Building Professional Competence by Design or Just Marking Time: Suggestions for Educational Reform in Athletic Therapy Education in Canada

• Published in: Athletic training education journal 2014-06, Vol.9 (2), p.59-63
• Main Authors: Lafave, Mark R, Bergeron, Glen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accountability; Accreditation (Institutions); Allied Health Occupations Education; Athletics; Canada; Clinical Experience; Competence; Educational Change; Foreign Countries; Formative Evaluation; Internship Programs; Medical Education; Physical Therapy; Postsecondary Education; Required Courses; Student Evaluation; Summative Evaluation; Therapy; Training
• ISSN: 1947-380X; 1947-380X
• DOI: 10.4085/090259

Context and Background: Athletic therapy postsecondary education and certification requirements in Canada have reached considerable milestones throughout their history. The most important of these accomplishments was administration of the first Canadian Athletic Therapists' Association (CATA) certification examination in 1975. At that time, there were three basic exam eligibility requirements: (1) core curricular courses; (2) 1,800 practical hours; and (3) a valid first aid certificate. The only significant change to these certification requirements occurred in 1976, when the 1,800-hour internship requirement was reduced to 1,200 hours. However, a documented rationale for this change could not be determined. The noteworthy milestone occurred when the CATA approved a policy stating that, as of September 1999, all future athletic therapy candidates would have to be enrolled in a Canadian accredited program at a postsecondary institution. Although this policy significantly advanced the CATA's postsecondary academic/curricular requirements, the 1,200-hour internship requirement has remained unchanged for almost four decades. Objective: The purpose of this commentary is to stimulate discussion about the linkage between the practical-hour requirements and teaching, evaluating, and achieving clinical competence. Recommendations: Recommendations for change are based on lessons learned by other organizations for medical educators and allied health care professions, such as the National Athletic Trainers' Association. One suggestion for change is to hold students accountable for achieving a predetermined level of clinical competence before they move through or graduate from a program. In order to accomplish this goal, students must be assessed with valid and reliable evaluation tools. Conclusion: Therefore, it is important to establish a group of stakeholders who can identify issues and articulate a plan to guide the future of postsecondary athletic therapy education in Canada.