
   2. The total number of students who will be retained in the program following the first year will be determined by the number of clinical placement sites available to the program.  
4. Retention Requirements:
   1. After students are selected into the Athletic Training Major, retention in the program will be based on the following criteria:
      1. Clinical evaluation score of at least 3.0 on each clinical assignment. Clinical performance is critiqued by the ACI’s on areas involving both “Skills/Abilities” and “Personal Attributes.”
      2. Maintain a major coursework GPA of 3.00 on all ATC courses.
      3. Semester GPA of 2.80 or higher and a cumulative University GPA of 2.80 or higher.
   2. Students who fail to meet all of the retention requirements will be placed on probation in the Athletic Training major for one semester. If standards are not met by the end of the probationary period, the student may be dismissed from the major. Students who receive a grade of “D” or “F” in an ATC course must repeat that course and receive a grade of “C” or higher to progress in the program and remain in the major. Students who do not meet the retention criteria for required clinical work may follow the program appeal process. Failure to follow the appeal process may result in dismissal from the program.

1. General Education Requirements - see "General Education Program" section of catalog
   Specific General Education Requirements BIO 121(4) or BMS 110(4); CHM 105(5) or 160(4); MTH 135(3) or higher; PSY 121(3)
2. Major Requirements

   1. Related Requirements: BMS 240(3), 307(4), 308(4), 430(3); PED 360(4), 362(4); PSY 200(3)

   2. Athletic Training Requirements: ATC 220(4), 221(3), 232(4), 240(2), 241(2), 320(3), 324(4), 326(3), 328(3), 329(3), 330(3), 340(2), 341(2), 420(3), 421(4), 425(2), 440(2), 441(2)

   3. Upon acceptance into the major, students will be required to fulfill six (6) semesters of clinical experiences Students must receive a clinical evaluation score of 3.0 or higher for each experience. All students will be required to complete the following clinical experiences:

      1. One fall season of interscholastic or intercollegiate football

      2. Two semesters assigned to University intercollegiate team experiences

      3. One semester at an affiliated sports medicine clinic

      4. Two semesters at an affiliated high school

      5. One semester of "General Medical" clinical experiences.

3. General Baccalaureate Degree Requirements - see “General Baccalaureate Degree Requirements” section of the catalog

Athletic Training Courses

ATC 220 Introduction to Athletic Training

Prerequisite: acceptance to Athletic Training Education Program. Orientation for students considering a career in Athletic Training. Various aspects of the Athletic Training profession and the Athletic Training program at Missouri State are discussed. Supplemental course fee. 4(3-2) F

ATC 221 Clinical Skills in Athletic Training

Prerequisite: ATC 220 and permission of program director. Students are introduced to many of the clinical skills required by athletic trainers in a variety of clinical settings. Skills are designed to meet current accreditation competencies and standards. Supplemental course fee. 3(0-6) S

ATC 222 Athletic Injuries

Prerequisite: PED 250 or equivalent. Techniques, principles and theory underlying prevention and care of athletic injuries. Supplemental course fee. 2(2-1) F,S

ATC 232 Basic Evaluation Techniques

Prerequisite: ATC 221 and BMS 307. Techniques, principles and theory underlining assessment procedures commonly used in athletic training. Supplemental course fee. 4(3-2) F

ATC 240 Clinical Practicum I

Prerequisite: ATC 221 and permission of program director. Supervised clinical experiences in athletic training. Emphasis on developing clinical skills required by athletic trainers. Students may be required to be in attendance during periods when regular university classes are not in session. Supplemental course fee. 2(1-2) F

ATC 241 Clinical Practicum II

Prerequisite: ATC 221 and ATC 240 and permission of program director. Continuation of supervised clinical experiences in athletic training. Emphasis on developing and refining clinical skills required by athletic trainers. Students may be required to be in attendance during periods when regular university classes are not in session. Supplemental course fee. 2(1-2) S

ATC 297 Special Topics

Prerequisite: permission of program director. Variable content and variable credit course. Special study of Sports Medicine and Athletic Training. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 4 credit hours. Same topic may be repeated once for credit. 1-2 D

ATC 320 Athletic Training Administration

Prerequisite: ATC 326 and permission of program director. Development and administration of various procedures, records, forms, budgets, and professional contacts needed to successfully manage an athletic training program. 3(3-0) F

ATC 324 Therapeutic Modalities

Prerequisite: BMS 308 with a "C" grade or better and permission of program director. A study of the theory and application of various therapeutic modalities used in the treatment of many injuries, including ultrasound, diathermy, electrical stimulation, hydrotherapy, cryotherapy, and thermotherapy. Supplemental course fee. 4(3-2) S

