Changing the Culture of Sports Medicine Education in Secondary Schools Larry Cooper, MS, LAT, ATC NATA Secondary School Athletic Trainer Committee District 2 Representative
Larry Cooper, MS, LAT, ATC cooperl@penntrafford.org Penn Trafford High School NATA District 2 Representative to the Secondary School Athletic Trainers Committee WPIAL Sports Medicine Advisory Committee 34 years as a Teacher/Athletic Trainer at the Secondary School level 26 years at Penn Trafford
What is the current culture ? We as a committee started asking ourselves these very important questions: Who is teaching the course ? What is being taught ? Does it align with any governing bodies ? Who develops the content/curriculum ?
There were AT’s from all over the country assisting with this project with a wide variety of backgrounds. Who is teaching the course ? Educators with many different backgrounds and specialty areas What is being taught? It varied from state to state
Does it align with any governing organizations? Not the NATA Who develops the content/curriculum? Unsure Is it broke? We don’t think so
New Guidelines Align with national standards Trying to help this being a national course with similar standards across state lines Would help with teachers changing positions
New Guidelines cont. Promotes educational content Minors should not be providing healthcare to other minors Provides exposure to the professions
New Guidelines cont. Stays away from minors providing healthcare
THE SECONDARY SCHOOL SPORTS MEDICINE COURSE OUTLINE http://www.nata.org/sites/default/files/secondary-school-sports-medicine-course-outline.pdf
What is included in the outline? Listing of key terms List of educational objectives Applications and activities for students This is a starting point, not an end point
Why the Change? Dealing with minors State Practice Acts Litigious situations Promoting and advancing the professions Will educate administrators and other stakeholders Align standards
Be flexible Change is inevitable Education is changing very quickly Healthcare is changing even faster To advance the professions To create jobs for AT’s To do what is right
Thank you To my wife and family To my colleagues and friends To the NATA and SSATC My administration To all of the students and athletes