University of Oregon

Department of Human Physiology Graduate Studies in Athletic Training and Sports Medicine

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students ponderingGroup of studentsTonya in class

Program Goals

Our primary goal is to provide classroom and clinical experiences that will allow entry-level athletic trainers to grow into professionals with the experience and confidence to be great clinicians. Providing students with advanced clinical skills is our main point of distinctiveness, but our program also provides students the opportunity to grow as a leader, a teacher and a researcher.

We have a few specific goals that allow us to measure our success as a program. In the short term, we hope that 80% of our students and instructors would agree that our students are meeting the specific program learning objectives. At the end of the two year experience, our students have the opportunity to showcase to the staff and faculty the advanced clinical skills they have acquired, and we hope that over 60% of those students complete the experience with honors. Finally, we hope that 80% of our graduates will have a job as an athletic trainer within six months of graduating. We have discovered that it is not unusual for ALL of our graduates to have found a job as an athletic trainer within a few months of graduating!

Program Learning Objectives:

If you graduated from the University of Oregon, you would have had the opportunity to change as a professional. Here are some of the things you would be able to do:

  • Constructively self-evaluate regarding your strengths and weaknesses as a clinician.
  • Critique prior learning experiences, and develop a personal clinical philosophy.
  • Effectively implement advanced clinical skills into your clinical practice.
  • Make clinical decisions based on current evidence.
  • Constructively evaluate scientific literature using critical thinking skills.
  • Produce concise, accurately referenced, scientific writing.
  • Demonstrate personal and professional growth, service and leadership qualities.
  • Organize and disseminate information for adult-learners using active and effective pedagogical methods.

Advanced Clinical Skills

Our number one focus is the development of great athletic trainers. Therefore, we offer many structured learning experiences to promote the learning of unique and advanced skills. Our program has developed specific objectives in the following areas:

  • Advanced Clinical Assessment of the Spine and Pelvis
  • Advanced Clinical Assessment of Posture and Movement
  • Therapeutic Restoration of Biomotor Abilities
  • Lower Extremity Joint Mobilizations:
  • Neuromuscular Techniques
  • Muscle Energy Technique
  • Graston Technique
  • Strain/Counterstrain (SCS)
  • Active Release Techniques (ART)
  • Pilates
  • Kinesio-taping Techniques
  • Aquatic Therapy
  • Movement Screen
  • Rehab Protocols for Common Surgical Procedures
  • Concussion Management
  • Diagnostic Imaging
  • General Health Evaluation Skills
  • Nutrition