Health Science, B.S. / Athletic Training, M.S. (3+2)

102 UG Credits, 48 MS credits Total Credits- 150 Credits

The 3+2 BS Health Science (BS-HSC)/MS Athletic Training (MS-ATR) track provides educational opportunities that prepares the student for a career as a certified athletic trainer. A certified athletic trainer is a professional whose skills encompass the prevention, treatment, examination, diagnosis and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. Throughout their course of study, students gain a sound educational basis for beginning professional practice, which is infused with Franciscan values and traditions as well as a strong liberal arts base.

Students are formally accepted to the Health Science Program on admission to the University (see program admission criteria). Students will begin the professional phase (MS-ATR) of the degree in their fourth year while also completing undergraduate course requirements. To begin the professional phase of the program, students must meet all BS-HSC progression requirements (see BS-HSC progression requirements). Students will confer their BS-Health Science degree after the fall semester of their fourth year. At that time, the student would have completed 102 undergraduate credits and 19 graduate credits for a total of 121 credits. The MS-Athletic Training degree will be conferred after completion of fifth year.

The MS-ATR program is aligned with and accredited the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). The program requires a minimum of four semesters. Students are also required to undergo blood-borne pathogen training, criminal background check, and child abuse clearance annually and must maintain current certification in American Red Cross CPR/AED for Professional Rescuer with First Aid or equivalent, while enrolled in the Program. (Fees may be associated with these requirements - see MS-ATR Progression Criteria below). Students that successfully complete this Program are eligible to sit for the National Board of Certification Exam (BOC). This certification is required for professional practice as a certified athletic trainer.

Details of the Athletic Training Program are printed annually in the University’s Graduate Catalog and Athletic Training Student Manual. Course descriptions of all ATR courses are contained in this Graduate Catalog and can also be obtained on the Neumann University web site at www.neumann.edu.

Mission Statement

In accordance with and reflective of the Mission of Neumann University, the Health Science and Athletic Training Programs provide a service-oriented education for students who seek both a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Sciences and a Master of Science degree in Athletic Training. Students acquire the knowledge and skills of athletic training through classroom and clinical instruction. Graduates are prepared to carry out diverse responsibilities in roles with flexible boundaries, to view learning as a lifelong process, and to value the inherent dignity of human beings regardless of individual differences.

Program Philosophy

Recognizing the ever-changing environment of health care in the world today, the faculty of the Health Sciences/Athletic Training Program are committed to providing students with contemporary and cutting-edge instruction to respond to the needs of the profession as well as to appropriately prepare graduating students to be competitive in job market. The athletic trainer is an individual who must be ready to assume a variety of new roles in the profession, such as meeting mandates by state education systems for all high schools to employ athletic trainers, responding to the armed forces’ requirement to have an athletic trainer at all military installations, or being prepared for insurance carriers awarding provider numbers for athletic trainers. The future of the profession is certainly one without boundaries, and Neumann University is in the position to educate students to succeed in this evolving profession of athletic training.

Classroom learning in the Athletic Training Program is supplemented by clinical rotations that provide students with the opportunity to develop skills and engage with a wide range of employment settings, sports, and patients. The clinical educational component of this Program covers the four specific areas of Upper Extremity, Lower Extremity, Equipment Intensive, and General Medical during a four-semester clinical rotation sequence. During these clinical experiences, the student follows a logical progression of courses in order to gain a level of competency associated with a certified practitioner. A positive environment with the opportunity for sequential skill acquisition is afforded the student at all

rotations in order to provide a mode of education that is consistent with the model of progressive learning over time.

Accreditation

Neumann University’s Athletic Training Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE), 2001 K Street NW, 3rd Floor North, Washington DC, 20006; Telephone: 512-733-9700; 844-GO-CAATE; or http://www.caate.net/.

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of the Program, the graduate will earn both a BS-Health Sciences and a MS-Athletic Training and will be able to:

• Utilize, through competent practice, the cognitive knowledge and clinical proficiency which are required in emergency care, the care of patients, the prevention of injury and illness, as well as the assessment of injury and illness.
• Demonstrate a thorough working knowledge of therapeutic modalities, therapeutic exercise, general medical conditions, nutrition, strength and conditioning, pharmacology, exercise physiology, biomechanics, health care administration, and human anatomy/physiology.
• Master the skills and knowledge included in the Curricular Content Standards for Accreditation of Athletic Training Programs (CAATE, 2020).
• Demonstrate currently acceptable professional practices in athletic training and apply that knowledge in the care of patients.
• Function in a positive manner in varied settings with all other health care professionals, coaches, athletes, and media.
• Make and implement clinical plans that are consistent with documented practices and with the patient’s well-being.
• Demonstrate the ability to make timely and effective decisions related to athletic training.
• Demonstrate the ability to critique and utilize current research and its application to clinical practice and/or the profession.
• Formulate and integrate a humanistic, culturally competent, and ethical code of conduct into athletic training professional practice.

Program Admission Criteria

Candidates for admission to the Health Science major are required to:

- High School diploma or equivalent

- Minimum cumulative High School GPA of 3.00.

- For students from a non-English speaking country or for whom English is a second language, results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) must be submitted and a minimum score of 84 is required.

BS-HSC Progression Requirements

Progression in the Health Science major leading to a Bachelor of Science degree requires students to:

- Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher.

- Earn a grade of “C” or higher in the following courses:

Anatomy and Physiology I w/lab (4 cr.)

Anatomy and Physiology II w/lab (4 cr.)

Chemistry w/lab (4 cr.)

Biology w/lab (4 cr.)

Physics w/lab (4 cr.)

Psychology (3 cr.)

Statistics (3 cr.)

Nutrition (3 cr.)

Exercise Physiology w/lab (4 cr.)

Health Science Observation (1 cr.)

- Attain First Aid and CPR certification.

- Meet required health standards.

- Present proof of current Criminal Background Clearance, Child Abuse Clearance and FBI Fingerprint results.

- Submit a statement of goals.

- Submit 3 letters of recommendation (1 from an athletic trainer)

MS-ATR Progression/Degree Requirements

Progression in the Athletic Training program leading to a Master of Science degree requires students to:

• Maintain a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.00 or higher in MS-ATR courses. NOTE: If a student’s cumulative GPA fall below a 3.00 in MS-ATR coursework, he/she is then must meet with MS-ATR Program Director.
• Attain a grade of “B” or better in all MS-ATR course requirements. (Note: students are allowed to earn a grade of “C”, “C+” or “B-” in 2 courses and progress without needing to repeat those courses. See “Athletic Training Repeat Policy” below.)
• Maintain required immunizations through Health Services and complete TB skin test annually ($10*)
• Maintain First Aid and Professional Rescuer CPR certification. (Additional fees may be required - $50*)
• Attend an annual OSHA compliant workshop addressing blood-borne pathogen training and communicable diseases.
• Attend an annual HIPAA/FERPA compliant workshop.
• Meet the following Technical Standards for the Athletic Training Program which requires students, with or without reasonable accommodations, to:
  • Demonstrate the mental capacity to assimilate, analyze, synthesize, integrate concepts, and problem-solve to formulate assessment and therapeutic judgments and be able to distinguish deviations from the norm.
  • Possess sufficient postural and neuromuscular control, sensory function, and coordination to perform appropriate physical examinations using accepted techniques; and to accurately, safely, and efficiently use equipment and materials during the assessment and treatment of patients.
  • Have the ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients and colleagues, including individuals from different cultural and social backgrounds; this includes, but is not limited to, the ability to establish rapport with patients and communicate judgments and treatment information effectively. Students must also be able to understand and speak the English language at a level consistent with competent professional practice.
  • Demonstrate the ability to record physical examination results and a treatment plan clearly and accurately.
  • Have the capacity to maintain composure and continue to function well during periods of high stress.
  • Demonstrate perseverance, diligence, and commitment to complete the Athletic Training education program as outlined and sequenced.
  • Possess flexibility and the ability to adjust to changing situations and uncertainty in clinical environments.
  • Demonstrate affective skills as well as appropriate demeanor and rapport that relate to professional education and quality patient care.
• Attain and maintain proof of a current Pennsylvania Child Abuse ($13 annually) Clearance, Pennsylvania Criminal Background Clearance ($22* annually), and an FBI fingerprint clearance ($23*). Additional clearances may be required for selected clinical sites and may require additional fees.
• Maintain membership in NATA. ($85* annually)
• Review and demonstrate an understanding of the Neumann University Student Athletic Trainer’s Manual.
• Complete all required Athletic Training courses with a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher. (48 credits).
       *Fees are approximate and subject to change

Athletic Training Class Repeat Policy

Students must achieve a minimum grade of “B” or better in all athletic training courses (ATR) with the exception of being allowed to progress in up to 2 courses in which he/she has earned a grade of “C”, “C+” or “B-“. If a student achieves a grade below “B” in a third athletic training course, the student must repeat that course and earn the minimum grade. Students may repeat each athletic training course one time. Placement in athletic training courses depends upon the enrollment of those students taking the course for the first time.

Clinical Education

To complete the Athletic Training Program, students must complete four semesters of clinical education with a minimum of 1,000 contact hours. Students must have successfully completed all prerequisites and maintain a cumulative GPA that supports successful completion of the program prior to each clinical rotation. ATR 598/599, Practicum 1-2, occurs in the first year and ATR 698/699, Internship I-II, occurs in the second year.

Transportation

Each Athletic Training Student is responsible for transportation to and from clinical practice sites throughout the professional phase (MS-ATR) of the program. Any costs associated with transportation are the sole responsibility of the student. Associated cost may include, but not limited to, gas, tolls, parking, and/or public transportation.