Department of Nutrition and Kinesiology

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https://www.ucmo.edu/nutrition/

The Department of Nutrition and Kinesiology
Morrow 125
660-543-4256
ucmo.edu/nutrition

Athletic Training Program (ATP) Status

• The UCM ATP is nationally accredited by The Commission on the Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE).
• Upon completion of the degree program, the student will be eligible to be endorsed as a candidate for the Board of Certification, Inc. (BOC, Inc.) examination for athletic training certification.

Athletic Training Program Student Learning Outcomes

• Students will demonstrate delivery of comprehensive health care to designated populations, consistent with best practices in the profession.
• Students will demonstrate the capacity to effectively engage in and make contributions to interdisciplinary health care in a diverse number of settings.
• Students will demonstrate proficiency in assessment of pathologies, both illness and injury, including development of differential diagnoses.
• Students will demonstrate development of effective plans of care for patient populations, including the realm of emergency care response.
• Students will demonstrate clinical proficiency in risk management including the prevention of injury and spread of infectious disease.
• Students will demonstrate an ongoing awareness of the dynamics related to modern health care administration and delivery.

Academic/Clinical Progression Through Athletic Training Major

The following is required of all athletic training students in order to progress to the next level within the program and be endorsed by the Program Director for the BOC exam:

1. Earn a letter grade of “B” or higher in all athletic training courses with an AT prefix and a “C” or higher in the other courses within the academic major.
2. Successfully complete all competencies/proficiencies.
3. Obtain the required number of clinical hours each semester.
4. Complete the required PDUs (see the ATP Student Handbook).

Program Application and Admission Process for First Year Students

Criteria for Admission to the Athletic Training Program (ATP):

1. Academic Requirements
   Semester I all prospective ATP students are presented with the most updated version of the ATP Student Handbook that outlines the admission and retention policies of the ATP. Prior to the end of Semester I, students seeking potential admission into the ATP will receive an ATP application pact. The formal ATP application process, with committee acceptance, is completed at the end of Semester II. It includes successful completion of the following prerequisite courses with the letter grade of “B” or higher, and a semester minimum grade point average of 2.75 for both fall and spring semesters, and an overall cumulative grade point average of 2.75. Below is a list of the courses requiring a “B” or higher (Core Classes).

AT 1610 - Introduction to Athletic Training (2) 
AT 1611 - Introduction to Athletic Training Lab I (1) 
AT 1625 - CPR/First Aid/AED for Health Care Professionals (1) 
AT 1630 - Foundations of Athletic Training (2) 
AT 1631 - Foundations of Athletic Training Lab II (1) 
AT 1640 - Medical Terminology (1) 
AT 1650 - Responding to Emergencies for the Professional Rescuer (2)  

2. Clinical Hours and Application
   Each student is required to complete 150 total hours of observation under a staff certified athletic trainer within the first two semesters, 50 and 100 respectively. Prospective ATP students must properly complete and return an application packet and submit it to the Program Director by 5:00 p.m. on the first work day of February. In addition, all prospective athletic training students are required to have an interview with the ATP Selection Committee. Any student that attended another institution of higher learning prior to attending UCM must submit official transcripts from that institution with their application packet. The ATP Program Director and Clinical Education Coordinator determine the number of clinical placement slots available for the upcoming academic year. The Athletic Training Program Selection Committee then determines who will be admitted into the program through a competitive admissions process.

3. Drug Testing
   Applicants must pass the ATP drug screen and are responsible for payment. The drug screen will be conducted by an outside agency and will be scheduled by the ATP. The cost of the drug test is approximately $60 (this cost may vary slightly as determined by testing agency). Personal or cashier’s checks will be collected and are made payable to the UCM Department of Nutrition and Kinesiology.

