Selection and Evaluation Guidelines for Clinical Education Settings in Athletic Training

OBJECTIVE: To develop and test standards and associated criteria for the selection and evaluation of a clinical education setting in athletic training. DESIGN AND SETTING: A previously validated set of 20 standards for physical therapy clinical education settings, the associated criteria, and 2 related evaluation forms were systematically judged, revised, and adapted through a survey process. SUBJECTS: Program directors, clinical instructors, and students involved with athletic training clinical education from 28 athletic training education programs approved by the National Athletic Trainers' Association or accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. MEASUREMENTS: We tabulated respondents' critiques and ratings by type of respondent. Items were judged as to whether they were relevant, practical, and suggestive of high-quality clinical education settings. RESULTS: We accepted a final set of 12 standards and 31 associated criteria to measure these standards. The student form lists 23 criteria relevant to these accepted standards. The accepted standards include the following: learning environment, program planning, ethical standards, administrative support, and Setting Coordinator of Clinical Education. CONCLUSIONS: The 12 standards, criteria, and related forms developed in this research project should be used as guidelines rather than as minimal requirements. They could be helpful in forming an impression not only about a particular clinical setting but also about the requirements of clinical education in general. Further research should include evaluating and comparing perceptions between sexes and among ethnic groups concerning their clinical education experiences. Also, standards and criteria for clinical instruction in athletic training should be systematically developed.