Using a Web-Based Database to Record and Monitor Athletic Training Students' Clinical Experiences

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this article is to introduce a documentation recording system employing the Microsoft Structured Query Language (MS-SQL) database used by the Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) for recording and monitoring of athletic training student (ATS) clinical experiences and hours.Background: Monitoring ATSs clinical experiences and hours can be a monumental task for an athletic training education program director (PD). This article seeks to explain and demonstrate how a web-based database is incorporated into an athletic training education program to manage the ATSs clinical experiences. To date, a thorough review of the literature did not reveal any published documentation of a web-based database being used for monitoring ATSs clinical experiences. In our ATEP, prior documentation of the ATSs clinical experiences consisted of a paper-based system which involved the ATS writing down their clinical hours and having their assigned approved clinical instructor (ACI) or clinical instructors (CI) verify them. After reviewing other software application programs (i.e., Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access), it was determined that these programs did not provide the flexibility needed for a program-wide database. Therefore, time management and evaluation accessibility constraints played a pivotal role in the decision to move to a web-based database.