POST-PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION OVERVIEW

An individual enters the profession of athletic training via passing the Board of Certification (BOC) athletic training credentialing exam after graduating from a CAATE accredited professional education program that prepares them to be a competent and proficient healthcare provider.  Individuals may choose to pursue further advanced education and training at the post-professional level after they have become a credentialed athletic training professional. A variety of post-professional athletic training education and training programs currently exist to support the professional development of athletic trainers. The Commission accredits post-professional graduate athletic training education programs (degree programs) and post-professional residency programs (certificate of completion).  Post-professional gradate degree programs and residency programs are designed to prepare athletic trainers for advanced clinical practice, and research and scholarship, in order to enhance the quality of patient care, optimize patient outcomes, and improve patients’ health-related quality of life.

POST-PROFESSIONAL RESIDENCY PROGRAMS

The purpose of post-professional residency programs in athletic training is to provide advanced preparation of athletic training practitioners through a planned program of clinical and didactic education in specialized content areas using an evidence-based approach to enhance the quality of patient care, optimize patient outcomes, and improve patients’ health-related quality of life.

Provided below are links to two essential documents describing the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) accreditation of post-professional residency programs.  The first document is entitled, Pursuing and Maintaining Accreditation of Post-Professional Athletic Training Residency Programs. Its purpose is to provide step-by-step instructions to post-professional athletic training graduate degree programs that wish to pursue or maintain accreditation. The second document defines the CAATE’s Post-Professional Athletic Training Residency Program Standards and Guidelines, hereafter referred to as the Standards and Guidelines.  Its purpose is to explicitly define the requirements to achieve and maintain CAATE accreditation of post-professional athletic training graduate degree programs.  By requesting accreditation, the sponsoring institution of the graduate degree program agrees to be assessed against the Standards and Guidelines. The sponsoring institution of an accredited graduate degree program must comply with these Standards and Guidelines and use them to examine, improve and report on its program’s growth and achievement.

Residency Accreditation Documents

CAATE-Pursuing-and-Maintaining-Post-Professional-Residency-final

CAATE-Post-Professional-Residency-Accreditation-Standards-final-1.2

Accreditation Fees

Currently all accredited post-professional programs are under the current program fee structure: