The UNL Athletic Training Program (UNL ATP) clinical education program is designed to directly complement classroom learning, providing students with hands-on experiences that prepare them for real-world practice. Students will have the opportunity to collaborate with a variety of health care professionals across diverse environments. Emphasis is placed on developing the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to work with patients in multiple settings and activity levels.
Both classroom and clinical education components of the UNL ATP are based on the Board of Certification (BOC) Practice Analysis, 8th Edition. Clinical education serves as an extension of the classroom, allowing students to apply what they learn in coursework to authentic clinical experiences.
Expectations and Requirements
- Critical Academic Component: Clinical education is a required part of the curriculum. Students must enroll for a clinical course each semester they are enrolled in the UNL ATP beginning with ATHT 810 – Clinical Education I taken in the Fall Semester of year one.
- Not Work or Volunteering: Activities performed during clinical education are part of the academic program and are not considered “work” or “volunteer” hours.
- Scheduling: Unlike traditional classes, clinical education does not follow a fixed schedule. Assignments may occur during regular class hours, evenings, or weekends, and may be affected by factors such as weather. At the start of each clinical assignment, students and their preceptor(s) will create a tentative weekly schedule (see Appendix G). This schedule may vary based on the demands of the clinical site.
- Hour Tracking: All clinical hours must be logged in the Typhon platform within 7 days of completion. Hours cannot be submitted after the 7-day window.
- Off-Campus Opportunities: Some clinical assignments take place off campus and may involve personal transportation costs (e.g., public transit or vehicle use).
Attendance and Professionalism
- Clinical education takes precedence over elective courses, employment, and extracurricular activities.
- Students are expected to attend all scheduled clinical assignments.
- If a student cannot attend a scheduled assignment, they must notify their preceptor in advance. If advance notice is not possible, the student should contact the preceptor as soon as feasible and provide an explanation.