June 26, 2003NATA Grad Ed Session1 Christopher D. Ingersoll, PhD, ATC, FACSM Joe H. Gieck Professor of Sports Medicine Why Certified Students Should Enroll in an Accredited Graduate Program

June 26, 2003NATA Grad Ed Session2 What is Graduate Education? “A graduate program is generally more focused on a specific area of interest and acquiring specialized skills to practice a profession or do advanced research. It requires active participation in research and/or internships to practice professional skills.” Graduate School and You (Council of Graduate Schools)

June 26, 2003NATA Grad Ed Session3 Why Go to Graduate School? Knowledge Opportunity Fame and fortune Personal fulfillment Better job More money

June 26, 2003NATA Grad Ed Session4 Knowledge The more we know, the better we can treat patients Having an identifiable body of knowledge distinguished us as a profession

June 26, 2003NATA Grad Ed Session5 Opportunity College/University athletic training positions ( ) Masters required: 31 Masters preferred: 36 Bachelors: 15

June 26, 2003NATA Grad Ed Session6 Fame and Fortune High profile and high paying positions in athletic training are often held by those with experience and a graduate degree

June 26, 2003NATA Grad Ed Session7 Personal Fulfillment Graduate education offers the opportunity to become an expert in an area Deeper understanding and obtaining the tools for self learning fulfill intrinsic needs of professional people

June 26, 2003NATA Grad Ed Session8 Better Job Applied, experiential, and propositional knowledge obtained during graduate program allows ATCs to compete for better job opportunities Obtaining a graduate degree allows ATCs to be upwardly mobile

June 26, 2003NATA Grad Ed Session9 More Money ATCs with a Masters degree make $3,942 more per year than ATCs with Bachelors degree NATA News, April 2003

June 26, 2003NATA Grad Ed Session10 Fundamental Skills Gained From Graduate Education Thinking logically; dealing with complexity Problem solving Conceptualizing and abstracting Formulating problems; modeling Creating new ideas or innovative approaches Understanding, not memorizing

June 26, 2003NATA Grad Ed Session11 In Graduate Athletic Training Programs, Students Should Learn to: Appreciate complexity Appreciate dichotomies Appreciate contradictions Appreciate generalizations Learn about human variability Learn limit of your knowledge Develop special knowledges and skills

June 26, 2003NATA Grad Ed Session12 How to Pick a Graduate Program Specialty area of study offered Program philosophy Reputation of school or participating faculty Job placement Geographic location Tuition and availability of financial support Availability of support services and infrastructure Time required to complete degree Environment Personal circumstances

June 26, 2003NATA Grad Ed Session13 Common Advice to the Newly Certified “Since you did your undergraduate work at an accredited program, you don’t need to attend an accredited graduate program.” “You need to get your Masters in something else because athletic training alone is not enough to get a job.” “It doesn’t matter what you get your Masters degree in as long as you have one.”

June 26, 2003NATA Grad Ed Session14 Why Are We Giving Such Advice? Graduate programs used to be a route to certification Programs had to meet needs of “advanced” and “entry-level” students Graduate programs of study used to look very similar to undergraduate courses of study Students from accredited undergraduate programs may have not been challenged during this time

June 26, 2003NATA Grad Ed Session15 Why Are We Giving Such Advice? Recommendations for graduate education have been based largely on the clinical experience available, not the educational program available This may be helpful for developing clinical savvy, developing a network, refining clinical skills (you will learn something from everyone you work with), and learning about a setting that interests you The lack of a well designed graduate athletic training program to contextualize these clinical experiences diminishes their effectiveness Professionals need the “whys” as well as the “hows” Profession-specific self learning skills may not be developed There is a myth that you must work with a certain level of athletics as a graduate assistant in order to get a job later in that type of environment Bottom line: we can develop situations where students can have both, so let’s do it! (Some are)

June 26, 2003NATA Grad Ed Session16 Why an Accredited Program? To become an expert in athletic training, students need advanced education in athletic training Critical thinking skills, coursework, clinical opportunities and mentoring are more focused towards the athletic training profession Knowledge that accredited programs meet established standards and undergo rigorous external review Athletic Training research experience develops the skills and mindset necessary to practice in the spirit of evidence-based medicine

June 26, 2003NATA Grad Ed Session17 So, What’s Wrong with Pursuing a Different Area of Study? Nothing, provided it will meet your professional needs Studying in a different area will broaden your knowledge, but will not necessarily provide depth and context in the domains of athletic training Research opportunity may be present, but may provide irrelevant context and/or limited clinical skill development

June 26, 2003NATA Grad Ed Session18 Challenges Students who wish to become experts in athletic training should pursue advanced degrees in athletic training Accredited graduate programs must provide advanced instruction and experiences in athletic training (i.e., MS should not stand for More of the Same) Institutions that have graduate programs in athletic training that are not NATA-accredited should pursue accreditation Institutions that do not currently have graduate programs in athletic training, but could support one, should develop an accredited program in athletic training to provide needed variety

June 26, 2003NATA Grad Ed Session19 Thank You