Athletic training program mission, vision and objectives

Mission

Athletic training is recognized by the American Medical Association as an allied health care profession. Athletic training incorporates art and science to prepare students to prevent, evaluate, care for and rehabilitate athletic injuries. Northwestern College’s athletic training education program in the kinesiology department aims to provide appropriate and high-quality education to athletic training students, promoting the mastery of the necessary competencies and proficiencies necessary to become an entry-level athletic trainer. Athletic training education will occur within the framework of Northwestern College’s mission.

Vision

Northwestern College’s athletic training education program aims to produce confident, successful graduates who will go on to serve and educate their communities as certified athletic trainers.

Objectives

Upon completion of the classroom and clinical requirements of the athletic training education program, students will:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of prevention of athletic injuries and competency in the various methods and practices that can be used to help bring about a reduction in athletic injuries;
2. Integrate acquired knowledge, skills and critical thinking/problem-solving abilities into a framework for evaluating athletic injuries and illnesses;
3. Provide appropriate levels of emergency care for athletic injuries and differentiate between cases that require referral to emergency medical services or to a physician;
4. Construct, monitor and modify a comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation program for athletes recuperating from illness and injury, facilitating their return to full athletic participation;
5. Initiate, organize and administer an athletic training service program for a high school and/or college athletic program;
6. Provide information, counsel and guidance covering a broad spectrum of issues important to overall health and well-being to the athletes/physically active individuals under their charge, as well as to their coaches and other vested parties;
7. Identify individuals in need of more advanced assistance and intervention, and direct those individuals to appropriate internal and external agencies;
8. Recognize that the body of knowledge comprising the discipline is continually being amended as a result of research efforts, and thus appreciate the need for continuing education in order to keep abreast of these changes; and
9. Develop a sense of professional ethics and incorporate those ethical standards in their professional activities.