Clinical Education and Experience

Clinical education/experience is an important aspect to Athletic Training education. The Marist ATP offers progressive experiences to ensure that students are able to practice and apply skills and proficiencies taught in the classroom and labs. Athletic training students learn not only in small classroom settings but also through one-on-one mastery of athletic training skills with clinical preceptors. All Clinical Preceptors are certified athletic trainers or other licensed health care professionals and are aware of the clinical experience level of each athletic training student, and the overall structure, mission and philosophy of our education plan. They are able to assist with the teaching and evaluation of clinical skills and proficiencies required for each of the students assigned to them, as well as the professional development and maturation of each student.

 

Pre-Professional Phase

Pre-professional phase students must complete 60 hours of observation. During the first year, students will complete three different observation rotations and will shadow professional phase students and their clinical supervisors. The purpose of the observation experience is to provide the student with a better understanding for what is required of a professional phase student and to gain a better appreciation for the professional life of a certified athletic trainer. Pre-professional students will not have clinical skills evaluated and will not directly participate in patient care during the observation experience however they may assist in other aspects of athletic training.

Professional Phase

Professional Phase students will complete three 10-week clinical field experiences each year (sophomore, junior and senior), consisting of fall, winter and spring rotations coinciding with the traditional sport seasons. These experiential learning opportunities are deliberately designed to provide students with progressive and supervised experiences in which they are expected to participate directly in patient care and build upon their learning, progressing from novices to intermediate, and to entry-level practitioners. Critical to this experiential learning process is for the students to evaluate and reflect on their experiences throughout the process, to practice deliberately, and to receive constructive feedback throughout.

Athletic training students will gain "hands-on" experience with the physically active in traditional and non-traditional settings. These settings include intercollegiate athletics in area colleges, interscholastic athletics in area high schools, sports medicine clinics, and physician's offices.

The following is a list of the ATP’s current clinical affiliations:

High Schools

Arlington High School
Beacon High School
FD Roosevelt High School
John Jay High School
Kingston High School
Marlboro High School
Millbrook School
Our Lady of Lourdes High School
Roy C. Ketcham High School
Poughkeepsie High School
Red Hook High School
Spackenkill High School

Colleges

Bard College
Marist College
SUNY New Paltz
USMA-West Point
Vassar College

Clinics

Feldman Physical Therapy
Harrison Physical Therapy
Ivy Rehab
Marist Health Services
Mid-Hudson Regional Medical Center: The Therapy Connection
Millbrook Orthopedic and Sport Physical Therapy
Therapy in Motion

Prior to beginning observation hours and professional phase clinical field experiences, students must have the following on file with the ATP:

• Updated physical examination and negative tuberculosis skin test (Professional phase only)
• Current Immunization Record (HBV Vaccination or signed waiver, Meningococcal Meningitis Vaccine or signed waiver, MMR, Td (Tetanus)/Diphtheria or/and Tdap within last 10 years, Varicella (Chicken pox) vaccine or history of disease)
• Current Bloodborne Pathogens Training
• Signed Active Communicable Disease Policy Form
• Current HIPAA Training
• Signed Confidentiality statement
• Signed Technical Standards form
• Current Emergency Cardiac Care (ECC) training (pre-professional phase students will receive ECC training during the first year)

All forms will be provided prior to the beginning of the observation or clinical field experience.

Communicable Disease Policy

Students who are unable to attend clinical field experience hours due to an illness or disease should seek medical attention. Any student that has been diagnosed with a contagious disease such as strep throat, staph infection, ringworm, or conjunctivitis should not report for clinical hours or classes until he or she is no longer contagious. Students should be prepared to provide appropriate documentation regarding the illness and medical attention that was sought. In cases of contagious disease the documentation should include a date that the student can safely return to the clinical site. Students with influenza like symptoms should follow instructions from Marist College Health Services (see the Health Services web site, /student-life/services/health-services).  The Clinical Education Coordinator as well as the student’s clinical preceptor should be notified of the condition as soon as possible. Students with questions should speak to the Clinical Education Coordinator or the ATP Director.