Strategic Planning Document
Athletic Training Education Program
The University of Iowa
Updated: January 10, 2005
Aspiration: We are hopeful to further the University of Iowa’s aspiration of national distinction by developing, encouraging, and supporting the active inquiry of our faculty, staff, and students; by ethically gathering patient-based evidence for clinical practices and reporting them; by the unbiased methods of weighing evidence important to questions involving physically active populations; and by responsible processes in constructing arguments and influencing colleagues as members of the athletic training community.
Mission: To prepare undergraduate students for professional practice as athletic trainers and for health care leadership roles with the physically active primarily for the clinic-high school and college ranks. We will do this by maximizing our local resources in health care, exercise science, UIHC, athletic training services, and the ICCSD. These resources will serve as expert mentors of the highest quality throughout campus and the local community; and in their combined efforts influence the future development of athletic training with research and professional preparation products. Further, our mission is accomplished by supporting and advancing the values of professional education in light of the study of human interactions and relationships and in the pursuit of broadening and maturing of critical professional characteristics, those characteristics intrinsic to effective stewardship of a profession, thus providing our students with the vision and awareness of competence and standards, of diverse applications, of strong work ethic, and of commitment to balance in life.
Focus Strategy: The following strategies have been organized around a series of focus questions. In light of our vision and mission, we offer these directional compass markers.
How will we clarify and strengthen or mission to prepare future athletic trainers for the clinic-high school and college ranks within the overall focus of the University?
To accomplish the process of strategic planning, we first organized Program functions into major activities and then clustered those activities into major categories. Cluster activities represented functions of the personnel assigned to the Program. These personnel identified and discussed current trends in the athletic training profession that could have an impact on the education program and used their functional roles to ensure that a wide spectrum of trends could help us clarify and identify ways to strengthen our mission in strategic goals setting.
Cluster Activities: These are programmatic activities that are clustered into three categories of resource functions.
1 – Administration
1. budgetary resources
2. human resources
3. facility resources
4. equipment and supply resources
5. self-study and reviews
6. Assessment activities
7. annual reports
8. admissions activities
9. affiliation agreements
10. scholarships
11. banquet
12. program policies and procedures
2 – Curriculum and Instruction
1. syllabi and learning plans
2. course evaluations & instructor reviews
3. schedules, exams, and rooms
4. advising
5. clinical education coordination
a. clinical supervision assignments
b. ACI workshops and development activities
c. retention activities
3 – Research and Development
1. senior projects
2. sports medicine conference
3. Journal and Book reviews
4. state, district, and national offices
5. grants and publications
6. public presentations
Current Trends: Current trends in the field of athletic training are listed in four concept areas that mark the future, present and past issues that may influence program development.
Horizon Ideas:
1. MS as entry-level for athletic training
2. expanding settings for athletic training in the military
3. internet based curricula in health education
4. expanding procedures and multi-tasking in athletic training
5. outcomes based practices in health care
6. private practice for athletic training
7. changing accreditation organization for athletic training
8. changing competencies and proficiencies for athletic training
9. technology advancements in health care
10. recertification for athletic trainers
11. moving toward aging and free-radical research in exercise science
12. contracted ACI training
Emerging Ideas:
1. cross training in health care for athletic trainers
2. specialty certification for athletic trainers post-entry-level
3. evidence-based practices for health care
4. ATCs are being used as physician extenders
5. age-span health care is a widening focus for athletic trainers
6. paperless record keeping in athletic training
7. competition for health care $
8. ATCs are employed in the military
9. ATC’s focused to be employed in all high schools
10. ATC/PTA preparation necessary for many ATCs in clinics
11. integration of service, education, and research at Iowa
12. moving toward integrative physiology in Exercise Science
13. moving toward rehabilitation science for athletic training
14. moving toward integrative sports medicine model in services
15. clinical education coordinator faculty line in AT
16. ACI clinical faculty selection
17. selection of settings and wide variety of settings esp. clinics
Established Ideas:
1. CEUs for athletic trainers
2. aging physically active population
3. integration of technology and education
4. education reform for athletic trainers
5. education standards for athletic trainers
6. state license for athletic trainers
7. capitation of health care costs
8. emergency plans for all sports venues
9. ATCs employed in all colleges/universities
10. e-communications
11. teamwork in healthcare for athletes
12. AT Program administration & organization is expanding
13. ACI clinical educators for AT
14. visual/auditory clinical instruction for AT
Waning Ideas:
1. non-credentialed athletic trainers in Iowa and most US
2. mailing, printing, phone, fax for information/communication
3. use of unsupervised students for service provision
4. the word “trainer”
5. CSCS responsibilities at the college/university level
6. A single Program Director to run a program
What do we want to see in place for the long term foreseeable future?
The foreseeable future involves the retirement of three key faculty and staff members: John Albright, Ed Crowley, and Dan Foster. Ed Crowley may be retiring in 1-2 years, John Albright in 3-5 years, and Dan Foster in 10-11 years. Since the longer term retirement is Dan Foster’s, this question will be addressed related to his retirement and strategic goals for the program through that period.
