Glossary

Academic plan: The document that encompasses all aspects of the student's classroom, laboratory, and clinical experiences. Also called a specimen program or curriculum plan.

Academic year: Two academic semesters or three academic quarters.

Affiliation agreement: formal, written document signed by administrative personnel, who have the authority to act on behalf of the institution or affiliate, from the sponsoring institution and affiliated site. This agreement defines the roles and responsibilities of the host site, the affiliate, and the student. Same as the memorandum of understanding.

Appropriate administrative authority: Individuals identified by the host institution and, when applicable, the affiliate who have been authorized to enter an agreement on behalf of the institution or affiliate. The individuals having appropriate administrative authority may vary based on the nature of the agreement.

Assessment plan: See Comprehensive Assessment Plan

Clinical education: The application of athletic training knowledge, skills, and clinical abilities on an actual patient base that is evaluated and feedback provided by a preceptor.

Clinical site: A physical area where clinical education occurs.

Communicable disease: A contagion that may be directly transmitted from person-to-person or by a person from an inert surface.

Comprehensive Assessment Plan: The process of identifying program outcomes, collecting relevant data, and analyzing those data, then making a judgment on the efficacy of the program in meeting its goals and objectives. When applicable, remedial or corrective changes are made in the program.

Course/coursework: Courses involve classroom (didactic), laboratory, and clinical learning experience.

Curricular Plan: See Academic Plan

Degree: The award conferred by the college or university that indicates the level of education (baccalaureate or masters) that the student has successfully completed in athletic training.

Direct patient care: The application of athletic training knowledge, skills, and clinical abilities on an actual patient.

Distant learning site: Classroom and laboratory instruction accomplished with electronic media with the primary instructor at one institution interacting with students at other locations. Instruction may be via the internet, telecommunication, video link, or other electronic media. Distance education does not include clinical education or the participation in clinical experiences

Emergency Action Plan: A venue specific "blueprint" used for the management of medical emergencies. The National Athletic Trainers Association describes the need for an emergency plan and provides an outline.

Faculty: An individual who has full faculty status, rights, responsibilities, privileges, and full college voting rights as defined by institution policy and that are consistent with similar positions at the institution necessary to provide appropriate program representation in institutional decisions.

Additionally, faculty are defined as follows:

Core faculty:Administrative or teaching faculty devoted to the program that has full faculty status, rights, responsibilities, privileges, and full college voting rights as defined by the institution. This person is appointed to teach athletic training courses, advise and mentor students in the AT program. At minimum, this must include the Program Director and one (1) additional faculty member.

1. Core full-time faculty report to and are evaluated and assigned responsibilities exclusively by the administrator (Chair or Dean) of the academic unit in which the program is housed.

Associated faculty:-Individual(s) with a split appointment between the program and another institutional entity (e.g., athletics or another institutional department).These faculty members are evaluated and assigned responsibilities by two different supervisors.

Adjunct faculty: Individual contracted to provide course instruction on a full-course or partial-course basis, but whose primary employment is elsewhere inside or outside the institution. Adjunct faculty may be paid or unpaid.

Fees: Institutional charges incurred by the student other than tuition and excluding room and board.

Goals: The primary or desired results needed to meet an outcome. These are usually larger and longer term than objectives.

Health Care Professional: Athletic Trainer, Chiropractor, Dentist, Registered Dietician, Emergency Medical Technician, Nurse Practitioner, Nutritionist, Occupational Therapist, Optometrist, Orthotist, Paramedic, Pharmacist, Physical Therapist, Physician Assistant, Physician (MD/DO), Podiatrist, Prosthetist, Psychologist, Registered Nurse, or Social Worker. These individuals must hold a current credential to practice the discipline in the state and whose discipline provides direct patient care in a field that has direct relevancy to the practice and discipline of Athletic Training. These individuals may or may not hold formal appointments to the instructional faculty.

Higher education accrediting agency: An organization that evaluates post-secondary educational institutions.

Infectious disease: A disease caused by microorganisms entering the body. An infectious disease may or may not be contagious.

Laboratory: A setting where students practice skills on a simulated patient (i.e., role playing) in a controlled environment.

Major: The designation as a major must be consistent with institutional and system wide requirements. Institutional documents (e.g., catalog, web pages) must list athletic training as a major.

Medical director: The physician who serves as a resource regarding the program's medical content. There is no requirement that the medical director participates in the clinical delivery of the program.

Memorandum of understanding (MOU): Similar to an affiliation agreement, but tends not to include legally-binding language or intent.

Monetary remuneration: Direct cash payment received by students for athletic training services and/or time (e.g., hourly wage, work study).

Objectives: Sub-goals required to meet the larger goal. Generally objectives are more focused and shorter-term than the overriding goal.

Official publication: An institutional document (printed or electronic) that has been approved by the appropriate institutional personnel.

Outcome (program): The quantification of the program's ability to meet its published mission. The outcome is generally formed by multiple goals and objectives. For example, based on the evaluation of the goals associated with the outcomes, each outcome may be measured as "met," "partially met," or "not met."

Outcome assessment instruments: A collection of documents used to measure the program's progress towards meeting its published outcomes. Examples of outcomes assessment instruments include course evaluation forms, employer surveys, alumni surveys, student evaluation forms, preceptor evaluation forms, and so on.

Physician: A medical doctor (MD) or doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) who possesses the appropriate state licensure.

Pre-professional student: A student who is not formally admitted into the program. Pre-professional students may be required to participate in non-patient activities as described by the term Directed Observation Athletic Training.

Preceptor: A certified/licensed professional who teaches and evaluates students in a clinical setting using an actual patient base.

Professional development: Continuing education opportunities and professional enhancement, typically is offered through the participation in symposia, conferences, and in-services that allow for the continuation of eligibility for professional credentials.

Program Director: The full-time faculty member of the host institution and a BOC Certified

Athletic Trainer responsible for the implementation, delivery, and administration of the AT program.

Release time (reassigned work load): A reduction in the base teaching load to allow for the administrative functions associated with functioning as the Program Director and/or clinical coordinator.

Retention: Matriculating through the AT program culminating in graduation.

Retention rate: A time-based measure of the number of students who are enrolled at the start of the period being studied (e.g., 1 year, 4 years) versus those enrolled at the end of the period. Retention rate is calculated as: number at end/number at start * 100.

Secondary selective admissions process: A formal admission process used for acceptance into the AT major following acceptance into the institution. Secondary selective admissions is optional and determined by the program.

Similar academic institution (Syn: Peer institution): Institutions of comparable size, academic mission, and other criteria used for comparing metrics. Many institutions publish a list of peer institutions.

Sponsoring institution: The college or university that offers the academic program and awards the degree associated with the athletic training program.

Stakeholder: Those who are affected by the program's outcomes. Examples include the public, employers, the Board of Certification, Inc., and alumni.

Team physician: The physician (MD or DO) responsible for the provision of health care services for the student athlete. The team physician may also be the medical director; however, this is not required by the Standards.

Technical standards: The physical and mental skills and abilities of a student needed to fulfill the academic and clinical requirements of the program. The standards promote compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and must be reviewed by institutional legal counsel.