Real World Experience

Clinical Education and Internships

Once an Athletic Training Student (ATS) has been admitted into the ATEP, he/she:

• Must complete an average 20 hours per week of clinical experience under the direct supervision of an Approved Clinical Instructor (ACI) or a Clinical Instructor (CI).
     
• Will be assigned to an ACI/CI who will mentor them and work with the ATS to develop mastery of the required clinical competencies and associated proficiencies.
    
• Will gain experience in a variety of divers athletic training and allied health professions. ATS will have exposure to intercollegiate athletics, high school athletics,a progressive physical therapy clinic, a hospital emergency room, surgical observations, and the campus health center.
    
• Will be assigned to a specific ACI based upon the exposure the ATS needs to meet the CAATE requirements and the ATS's professional goals. All ATS have exposure to an equipment intensive sport, and upper extremity dominant sport, a lower extremity dominant sport, and general medical conditions.
     
• Enroll in each of the five Practicum Courses (HL 281, 282, 383, 384, and 481)
     
• Is responsible for travel to their assigned clinical experience site.
    
• Each athletic training student also performs an internship before graduation. If possible, you will be placed in an internship setting that, based on your interests developed during your clinical experiences, is similar to the career path you would like to pursue. Internship opportunities are available at locations in our region as well as out-of-state locations.
    
  A sample of facilities where internships are performed includes: 
     
• Missouri Bone and Joint Center, St. Louis, Mo. - offers several specialized treatment programs which include physical therapy, occupational therapy, sports medicine, spine rehabilitation, hand therapy, cold laser therapy, home therapy, and aquatic therapy.
    
• Rehab Xcel, St. Louis, Mo. - Provides students with opportunities to work in a clinical setting. Students also gain valuable experience working with athletic trainers with the St. Louis Blues and St. Louis Rams summer camps.
    
• NASA, Kennedy Space Center, FL - Provides a learning experience in a corporate/industrial work setting. This internship focuses on physical medicine and musculoskeletal rehabilitation. In this internship each student will be challenged with hands on evaluations, rehabilitation design, educational outreach and injury prevention.
     
• Hughston Clinic, Columbus, Ga. – One of the first clinics in America that focused on the total health of the "athlete" and expanded who could benefit from this type of rehabilitation; the forerunner of today’s Sports Medicine clinic.
    
• Berry College, Rome, Ga. – One of America’s top 10 small private colleges that provides students with an opportunity to work with athletes and sports teams in a diverse setting.
    
• Southeast Athletic Teams – Under the supervision of certified athletic trainers, students work with some of Southeast’s athletic teams, including football, baseball, softball, volleyball, gymnastics, men and women’s basketball, cross country and track and soccer.
    
• J Robinson Camps, Minneapolis, Minn. – Athletic sports camps for hockey, wrestling and basketball that work with over 10,000 campers every summer. Interns assist certified athletic trainers with the health care for these campers.
    
• Ralph Lundy Soccer Academy, Mt. Pleasant, SC – Advanced training for elite soccer athletes.