Strategic Long-term Goals of the University of Iowa:
1. to create an educational experience that enables students to fulfill their intellectual, social, and career objectives.
a. be in a position to migrate the Program to an entry-level graduate degree program with an emphasis that maximizes our strengths: health care team approach, medical care management, wellness, pediatric/adolescent health, and special health populations to include athletes.
b. be in a position to pursue military and ROTC ties for student dual programming.
c. enhance teaching and learning through the internet resources on campus for all faculty and staff.
d. develop a comprehensive linear and sequential awareness in students of athletic training as a profession, how it fits into sports medicine, and where sports medicine interacts and influences the lives of all physically active people.
e. nourish the opportunities for student growth, for contribution, for balance, and for roles in society as responsible professionals, community leaders, and stable community members.
2. to achieve a premier professional program of study in athletic training
a. be in a position to justify replacing retiring faculty and staff and increase faculty size by 1 full-time position with a dual appointment to account for Departmental and Programmatic change in direction, that could include increased research responsibilities and new program development for a single Program Director.
b. be in a position to justify a research assistant line for athletic training to support a PhD candidate.
c. be in a position to justify an additional TA line for an athletic training PhD candidate for teaching support.
d. programmatically provide support for migrating appointments for clinical supervisor staff to the Sports Medicine Center as clinical supervisor faculty.
e. support the integration of clinical supervisor training (ACI training) within the Sports Medicine Center as a role and research support area for the active teaching clinics and clinical staff.
f. maximize the involvement of program students, faculty, and clinical faculty in the Sports Medicine Center research initiatives, grant activities, and publications.
3. to foster distinguished research and scholarship
a. programmatically support a monthly therapy conference where each clinical faculty contributes to the scholarly exchange of ideas and where creation of a cohesive group of colleagues from many sports medicine disciplines is fostered by the free exchange of ideas, formulation of critical arguments, expression of evidence as a basis for argument, and critical analysis of ideas.
b. actively support the involvement of students in the research efforts of faculty and clinical faculty and encourage the creative process to flourish in the exchange of ideas.
c. build on the preeminent strength of the faculty and clinical faculty in osteoarthritis and diversify the applications of our professional interests to the important national and international focus of osteoarthritis.
4. to participate in and promote interdisciplinary interaction in teaching, research, and service
a. establish clinical supervisors as clinical faculty appointments that lower the barriers to teaching and research within a coordinated Sports Medicine Center.
b. provide interdisciplinary education and research opportunities within the Sports Medicine Center for both faculty and students.
c. contribute to the international prominence of the Exercise Science and Orthopaedic Departments through education, research, and service excellence recognition.
d. contribute to the excellence of the athletic training program by building on areas of acknowledged strengths and integrating these with interdisciplinary strengths.
5. to support the mission and values of the University in a highly productive manner
a. review, modify and continually modernize administrative processes with information technologies and in such a way as to remove barriers to progress.
b. nurture a developing, evolving, and highly informative system of program assessment, development, and strategic planning.
c. advance the precept of accountability in all areas of academic endeavors related to resources, processes, and products associated with the athletic training education program.
d. nurture an environment that encourages and supports in-service training, professional development, professional and educational roles in the Sports Medicine Center, and continuing education into specialization areas.
What do we want to see in place three to five years from now?
1. expanded teaching laboratory space to incorporate emergency care, modalities, evaluations, and exercise rehabilitation
2. regular clinic out-reach practicum assignments for all students at the Sports Medicine Center
3. Clinical Education Coordinators in-charge of ACI workshops and training by contract
4. consistently high quality senior research projects with regular funding
5. all clinical course work incorporated into outcomes-based practice content
6. fully incorporate age-span health care and population specific issues in all aspects of the curriculum
7. establish a sports and activity-related ergonomics course or content with the biomechanics/anatomy lecturer
8. increase modalities course to 3 sh
9. increase rehabilitation course to 4 sh
10. Clinical Faculty whose specialties are in epidemiology, materials biology, assessment, and management take over 27:57 by contract, either dual appointments or overtime appointment
11. Formal adjunct and clinical faculty appointments for clinical education coordinators in Orthopaedics and Exercise Science
What patterns, conditions, situations, issues, and obstacles prevent us from realizing our vision?
1. there is no space to expand in the Field House
2. non-faculty appointments and contracts in academic departments are not the best approach for traditional academic areas of study for academic resource contributions
3. funding for student projects need to have regular lines of support from active researchers and we currently are not organized in that way
4. age-span health care content needs to be developed within the faculty in a broader background through CEU opportunities or integration with Public Health units
5. increasing course hours will have negative affects on several fronts but the content is there and the time is definitely needed for increased depth in the modalities and rehabilitation courses.
What innovative, practical actions will deal with the underlying contradictions and obstacles and move us toward our vision?
1. when the Exercise Science Department moves to the central campus, space may become available in the Field House area which would be an ideal loacation for the future plans of the program.
