Context:
Research is limited regarding clinical skill acquisition in certified athletic trainers.
Objectives:
To examine how certified athletic training graduate students perceived their knowledge and ability to perform advanced clinical skills after twelve weeks of a specific adult learning method.
Design and Setting:
Subjects assessed their confidence in performing, and their perceived knowledge of the principles related to, specific advanced clinical skills via a survey. Subjects then underwent a 4 week course introducing the theory behind specific techniques and practicing each skill. The following eight weeks subjects were encouraged to practice those skills in their clinical assignments. Subjects re-took the same self assessment following the practical intervention and those scores were collected and analyzed for differences.
Subjects:
Eleven certified athletic training graduate students in an NATA accredited graduate athletic training Master’s program.
Main Outcome Measurements:
Measurements included self-assessed confidence levels performing specific advanced clinical skills, and self-assessed knowledge of the principles underlying specific advanced clinical skills.
Results:
Post-intervention confidence scores were significantly higher than pre-intervention scores (P < .05) for the following clinical skills: Graston Technique, Active Release Technique, Muscle Energy Technique, Pilates, general medical diagnosis and procedure, and nutrition. In contrast, Strain/Counterstrain, aquatic therapy, and movement assessment confidence levels were not changed post-intervention. Overall, the post-intervention scores were higher for both the mean perceived confidence in skill performance, and mean perceived knowledge of the theory behind each skill.
Conclusion:
The didactic and practical intervention successfully increased certified athletic trainers’ perceived confidence regarding advanced clinical skill knowledge and ability.