Athletic Training Students' Perceptions of the Immersive Clinical Experience and its Influence on their Development

Grimes, Anna Marie; Neil, Elizabeth R.; Eldred, Cameron M.; Walker, Stacy E.; Dougal, Zachary J.; Eberman, Lindsey E.

doi:10.4085/1947-380x-20-31

“…4 Preceptors are also important socializing agents; they serve as mentors to the students, provide the role modeling ''needed to facilitate [students'] competence and confidence,'' 4(p150) and foster autonomy. 4,22 This study supports the understanding that immersive clinical experiences and preceptors are key factors in the development of PM athletic training students. However, this study also demonstrates the informal socialization 2,23 that occurs during clinical education.…”

Section: Clinical Education Experiencesupporting

confidence: 73%

Examining the Professional Identity Development of Professional Master's Athletic Training Students: A Cohort Study

Gardiner-Shires

¹

,

Kloepfer

²

2023

Athletic Training Education Journal

0

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Context Professional identity development in professional master's (PM) athletic training students occurs over time and is influenced by numerous socializing factors. Although socialization processes of athletic training students have been examined, professional identity development related to the Weidman et al graduate and professional student socialization framework [Weidman JC, Twale DJ, Stein EL, et al. Socialization of Graduate and Professional Students in Higher Education: A Perilous Passage? ASHE-ERIC higher education report. Vol 28, No. 3. Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series; 2001] has never been examined in athletic training. This model values the multiple networks, individuals, and experiences that influence graduate students throughout their program. Objective To assess the lived experiences of 1 cohort of students enrolled in a PM athletic training program and determine what curricular and clinical education factors influence the development of professional identity. Design Qualitative study. Setting Focus group interview. Patients or Other Participants Ten of 12 (83%) students (5 females and 5 males) from a single PM athletic training cohort program participated. Data Collection and Analysis We conducted a focus group interview, which we transcribed verbatim, with participants during the last week of their last semester in the PM athletic training program. Data analysis was deductive and then inductive throughout the coding process, and we reached data saturation at the individual participant and cohort levels. We ensured trustworthiness through multiple analyst triangulation, peer expert review, and multiple data sources. Results Three factors influenced the development of the PM athletic training student's professional identity: (1) their clinical education experiences, (2) the cohort experience, and (3) their school/life balance. Within the clinical education experience, the immersive experience, clinical setting, and patients and preceptors were also influential. Conclusions This study used the Weidman et al socialization model. The experiences of PM athletic training students and their professional identity development are inclusive of the relationship with others throughout the educational experience, as well as their self-reflective practices within the field. It is important for stakeholders to understand the many factors that influence professional identity development.

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Multistakeholder Perceptions of Young Professionals’ Integration During Role Transition

Bowman

¹

,

Thrasher

²

,

Kasamatsu

³

et al. 2024

Journal of Athletic Training

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Context: The transition to autonomous clinical practice for early professionals (EPs) has been found to be a stressful time but no studies with multiple stakeholder groups have been completed. Objective: Examine the perceptions of EPs' integration during role transition from multiple stakeholder groups. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: Online interviews. Participants: 17 EPs in the first 2 years of their first job post-certification (9 females, 8 males, age=26±5 years, experience=9.5±5 months), 16 supervisors and mentors of EPs (6 females, 10 males, age=52±11 years), and 10 faculty members and 8 preceptors (11 females, 7 males, age=43±10 years). Data Collection and Analysis: Participants completed semistructured interviews using a validated interview guide based on the current literature. We analyzed data using consensual qualitative research principles. Multiple analyst triangulation (n=3), member checking, and peer review served as trustworthiness strategies. Results: We identified 4 themes that defined the integration of EPs during role transition. Integration of EPs was facilitated through role inductance and mentoring. EPs struggle finding balance to avoid burnout as they are new to the profession and feel obligated to exceed expectations from a coverage standpoint rather than focusing on the quality of care delivered. Finally, stakeholders suggested a timeline by which EPs become fully integrated into autonomous professional practice and understand all aspects of their role that typically takes anywhere from 1 to 3 years. Conclusions: EPs benefited from appropriate graded autonomy during clinical education to develop their clinical reasoning skills, confidence, and mentoring network with past preceptors. Ongoing personal and professional support is needed during the initial few years to ease EPs' role inductance while gaining more experience and establishing their clinician identity. Expectations for EPs should be reasonable to allow for the provision of quality care, adequate work-life balance, and integration into the profession without guilt.

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Characteristics of Athletic Training Students' Patient Encounters During Immersive and Nonimmersive Clinical Experiences: A Report From the Association for Athletic Training Education Research Network

Jones

¹

,

Cavallario

²

,

Bacon

³

et al. 2022

Athletic Training Education Journal

0

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Context The 2020 Standards for the Accreditation of Professional Athletic Training Programs from the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education require programs to include at least one immersive clinical experience (ICE) in their clinical education curricula. Yet, it is unknown whether ICEs provide more opportunities and benefits than nonimmersive clinical experiences (N-ICEs). The purpose of this study was to compare characteristics of patient encounters (PEs) that occurred during ICEs and N-ICEs. Design Multisite panel design. Setting Twelve professional programs (5 undergraduate, 7 graduate). Patients or Other Participants Three hundred thirty-eight athletic training students logged PEs in the E*Value system. Main Outcome Measures For each PE, students reported clinical experience type (ICE, N-ICE), clinical site type, student role (observed, assisted, performed), diagnoses reported, and procedure(s) performed. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize PE characteristics. Generalized estimating equations were used to compare student role and clinical site type during PEs in ICEs and N-ICEs (P < .05). Results A total of 10 999 PEs occurred at ICEs and 18 228 PEs occurred at N-ICEs. Sixty-four percent of ICEs and 67.2% of N-ICEs occurred at collegiate settings. Students performed 70.6% of reported PEs during ICEs, and 72% of PEs at N-ICEs. Participants averaged 0.80 ± 0.64 diagnoses and 1.35 ± 1.12 procedures per PE during ICEs, compared with 0.82 ± 0.63 diagnoses and 1.33 ± 1.04 procedures per PE during N-ICEs. No significant differences between ICEs and N-ICEs were found in either student role (P = .50) or clinical site type (P = .71). Conclusion(s) Programs may intend to use ICEs later in their curricula to demonstrate progressive clinical autonomy; however, we found no statistically significant differences in student role for ICEs versus N-ICEs. The ICEs examined in this study may have been implemented without specific objectives, which may explain the lack of characteristic differences between the clinical experience types.

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Athletic Training Students' Perceptions of the Immersive Clinical Experience and its Influence on their Development

Cited by 5 publications

References 29 publications

Examining the Professional Identity Development of Professional Master's Athletic Training Students: A Cohort Study

Examining the Professional Identity Development of Professional Master's Athletic Training Students: A Cohort Study

Multistakeholder Perceptions of Young Professionals’ Integration During Role Transition

Characteristics of Athletic Training Students' Patient Encounters During Immersive and Nonimmersive Clinical Experiences: A Report From the Association for Athletic Training Education Research Network

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