The King’s College Athletic Training Education Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE), and is designed to educate future professionals to become Board of Certification (BOC) Certified Athletic Trainers. Certified Athletic Trainers are recognized by the American Medical Association as Allied Health Professionals who serve in continually expanding roles. The state-of-the-art Scandlon Sports Medicine Clinic offers all the latest technology and equipment, and serves as a premier learning facility for the Athletic Training Student. The emphasis of the Athletic Training Education Program is on providing the Athletic Training Student with an excellent foundation of academic and clinical knowledge.

         -   CAATE Accredited

     -  Outstanding preparation for the national board exam for Athletic Training

     -  100% Placement rate of program graduates

     -  State-of-the-art Scandlon Sports Medicine Clinic

     -  Cutting-edge technology and equipment

     -  Clinical experiences beginning early in the Fall semester of the freshman year

     -  Outstanding Faculty of eight Certified Athletic Trainers to give individualized attention    

        to Athletic Training Students

Statistics indicate that a high number of Athletic Training Students who graduate from Athletic Training Education Programs find placement in their field. Following graduation, the Athletic Training Student may choose to pursue graduate studies in a wide variety of programs, or choose from a wide variety of career settings, such as:

     This component of the curriculum is designed to provide the Athletic Training Student with the core curriculum of the College and an introductory study and clinical experiences in Athletic Training. Athletic Training Students in the Pre-Professional Phase will have the opportunity to immediately become involved with the daily operation of the Sports Medicine Clinic and Athletic Training Room during their freshman year. The Athletic Training Student is also encouraged to utilize the state-of-the-art facilities and equipment by assisting in the treatment of various athletic and orthopedic injuries.

     In the Pre-Professional Phase, the Athletic Training Student will take courses such as Introduction to Athletic Training, Emergency Care of Athletic Injuries, Biology, Chemistry, Applied Biophysics, Anatomy and Physiology, Prevention and Care of Athletic Injuries, Kinesiology, Exercise Physiology, and Principles of Health.

     The Athletic Training Education Program has Technical Standards for Admission.  The Technical Standards establish the essential qualities that are considered necessary for students to achieve the knowledge, skills, and competencies of an entry-level Athletic Trainer, as well as meet the expectations of the program’s accrediting agency.  Before beginning any clinical experiences in the Pre-Professional Phase, and in order to be successfully admitted to the Professional Phase, students must read these Technical Standards and indicate that they can meet the Technical Standards either with or without accommodations.  The Technical Standards for Admission may be viewed by visiting the Athletic Training Education Program website or by contacting the Program Director.  For more information concerning this requirement, please contact the Program Director.

     The Athletic Training Education Program also requires students to have a physical examination which has been documented and signed by a physician (MD or DO), physician assistant, or nurse practitioner.  This document must be presented to and kept on-file at the King’s College Student Health Center before the student can begin any clinical experiences in the Pre-Professional Phase and in order to be successfully admitted to the Professional Phase.  This physical must also include an immunization record which documents that the student has received the immunizations required by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which are the immunizations for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (commonly known as the MMR vaccination).  For more information concerning this requirement, please contact the Program Director.

     There are extra costs that are required for successful completion of the Pre-Professional Phase of the program, for successful entry into the Professional Phase of the program, and for successful completion of the Professional Phase of the program.  These costs include, but may not be limited to: student membership in the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, professional certifications such as Red Cross CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer and First Aid, clothing that is compliant with the program dress code, and transportation to and from clinical sites.  For more information concerning this requirement, please contact the Program Director.

TRANSFER STUDENTS

     Prospective transfer students are encouraged to view the Athletic Training Education Program Transfer Student Policy at the program website.  The policy can also be obtained by contacting the Program Director.

     A student who transfers to King’s College with the intent to pursue the Athletic Training major must start in the Pre-Professional Phase of the major.  In addition, the transfer student must complete at least one full semester in the Pre-Professional Phase to be eligible for acceptance into the Professional Phase of the Athletic Training Education Program.  If accepted into the Professional Phase, the student must complete the Professional Phase and all other requirements for graduation from King’s College.

     Acceptance or non-acceptance of transfer courses to King’s College in place of the following courses will be at the discretion of the King’s College Registrar in consultation with the Program Director: any course that has the ATEP prefix, BIOL 221, BIOL 221-L, BIOL 222, BIOL 222-L, CHEM 107, CHEM 107-L, PHYS 108, PHYS 108-L, and CORE 154.  Students seeking transfer credit for any of these courses may be asked to demonstrate the appropriate cognitive and psychomotor knowledge, skills, and abilities by passing a comprehensive exam.  Should the Registrar and the Program Director determine that any Athletic Training Education courses/credits taken previously will not transfer, the prospective transfer student may be required to remediate the course work at King’s College.  All courses at King’s College with the ATEP prefix that are 300-level or higher and the related clinical education experiences must be taken at King’s College.  For more information regarding these requirements, please contact the Program Director.

