The UNL Athletic Training Program (UNL ATP) clinical education program is designed to work directly with information taught in the classroom to provide athletic training students with well-rounded, hands-on clinical educational experiences. These experiences include opportunities to learn and collaborate in a variety of environments with a diverse group of healthcare professionals. Emphasis is placed on preparing athletic training students to function in a variety of settings with patients who participate in a wide range of activities. Both the classroom and clinical education components of the UNL ATP are based on the areas as described in the explained in the Board of Certification Practice Analysis 8th Edition. The purpose of the clinical education component of the UNL ATP is to serve as an extension of the classroom where athletic training students learn how to integrate information and skills learned in the classroom into their clinical education experiences.
Clinical education is considered a critical academic component of the UNL ATP. Athletic training students must register for a clinical course each semester they are enrolled as a professional student in the UNL ATP. Actions performed by an athletic training student while participating in their clinical education are not considered “work” or “volunteer”.
Clinical education courses do not meet on a regular schedule (i.e., traditional didactic courses). Clinical education meeting times are dependent on the specific circumstances and situations that surround the various clinical education assignments. Clinical education times may occur during regular academic hours as well as nights and weekends. At times, these situations may be weather dependent and out of control of the preceptor. It is the responsibility of the athletic training student and their assigned preceptor(s) to schedule and monitor all clinical education hours. At the beginning of each clinical education assignment the athletic training student and the preceptor(s), together will develop a tentative weekly clinical education schedule that will outline suggested meeting days and times (Appendix G). It is important to keep in mind that the schedule listed on the tentative schedule might vary occasionally depending on the schedules of the clinical assignments. All clinical hours must be logged online in the Typhon platform within 7 days of completion of these hours. Hours are unable to be submitted after 7 days.
The UNL ATP participates in regular clinical education opportunities that are located off the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus that may include transportation costs (i.e., public transit or access to an automobile).
Clinical education classes take precedence over elective courses, social clubs, and employment. It is expected that athletic training student will attend all required clinical education assignments. If an athletic training student cannot attend a scheduled clinical assignment, it is expected the athletic training student will contact their preceptor directly with prior advance notice. If the athletic training student cannot give prior notice, the athletic training student should contact their preceptor as soon as it is feasible with the reason they missed their assigned clinical education assignment.