Athletic training encompasses the prevention, examination, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of emergent, acute or chronic injuries and medical conditions. Athletic training is recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA), Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as a health care profession.

Athletic trainers (ATs) are highly qualified, multi-skilled health care professionals who render service or treatment, under the direction of or in collaboration with a physician, in accordance with their education, training and the state’s statutes, rules and regulations.  As a part of the health care team, services provided by athletic trainers include primary care, injury and illness prevention, wellness promotion and education, emergent care, examination and clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. The NATA Code of Ethics states the principles of ethical behavior that should be followed in the practice of athletic training.

Athletic training is an academic program that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). The current minimum entry point into the profession of athletic training is at the master’s level. Upon completion of a CAATE-accredited athletic training education program, students become eligible for national certification by successfully completing the Board of Certification, Inc. (BOC) examination.

Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) 

The Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) accredits professional and post-professional degree and residency programs. A list of athletic training programs and more information is available from CAATE. 

Professional training education uses a competency-based approach in both the classroom and clinical settings. Using a medical-based education model, athletic training students are educated to provide comprehensive patient care in five domains of clinical practice: risk reduction, wellness and health literacy; assessment, evaluation and diagnosis; critical incident management; therapeutic intervention; and healthcare administration and professional responsibility. The educational requirements for CAATE-accredited athletic training education programs include acquisition of knowledge, skills and clinical abilities along with a broad scope of foundational behaviors of professional practice. Students complete an extensive clinical learning requirement that is embodied in the clinical integration proficiencies (professional, practice oriented outcomes) as identified in the CAATE Standards.

Athletic trainers treat a range of patients and can work in a variety of settings. Regardless of their practice setting, athletic trainers practice according to their education, scope of practice and state practice act.

Athletic Trainers Work In:

1. Public and private secondary schools, colleges and universities, professional and Olympic sports
2. Youth leagues, municipal and independently owned youth sports facilities
3. Physician practice, similar to nurses, physician assistants, physical therapists and other professional clinical personnel
4. Rural and urban hospitals, hospital emergency rooms, urgent and ambulatory care centers
5. Clinics with specialties in sports medicine, cardiac rehab, medical fitness, wellness and physical therapy
6. Occupational health departments in commercial settings, which include manufacturing, distribution and offices to assist with ergonomics
7. Police and fire departments and academies, municipal departments, branches of the military
8. Performing arts including professional and collegiate level dance and music

ATCAS is the Centralized Application Service (CASTM) for athletic training programs. It is supported by the CAATE and Liaison, the leading provider of admissions solutions. It simplifies both the application process for prospective students and the review and admission process for programs. Programs can review and evaluate applicants online, in real-time. Programs can also effectively manage communications with applicants. ATCAS allows for automated reports to be generated, based upon programs’ and schools’ unique review criteria.

ATCAS streamlines the application process and reduces duplicative efforts by providing a standardized online interface that allows students to use a single application to apply to multiple programs.

1. Official transcripts need to be requested only once by students for programs participating in ATCAS, saving students time and money.
2. Program-specific admissions requirements are tracked in one online location. Students no longer have to keep track of program-specific requirements on their own and can send in all materials electronically.
3. Students receive dedicated customer service for all ATCAS inquiries throughout the application process.

Students create an account and pay $85 to receive one application designation and then pay $50 for each additional application designation that they make.

To be considered for admission into the Master of Science degree in Athletic Training, applicants must have completed a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. Admission into the program is based on a combination of the following factors:

1. Have completed an application for graduate study.
2. Previous academic experience and performance as indicated by transcripts from previous degrees including a competitive cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
3. Personal goals statement up to 500 words, covering the following items: academic background, the development of your interest in athletic training, reasons for wanting to enter this program, qualities you possess which will enhance your athletic training skills and aid in achieving your career goals.
4. Competitive scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language for international students.
5. Three letters of recommendation.
6. Minimum of 75 observation hours under supervision of certified Athletic Trainer.
7. Interview with the Michigan State University Athletic Training Admissions Board.
8. The following prerequisite courses or equivalent courses with a grade-point average of 2.5 or higher:
   • Intro to Athletic Injury (3 credits)
   • First Aid/CPR/AED (3 credits) or Current Professional Rescuers Certification Card
   • Exercise Physiology and Laboratory (3 credits)
   • Biomechanics (3 credits)
   • Anatomy and Laboratory (3 credits)
   • Physiology (3 credits)
   • Chemistry (3 credits)
   • Physics (3 credits)
   • Medical Terminology (1 credit)
   • Research Methods or Statistics (3 credits)
   • Biology (3 credits)
   • Psychology (3 credits)

As many as 9 semester credits of graduate course work (excluding research and thesis credits) may be transferred into a master’s degree program from other MSU programs or postsecondary accredited institutions of comparable academic quality, if they are appropriate to a student’s program and provided they were completed no earlier than three years prior to the date of matriculation into the master’s degree program. The department or school chairperson or director and dean must grant approval. 

First year Summer total credits = 8 credits

First year Fall and Spring semesters = 25 credits

Second year Summer = 1 credit

Second year Fall and Spring semesters = 17 credits

Total credits for 2 year program = 51 credits

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Students are asked to select their top three preferred sports or clinical settings. The Clinical Education Coordinator then collaborates with the student to identify the most suitable rotation placement. Clinical rotations are assigned based on several factors, including:

1. Compliance with CAATE requirements
2. Optimal match between the preceptor and student
3. Student’s preferences
4. Additional considerations as determined by the Program Director and Clinical Education Coordinator.

Students may select from a variety of clinical rotation settings, including:

1. MSU’s 21 NCAA sports programs
2. MSU club and recreational sports
3. Local high schools
4. Physical therapy clinics
5. Other approved clinical sites

During the clinical education experiences, a student must document the number of experience hours supervised by a Preceptor in the E-Value Clinical Education Experience Time Tracking system.  The Clinical Education Coordinator will review weekly hours to ensure they are not excessive and affect a student’s progression through the program. In addition, MSU ensures that all students’ program-related time commitments, are not excessive. There is a minimum hour requirement for KIN 803, 804, 806, 807 of 150 hours per clinical course and 80 minimum hours of KIN 802 and 805. However, there is no maximum hour policy for each clinical course.

The Immersive Clinical experience serves as a culminating opportunity for athletic training students to apply comprehensive care in a clinical setting that aligns with their chosen career path. This rotation encompasses all aspects of athletic training, including organization and administration, psychosocial considerations, evaluation, treatment, and return-to-participation protocols. Designed to fully engage students in the professional practice of athletic training, the experience takes place in an authentic clinical environment under the direct supervision of a Preceptor.

Clinical Immersive Experiences occur during the final spring semester of the student’s program. These experiences range from a minimum of 4 weeks to a maximum duration of the entire spring semester.

The Clinical Immersive Experience can take place at either a local or distant location, as agreed upon between the student and the program. Prior to the experience, all necessary CAATE-required paperwork and communications with the designated site must be completed. Students are responsible for planning logistics, including transportation, housing, food, and any other location-specific considerations, before the agreed-upon start of the Clinical Immersive Experience.

Below are some of the Clinical Immersive Sites previously utilized by MSU athletic training students:

• MSU NCAA Sports
• Local High Schools
• MLS Colorado Rapids FC
• Duke University
• University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Dance Center
• San Diego State University
• Stanford University
• Penn State University
• University of New Hampshire
• University of Central Florida
• Hope College
• Rutgers University
• Kalamazoo Wings Hockey Club