1.   Completion of all Pre-Professional Phase Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) courses. (Refer to the Pre-Professional Phase course listing).

2.   A minimum overall/cumulative grade point average of 2.50.

3.   A minimum grade point average of 2.50 in all prerequisite science courses and Pre-Professional Phase ATEP courses.

4.   A minimum grade of “C” in all prerequisite science courses and all Pre-Professional Phase ATEP courses.

5.   All Freshman and Sophomore clinical proficiencies must be completed and successfully passed.

6.   Student membership in the National Athletic Trainers’ Association.

7.   Current Red Cross CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer and First Aid Certification. (This will be earned in the Emergency Care of Athletic Injuries course).

8.   The Athletic Training Student must apply and be admitted to the Professional Phase of the program. Application is made in the spring of the Sophomore year, with the written application due in March. A formal interview will take place in April. An Advisory Committee evaluates the candidates for the Professional Phase. It is the objective of the Committee to admit only qualified Athletic Training Students. The Committee evaluates criteria including cumulative grade point average, grade point average in Pre-Professional courses, committee interview results, clinical evaluation, entrance exam score, and a Faculty evaluation of the student.

9.  Using the selection criteria, a minimum score of 75 must be achieved for full admittance.

At the end of the spring semester, each candidate will receive notification from the Program Director. When the Athletic Training Student receives acceptance, the two-year Professional Phase will begin. Acceptance into the Professional Phase of the program is competitive, and approximately fifteen applicants are selected into the Professional Phase yearly.  Athletic Training Students denied admission, or those who, after admission, are dismissed following failure to meet expectations after a probationary period, are encouraged to rectify any deficiencies and reapply to the program the following year.

1.   Application Form and Essay – 15%

2.   Quality Point Average – 40%
(This is a combination of the candidate's Pre-Professional Phase course GPA and cumulative GPA.)

3.   Pre-Professional Phase Clinical Experiences – 15%
(This is the average of grades received In Athletic Training Clinical I and Clinical II courses.)

4.   Faculty Evaluation of the Student – 5%
(This is an evaluation of the candidate's classroom performance by a faculty member outside of the Department of Sports Medicine.

5.   Entrance Exam Score – 10%
(This is a cumulative exam based on the candidate's Pre-Professional Phase courses. The Program Director will notify the candidate of the date, time, and location.)

6.   Entrance Interview – 15%
(This is a formal interview, which will take place in April. The Program Director will notify the candidate of the date, time, and location.)

This phase of the program is designed to provide the Athletic Training Student with high-level, comprehensive, academic and clinical experiences. Some of the courses to be completed in the Professional Phase include: Orthopedic Evaluation of Athletic Injuries; Therapeutic Modalities, Therapeutic Exercise; Pathology & Athletic Performance, Pharmacology in Athletic Training; Nutrition and the Athlete; Senior Seminar; Current Trends and Topics in Athletic Training; and Organization and Administration of Athletic Training. As the Athletic Training Student progresses through the Professional Phase, he or she will be given greater responsibilities and become more directly involved in the care of the athletes. Only Athletic Training Students who are in the Pre-Professional or Professional Phases of the Athletic Training Education Program are permitted to participate as Athletic Training Students at King’s College or any of its associated clinical sites.

1.   Completion of all courses in the Professional Phase of the Athletic Training Education Program curriculum.

2.   A minimum overall/cumulative grade point average of 2.50.

3.   A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.50 in the Athletic Training Education Program Professional Phase courses.

4.   A minimum grade of “C” in all Athletic Training Education Program Professional Phase courses.

5.   All clinical proficiencies must be completed and successfully passed.

6.   Membership in the National Athletic Trainers’ Association.

7.   Current Red Cross CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer and First Aid Certification.

8.   A minimum of forty-eight Professional Activity Points must be earned, documented and approved by the Program Director.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

ATEP 101
Entry-level course designed to introduce the Profession and the historical foundations of Athletic Training. The course will delineate the responsibilities of the Athletic Training Team, injury prevention techniques, conditioning techniques, mechanisms of sports trauma, bloodborne pathogens, foundations of sports trauma, and basic management skills. The Athletic Training Student will be presented with basic practical skills and knowledge applied to an Athletic Training setting. The role of the Athletic Trainer and career opportunities will be discussed.