4. Criminal Background Checks
   The ATP and its off-campus clinical sites require a criminal background check to help ensure the safety of the populations that they work with. This process takes considerably longer for international students, students from other states, and students whose residence has changed recently. Instruction for the obtaining a criminal background check can be found in the ATP Student Handbook.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS/DOCUMENTS: conforms to CAATE requirements.

Various components of the application process are rated and are part of the competitive admissions process. Incomplete applications will be  penalized in this manner which will be reflected in their final ranking for the selection process.

1. Form A: Demographics and Essay
2. Form B: Technical Standards Form
3. Form C: Physical Examination
4. Form D: Reference Forms (5 are required)
5. Form E: Student-Athlete Disclosure (to be completed by student-athletes only)
6. Form F: Signature Page
7. Criminal Background Check
8. Drug Testing
9. Proof of Insurance
10. Proof of Immunization (MMR, Hep.B, yearly TB test)
11. All current and existing transcripts where college credit was earned (UCM, other institutions, dual-credit, community college)

Selection for Admission Into the ATP

Items Included in the Final Interview/Selection Process

1. 5 references
2. Student’s essay
3. Cumulative GPA
4. Core GPA
5. The average rating from 6 serial evaluations by assigned upperclassmen during first-year clinical observations
6. Evaluation and recommendations from the selection committee

Completion of all required documents is required for formal ATP admittance.

Students who are not selected can appeal the decision of the Athletic Training Program Selection Committee in writing via the guidelines stated in the grievance policy (see the ATP Student Handbook).

Transfer Students

Students seeking to transfer from another institution must meet with the Program Director for consideration for admittance into the ATP. Students are required to meet the academic standards of the ATP prior to application.

Students transferring from another CAATE accredited ATP the student will be required to present all syllabi, competencies/proficiencies completed to date, transcripts, and proper documentation of all clinical hours in order to be considered eligible for immediate application and interview into the ATP. This is done upon approval by the Program Director, Clinical Education Coordinator, and the Selection Committee.

Students transferring into the major from a community college, another four-year institution, or from another UCM major must to meet the same requirements of a first-year student.

60 Credit Hour Clause

Any student applying to the UCM ATP with 60 credit hours or more who does not meet the cumulative GPA standard, may be admitted to the program with an earned 2.75 or higher semester GPA, both semesters, during the application year. Upon a unanimous decision of the selection committee, the student may be accepted into the UCM ATP on academic probation and must meet the following conditions:

1. Meet the academic standard for semester GPA.
2. Will have the same limitation on probationary status, as non-probationary admittance, with the exception of the cumulative GPA.
3. Meets criteria to ATP matriculation standards with the exception of cumulative GPA.

Student-Athlete Policy

Student-athletes are welcome to pursue the athletic training major and progress through the ATP with the understanding that the requirements of the ATP involve classroom education as well as extensive clinical experiences. Clinical experience, once in the ATP, consists of a minimum of four days per week clinical rotations, mostly during the afternoons including off campus rotations, and some weekend requirements, depending on the assigned clinical rotation. Every effort will be made by the ATP to work with the student-athlete’s schedule, however academic and programmatic requirements are the highest priority. These students must meet the same requirements as non-athletes.

Probation or Dismissal from the ATP

Athletic Training Students are required to maintain a “B” or higher in ALL Athletic Training (AT prefix) courses and a “C” or higher in all other non-athletic training prefix courses in the major. Students must maintain a semester and cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 or higher (on a 4.00 scale).

Athletic training is a medical profession and academic performance is expected to be the main priority in the Athletic Training Program and UCM. Students with GPAs that drop below a 2.75 will be placed on probation. Any Athletic Training Student on probation is required to earn a 2.75 or higher semester GPA in each subsequent semester and/or successfully repeat the AT course (summer courses will not factor into GPA for semester). Requirements to be maintained and/or dismissed from the ATP will be addressed in formal notification to the student from the Program Director. In addition, the student is required to meet with ATP faculty members to discuss their deficiency. On occasion a remediation plan may be imposed or recommended to help students recover from their fallen academic status.