ATC 326 Therapeutic Interventions in Athletic Training

Prerequisite: ATC 328 and BMS 308 and PSY 121. Theoretical and practical synthesis of area often requiring instruction on the part of an athletic trainer to enhance performance opportunities for athletes and other areas of physical activity. Emphasis on subject matter and skills necessary to recognize potential problems, help in understanding the interventions, and develop techniques for referral. 3(3-0) S

ATC 328 Lower Body Assessment

Prerequisite: ATC 232 and ATC 329 and BMS 308 and PED 360 with grades of "C" or better. Content addresses observation and evaluation techniques for injuries to the lower body. Students must integrate anatomical structures to provide a basis for critical decision making in an injury management environment. Supplemental course fee. 3(2-2) F

ATC 329 Upper Body Assessment

Prerequisite: ATC 232 and BMS 308. Content addresses observation and evaluation techniques for injuries to the upper body. Students must integrate anatomical structures to provide a basis for critical decision making in an injury management environment. Supplemental course fee. 3(2-2) S

ATC 330 Surgical Pathology in Sports Medicine

Prerequisite: ATC 326 and BMS 308 with grades of "C" or better. An overview of orthopedic surgical procedures common in athletic training with a focus primarily on joint and musculo-skeletal structures. Tissue pathology for each protocol, healing constraints, and implications for return to activity will be presented. 3(3-0) F

ATC 340 Clinical Practicum III

Prerequisite: ATC 241 and permission of program director. Continuation of supervised clinical experiences in athletic training. Emphasis on developing clinical decision making skills used by athletic trainers. Students may be required to be in attendance during periods when regular university classes are not in session. Supplemental course fee. 2(1-2) F

ATC 341 Clinical Practicum IV

Prerequisite: ATC 340 and permission of program director. Continuation of supervised clinical experiences in athletic training. Emphasis is on refining clinical decision making skills used by athletic trainers. Students may be required to be in attendance during periods when regular university classes are not in session. Supplemental course fee. 2(1-2) S

ATC 397 Special Topics

Prerequisite: permission of program director. Variable content and variable credit course. Special study of Sports Medicine and Athletic Training. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 4 credit hours. Same topic may be repeated once for credit. 1-2 D

ATC 420 Medical Aspects of Athletic Training

Prerequisite: ATC 324 and ATC 421 and permission of program director. Students are exposed to various medical specialties which contribute to an understanding of comprehensive health care program. Topics stressed include injury and illness prevention, definitive medical treatment, indications for referral, and injury rehabilitation from the perspective of health care specialists in the community. 3(3-0) S

ATC 421 Therapeutic Exercise

Prerequisite: ATC 324 and ATC 329 and ATC 330 and PED 360 and PED 362 with grades of "C" or better; and permission of program director. A study of the ways therapeutic exercise can be applied to the treatment of various injuries, including modes of strength and flexibility improvement, facilitation techniques, and postoperative exercises. Supplemental course fee. 4(3-2) S

ATC 425 Contemporary Topics in Athletic Training

Prerequisite: ATC 421 and PSY 200; and permission of program director. Discussion of current issues and problems facing the athletic training profession. Supplemental course fee. 2(2-0) S

ATC 440 Clinical Practicum V

Prerequisite: ATC 341 and permission of program director. Continuation of supervised clinical experiences in athletic training. Emphasis on developing critical thinking skills associated with injury rehabilitation used by athletic trainers. Students may be required to be in attendance during periods when regular university classes are not in session. Supplemental course fee. 2(1-2) F

ATC 441 Clinical Practicum VI

Prerequisite: ATC 440 and permission of program director. Continuation of supervised clinical experiences in athletic training. Emphasis is on refining critical thinking skills associated with injury assessment, management, and rehabilitation. Students may be required to be in attendance during periods when regular university classes are not in session. Supplemental course fee. 2(1-2) S

ATC 497 Athletic Training Seminar

Prerequisite: ATC 221 and ATC 222; and permission of program director. This course offers a concentration in subject matter to improve skill and knowledge in specific areas. Each workshop or seminar will be concerned with a single topic. Number of class hours is determined by length and specificity of workshop/seminar. Thirty clock hours equal one semester hour. May be repeated for a maximum of 3 credit hours. 1-3 F,S

ATC 498 Research Projects in Athletic Training

Prerequisite: ATC 328 and ATC 329 and PSY 200; and permission of program director. This course provides an opportunity to enhance research skills within a specific topic area of athletic training. The student would conduct a research project under faculty supervision. May be repeated for a maximum of 3 credit hours. 1-3 F,S

ATC 499 Independent Study in Athletic Training

Prerequisite: ATC 221 and ATC 222; and permission of program director. This course provides opportunities to pursue specific subject areas in Athletic Training. The independent study may be a reading project or a practical application of theories under faculty supervision. May be repeated for a maximum of 3 hours of credit. 1-3 F,S,Su