ATEP 165
The Athletic Training Student will be introduced to emergency and immediate care of athletic injuries. Medical emergencies, physical trauma, various disease pathologies, bleeding, respiratory and cardiac emergencies, and transportation of the injured will be explored. The Athletic Training Student will also experience emergency bandaging for open wounds, splinting for fractures and sprains, crutch fitting, and the use of a stethoscope and sphygmomanometer in a practical setting. Upon completion of Emergency Care of Athletic Injuries, the student will be certified in American Red Cross First Aid and CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer.

ATEP 202
The Athletic Training Student will be exposed to locating and palpating anatomical landmarks and skeletal muscle origins and insertions on both the upper and lower quarters. In addition, psychomotor skills will be learned and applied involving various taping, wrapping, padding, bandaging, and wound care techniques for the lower quarter. These skills will be applied in athletic practices and games at the Betzler Athletic Training Room and the Scandlon Sports Medicine Clinic on King’s College athletes. Class lecture will be applied, and testing will follow an oral/practical format.

ATEP 203
The Athletic Training Student will build upon the knowledge gained in Clinical I. Proper techniques of upper and lower quarter stretching and goniometry will be presented. The Athletic Training Student will also be instructed in the principles of proper strength training and conditioning. In addition, various taping, wrapping, padding, bandaging, and wound care techniques for the upper quarter will be learned and applied. The Athletic Training Student will continue to develop the taping and wrapping techniques learned in both Clinicals I and II. Class lecture will be applied, and the Athletic Training Student will be tested using an oral/practical format.  Prerequisite: ATEP 202.

ATEP 230
An introduction to the pathology and management of skin disorders, mechanisms of injury, signs and symptoms, and management procedures for common sport/activity related trauma to the lower quarter. Basic evaluative techniques, special testing techniques and protective pad construction for the lower quarter will be presented.

ATEP 231
An introduction to mechanisms of injury, injury pathology, signs and symptoms, and management procedures for common sport/activity related trauma to the upper torso, extremities, spine, and head. Basic evaluative techniques, special testing techniques, protective pad construction, and taping/wrapping techniques for the upper quarter will be presented.

ATEP 245
The Athletic Training Student will be introduced to techniques and principles to improve an individual's mental and physical health. Human sexuality and personal relations will be explored. The effects of legal and illegal drugs on the body will be examined. Systemic and acquired diseases and their effects on the human body will be investigated. The final areas of emphasis for this course will be to study the effects of aging, dying, and the various types of medical services available to the consumer.

ATEP 280
The Athletic Training Student will primarily be exposed to functional human anatomy focusing on skeletal muscle origin, insertion, action, and nerve supply. In addition, the Athletic Training Student will develop an understanding and appreciation of fundamental principles that relate to human movement and, in particular, an understanding of those principles that apply to efficient, skilled, and safe movement. The Athletic Training Student will develop the ability to functionally and mechanically analyze typical and irregular or potentially harmful movements in terms of principles derived primarily from anatomy, physiology and biomechanical physics.

ATEP 290
Presents the Athletic Training Student with a comprehensive study of the human body's responses to exercise. Topics include respiratory response to exercise, principles of training and conditioning and the resulting adaptations of the human body, cardiovascular training principles, energy production, metabolism, body composition, and muscular adaptations to exercise. The Athletic Training Student will have the opportunity to apply these principles in a practical setting through laboratory activities.

ATEP 302
This course places the Athletic Training Student in a situation where he/she will assist in the health care of athletes during practices, games, and rehabilitation under the direct supervision of an Approved Clinical Instructor. Clinical settings include King’s College athletics, local high schools, and local colleges/universities. The Athletic Training Student will learn and apply psychomotor skills involving various orthopedic special testing techniques, manual muscle testing techniques, and neurological and reflex testing for the lower quarter. Class lecture will be applied, and testing will follow an oral/practical format.  Prerequisite: ATEP 203.

ATEP 303
This course is a continuation of previous Clinicals. In addition to working with various athletic teams at a clinical site, the Athletic Training Student will assist in providing care to injured athletes through the administration of various therapeutic modalities and rehabilitation protocols under the direct supervision of an Approved Clinical Instructor.  The Athletic Training Student will learn and apply psychomotor skills involving various orthopedic special testing techniques, manual muscle testing techniques, and neurological and reflex testing for the upper quarter. Class lecture will be applied, and testing will follow an oral/practical format. Prerequisite: ATEP 302.

ATEP 305
The Athletic Training Student will learn evaluation techniques including manual muscle testing, soft tissue palpation, bone palpation, special joint integrity testing techniques for the lower quarter, and gait analysis. The Athletic Training Student will be presented with practical situations in which critical thinking must be applied to the application of special testing techniques.

ATEP 306
The Athletic Training Student will learn evaluation techniques including manual muscle testing, soft tissue palpation, bone palpation, and special joint integrity testing techniques for the upper quarter. The Athletic Training Student will be presented with practical situations in which critical thinking must be applied to the application of special testing techniques. Prerequisite: ATEP 305.