Athletic Training Students who fail to earn a “B” or higher in an AT prefix course but maintains the minimum GPA requirement for the ATP will be held back one full academic year to retake and successfully pass the AT course with a “B”. These students will not be placed on academic probation.

Athletic Training Students who fail to earn a “B” or higher in an AT course and do also do not maintain the minimum GPA requirements will be placed on academic probation and held back one year to retake the AT course. During that year the student will be remain under the policies of the ATP.

Athletic training students are limited to probationary status for a total of two semesters. Thereafter, dismissal from the program will occur. In attempt to avoid dismissal, remediation plans for students on probation will be developed under the direction of the program director. These may include study hall assignments, tutoring services, and other counseling recommendations.

Professional Development Units (PDUs)

The Professional Development Unit system exists to ensure the success of the Athletic Training Student within the profession of athletic training. The system was designed with intent for students to seek outside athletic training opportunities, to further their development as an aspiring professional, to assist in meeting academic benchmarks, and to increase the probability of successfully passing the BOC examination. The PDU system is not connected to the student’s academic and clinical evaluations however is an ATP requirement. The student must complete all required PDUs in their four academic years in order to be endorsed by the Program Director to take the BOC exam. The PDU categories are as follows:

1. Yearly, hourly minimum, varied Clinical Experiences (non-assigned clinical)
2. Yearly Preseason Experiences
3. Yearly minimum number of In-Service Experiences
4. Educational Experiences (presentations, teaching, poster presentations, observations)
5. Conference Attendance (State, Regional, National)
6. Successfully passing End of the Year Examinations in their sophomore through senior years.

See the ATP student handbook for PDU instructions.

End of Year Examinations

The end of the year examinations were implemented to create scaffolding for the Athletic Training Student’s preparation for the BOC examination. This system will require ATSs to pass a year-end examination (level specific and below) that tests their cumulative knowledge of the athletic training profession. The exam will be a computer-based, timed test which mocks format of the BOC examination. The ATS must pass the examination with a 70 % to earn PDU credit in that category.

The test will be administered the last two weeks of the semester. If an ATS does not successfully pass the exam they may retake the exam. Each Student will be given three (3) opportunities to successfully pass a specific end of the year exam. The ATS must successfully pass the exam prior to the beginning of the next academic year. Any ATS that does not pass the end of the year exam after three (3) attempts will no longer be program eligible to be endorsed for the BOC exam. In this situation, the student may choose to continue pursuit the Athletic Training Degree; however they will eligible to become a Certified Athletic Trainer.

The end of year exam system is not connected to the student’s academic and clinical evaluation. The testing system is designed to help to ensure that students in the ATP are studying and meeting benchmarks each academic year in addition to retaining previously learned material. Due to the BOC testing cycle, Fourth year ATSs will be required to take and pass an end of semester exam at the end of the fall semester in order to be eligible for endorsement and for the BOC exam. First Year students seeking ATP candidacy will be required to take an end of the year exam to assess the knowledge gained from the year however they are not required to pass the exam as they are not officially in the program. Their scores will be a part of the selection process.

Majors/Programs

• Athletic Training, BS (43-853)
• Dietetics, BS (43-274)
• Health Studies (43-330) - Option 1 - Pre-Physical Therapy/Pre-Occupational Therapy, BS
• Health Studies (43-330) - Option 2 - Community Health, BS
• Physical Education (43-817) - Option 1 - Elementary - Secondary Certification K-12, BS
• Physical Education (43-817) - Option 2 - Fitness/Wellness I (Corporate Fitness), BS
• Physical Education (43-817) - Option 3 - Fitness/Wellness II (Exercise Science), BS
• Sport Management, BS (43-612)

• Coaching Minor (731)
• Fitness/Wellness Minor (841)
• Foods Minor (124)
• Health Education Minor (BSE) (804)
• Sport Nutrition Minor (699)

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