2. formal appointments in the Orthoapedic Department for the integration of P&S staff athletic trainers might be able to give the unit a formal clinical education responsibility from a clinical academic department.
What do we intend to do over the next 12 months?
1. regular clinic out-reach practicum assignments will be worked through the Sports Medicine Clinic Administrator for all students during their second year in association with 27:182 and 27:183 through a change in the UIHC Affiliation Contract to the Sports Medicine Center Contract.
2. due to his qualifications and background expertise, we will submit a request to the appropriate administrators to contract with Dr. Doug West to take charge of ACI workshops and training.
3. we will request support from the Orthopaedics Department and access to needed expertise and technology from the Sports Medicine Center as well as support from the Director of Athletic Training Services to nurture and engage the clinical supervisory staff in mentoring and reviewing the senior projects for consistency and for high quality work.
4. for the short term we will submit a proposal for integrative agreement with the Sports Medicine Center to contribute to the Hawkeye Sports Medicine Symposium in return for regular senior research project funding.
5. the faculty and clinical education coordinators will meet to systematically review course work in athletic training that ensures that age-span health care content is incorporated into the athletic training specific course work and newsletter information will support the process of course content review with the supporting faculty – this will be follow up in the Spring 2006 with a request from faculty for a status of content support at that point.
6. distribute a monthly (or at least regular) newsletter to faculty and staff pointing out the ways and means that athletic trainers are incorporating age-span health care for the physically active into the curriculum.
7. request to replace a graduating ½-time TA line for support of the Program Director.
8. propose that official dual appointment be approved for Dr. Glenn Williams in the School of Physical Therapy with a 0% appointment in Exercise Science – the appointment solidifying a role for Dr. Williams as Research Coordinator for the Program.
9. submit a request for adding internet access to S501f (Athletic Training Teaching Lab) along with modifying and updating the computer capabilities in that lab for class and lab presentations and student use.
10. submit a request for maintenance of the Lab (S501f) due to removal of shelving, tack boards, and cabinets to include spackling and paint.
11. adjust fee expenditures for 27:37 and 27:186 to reflect more frequent use of PPE equipment items and a broader application of equipment-related skills than is suggested for entry-level.
12. submit a complete self-study to the JRC-AT in September 2006 and arrange for an on-site visit in the Spring of 2006.
13. conduct a review of the orientation processes of each clinical supervisor to ensure that student welfare is safeguarded and to assist clinical supervisor staff with practical applications of the orientation process.
14. formal contact reinforcement by the Program will take place with each head coach involved in program contributions to meeting student travel objectives to supplement the plans established by the clinical supervisor staff with education program background explanations – these coaches will be put on the Newsletter mailing list.
15. follow up on UI and ICCSD policy reviews to post the updated versions on the webCT and Program webpage for supplements to the clinical instructor orientation process.
16. finalize discussion of an additional physical examination for students and then implement any changes in the health policy for entering and retained students.
17. review the maintenance sheets developed for equipment inventory and maintenance both in the education program labs setting and the service clinical setting assignments for provisions of health and safety of athletes, students, and staff.
18. submit an analysis of security concerns for the athletic training lab and office space for the athletic training faculty
19. conduct a systematic review of team physician contact and exposure for the third year students, related to a change in the Sports Medicine Center operation, as a series of items in the senior exit survey.
20. systematically review the clinical supervisor performance appraisal process that is associated with the student’s self-evaluation for consistency, pertinent feedback, efficiency, and potential modification to ensure that students get timely feedback about their clinical progress and about professional acculturation.
21. complete annual reports to the BOC, JRC-AT, Education Counsel, and Program Annual Report
22. admit 15 new students and 1 deferred student to begin in August 2005
23. review returning students for Program retention by June 2005
24. revise the UIHC Agreement to work through the UISMC and revise all GA Agreements for licensing requirements
25. increase scholarship requests by 9% over the 2004-5 total amount
26. stabilize line item funding resource through the Sports Medicine Center for the annual student banquet
27. revise and update travel policies as the clinical supervisor mission is revised
28. develop faculty awards to be distributed at the student banquet
29. incorporate formal learning plans into the Practicum courses and support clinical supervisor use of the plans
30. incorporate age-related content into 27:57, 27:171, 27:182, and 27:183
31. add subcomponents to the mid-semester formative assessment to include physician and allied heath exposure in both a summative and formative way
32. submit requests the Program to be included in Stadium Renovation, and Field House Renovation Plans
33. commit advising to more 1 on 1 time during the fall Football Camp for 1st year students, during the summer clinical sciences course for 2nd year students, and periodic 3rd year appointments to sequence and promote professionalism
34. revise clinical supervisor staff contracts to reflect changes in staff roles and responsibilities
35. solidify Dr. Williams role in research projects and support the integration of clinical supervisor faculty into the presentations
36. provide support, assistance with training, opportunity, release support, and technical advise and support to the clinical supervisor staff
37. as a group, submit at least two publications and develop a training grant through NIH in collaboration with the SM fellows
38. participate in the public presentations of the UISMC