ATEP 310
The Athletic Training Student will be introduced to theory and techniques of therapeutic modalities. Critical thinking in the application and development of protocols will be taught and utilized.

ATEP 310-L
The Athletic Training Student will learn and implement psychomotor skills by applying various therapeutic modalities in a practical environment. Proper SOAP note documentation will be presented to properly record the use of therapeutic modalities in a clinical setting. Critical thinking will be applied by the Athletic Training Student as to the frequency and protocol for each modality.

ATEP 311
Explores the theory and application of various types of exercise. Topics include the consequence of sudden inactivity, injury immobilization, early intervention, types of exercise, and how therapeutic modalities can be coordinated with exercise. The Athletic Training Student will develop rehabilitative protocols for various orthopedic injuries.

ATEP 311-L
The Athletic Training Student will learn psychomotor skills by applying various therapeutic exercises. The Athletic Training Student will implement exercise protocols for various upper and lower quarter injuries. Techniques in therapeutic stretching, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, joint mobilizations, functional exercise, plyometrics, gait training, and isokinetic equipment will be presented.

ATEP 325
The Athletic Training Student will understand the relationship between physical fitness, physical performance, injury prevention, and nutritional intake. The Athletic Training Student will develop an understanding of how to improve physical performance through proper utilization of food, how to identify improper eating habits, the effects of food supplements, techniques and effectiveness of carbohydrate loading, and the construction of a pre-event meal.

ATEP 402
At this time, the Athletic Training Student will become involved in the total health care of the athlete under the direct supervision of an Approved Clinical Instructor.  The Athletic Training Student will implement all psychomotor skills and information that were presented during the previous three years.  The clinical experience may take place at any affiliated clinical sites.  In class lecture, the Athletic Training Student will exposed to the education and counseling of the injured athlete as well as intervention with the drug and alcohol abusing athlete. Prerequisite: completion of all 300-level ATEP courses.

ATEP 403
This is the final Clinical course for the Athletic Training Student. At this time, final review of psychomotor skills will take place. The Athletic Training Student will continue to be involved in providing health care for the athlete under direct supervision of an Approved Clinical Instructor.  The Athletic Training Student will take several written, computer-based, and practical examinations in preparation for the national Board of Certification Exam. Content for these examinations will be divided and reviewed according to the domains of Athletic Training.  Prerequisite: ATEP 402.

ATEP 410
The Athletic Training Student will learn the nature and causes of disease and how disease affects the athlete. The effects of disease on the functions of tendons, ligaments, muscles, bones, the cardiovascular system, the respiratory system, and on athletic performance will be presented. Prerequisite: completion of all 300-level ATEP courses.

ATEP 422
The Athletic Training Student will gain an understanding of policies and procedures in operating an Athletic Training Room or Sports Medicine Clinic. The Athletic Training Student will learn how to: design an Athletic Training Room or Clinical facility, create a budget, organize pre-participation physical examinations, keep records, and understand legal considerations in Athletic Training. There will also be a considerable amount of time devoted to human resource management, computer-based information management and insurance issues such as filing/tracking claims and third-party reimbursement. Prerequisite: completion of all 300-level ATEP courses.

ATEP 435
The Athletic Training Student will study the effects of drugs on the athlete. The Athletic Training Student will gain an understanding of prescription vs. non-prescription drugs in the treatment of common athletic injuries and illnesses, performance-enhancing drugs/ergogenic aids, and currently banned drugs in athletics. Physiologic reactions and effects of drugs, diuretics, anabolic steroids, recreational drugs, drug testing programs, and safety precautions for the Athletic Trainer from a legal standpoint will be presented. The moral and ethical responsibility to intervene in situations where the use and/or abuse of legal or illegal drugs is suspected or known will be discussed. Prerequisite: completion of all 300-level ATEP courses.

ATEP 460
Investigates practices and procedures currently being applied in Athletic Training. The role of the Certified Athletic Trainer in relation to other allied health professionals will be explored. Current research and the implications for the Certified Athletic Trainer will be discussed.   Prerequisites: ATEP 306 and ATEP 422.

ATEP 480
The Athletic Training Student will learn the proper methods of designing, conducting, writing, and publishing research within the field of Athletic Training. Basic statistical analysis/interpretation relevant to Athletic Training will be presented, as will computerized record keeping and data collection. Computer literacy and current technology related to Athletic Training will be emphasized.  Prerequisite: ATEP 435.

ATEP 497
Advanced projects in a specialized area of Athletic Training under the supervision of a faculty member. Open to juniors and seniors only with the permission of the Program Director.