Athletic Training Student Core Competency Professional Behavior Implementation Between Immersive and Non-immersive Clinical Experiences: A Report From the Association for Athletic Training Education (AATE) Research Network

Abstract

The Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education requires athletic training programs to emphasize the use of professional behaviors that are associated with 6 core competencies, 5 of which were measured in this study: patient-centered care, interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP), evidence-based practice (EBP), health information technology (HIT), and quality improvement (QI). The purpose of this study was to examine the association between clinical experience type and student implementation of behaviors associated with the core competencies. Multisite, panel design. Twelve professional athletic training programs (7 graduate, 5 undergraduate). A total of 338 athletic training students logged patient encounters for 1 academic year in the E*Value system. Students reported clinical experience type (immersive versus nonimmersive) and implementation of behaviors associated with core competencies. Counts of professional behaviors were calculated, and differences in behavior implementation between immersive (ICEs) and non-immersive (N-ICEs) clinical experiences were assessed using a generalized estimating-equations approach for patient-centered care, IPECP, EBP, HIT, and QI behaviors (P