MissionAthletic Training

Program Mission Statement

Parallel to the mission of Gustavus Adolphus College the mission of the Athletic Training Program is to provide students with a comprehensive learning experience that leads to a mastery of athletic training skills while developing students who will, professionally and personally, be able to engage and serve their communities, by incorporating the core values of Gustavus Adolphus College – Excellence, Community, Justice, Service, and Faith – into their lives. 


Student Learning Outcomes

  1.  Students will attain the necessary knowledge and skills to demonstrate professional preparedness, including a capacity for life-long learning and professional growth.
    1. Attain a level of skill and education to allow for professional certification in Athletic Training.
    2. Analyze basic and factual knowledge from educational experiences in order to provide appropriate patient-centered care.
    3. Develop skills necessary to work within a team-approached health care model.
    4. Demonstrate skills to access and integrate information independently using resources available in order to perform critical thinking and make decisions.
    5. Select and engage in opportunities that allow for personal and professional growth in areas of students’ individual interests.
  2. Students will develop advanced knowledge, skills, and experience in reading, understanding, and integrating current health-related research.
    1. Define the foundational concepts of evidence-based practice.
    2. Develop clinical questions and utilize strategies to attain evidence-based answers.
    3. Access, assess, and accurately interpret a variety of research data within their educational experiences.
    4. Select and provide appropriate healthcare based on best available evidence.
  3. Students will experience opportunities, as an individual or part of a cooperative group, that allow for engagement in community, justice, and service.
    1. Develop strategies to communicate accurate and evidence-based information to the community in order to allow for meaningful interactions.
    2. Demonstrate involvement in the profession of athletic training and health care through service and leadership.
    3. Demonstrate appropriate care for and interactions with diverse patient populations.
  4. Students will communicate effectively.
    1. Demonstrate oral communication that is organized, coherent, accurate, and professionally prepared and delivered while using appropriate vocabulary per the situation.
    2. Demonstrate written communication that is purposeful, appropriately structured for the discipline, delivered in a professional manner and, when needed, properly supported by evidence.
    3. Demonstrate nonverbal communication that is appropriate for the situations and audiences that are common to the athletic training field.
  5. Students will engage and reflect on professional ethics and behaviors, particularly as it intersects with their personal faith, moral development, and values.
    1. Demonstrate knowledge of the ethical codes that govern the practice of athletic training.
    2. Demonstrate professional behavior consistent with athletic training and health care standards.
    3. Compare their personal faith, morals, and values to standards of professional practice, thus reflecting on the role of these constructs in healthcare. 

Quality of Clinical Education Outcomes

  1. Clinical educational experiences will provide students opportunities to practice athletic training and other healthcare skills on patients.
  2. Clinical educational experiences will give students an opportunity to engage in the day-to-day life of an athletic training through at least one immersive clinical experience each year. 
  3. Clinical educational experiences will be supervised by eligible and trained clinical preceptors and monitored for safety and compliance with CAATE standards. 
  4. Clinical educational experiences will engage students with a wide variety of patient populations. 
  5. Clinical education experiences will be primarily educational in nature. 
  6. Clinical education experiences will expose students to a wide variety of conditions commonly seen in Athletic Training practice. 
  7. Clinical education experiences will allow students to grow in knowledge, skills, and abilities towards autonomous practice upon graduation. 

Quality of Instruction Outcomes

  1. Instructors will provide an environment where students feel respected.
  2. Instructors will help students make connections between the goals/objectives of the course and the work required.
  3. Instructors will provide feedback that helps students meet the course objectives.
  4. Instructors are prepared through education and/or experience to teach on the subject matter required for the course.
  5. Instructors will work with program administration to ensure educational standards are being met within the course. 

Program Effectiveness Outcomes

  1. The Athletic Training Program will prepare students for autonomous practice and certification as an Athletic Trainer upon graduation from the program.
  2. The Athletic Training Program will progress students successfully through the program and graduation requirements. 
  3. The Athletic Training Program will prepare students for successful job placements as certified athletic trainers or further education.