About Athletic Training

Athletic training is a professional field of study that primarily addresses the well-being of the athlete. The athletic trainer assumes responsibility for the overall health care of the athletic population, particularly having an integral role in the prevention, recognition, care and rehabilitation of athletic injuries. Athletic trainers have been employed in traditional settings that include: high schools, colleges, universities, professional sports teams, hospitals, and rehabilitation clinics. Of late, the practice of athletic training has expanded to include a variety of settings apart from the traditional athletic population which now include: physicians’ offices, corporate and industrial institutions, the military, and the performing arts. Regardless of the practice setting, athletic trainers practice athletic training (or provide athletic training services) according to educational preparation and state practice act.

The mission of the University of Missouri Athletic Training Education Program is to be a global leader in providing exceptional learning environments to foster the academic and professional growth of students pursuing the study of athletic training. The curriculum is designed to enhance critical thinking and practical skill application through didactic and clinical experiences with highly trained, experienced professionals representing a variety of disciplines associated with the Sports Medicine team. Specifically, the goals of the program are to:

• Educate and prepare students to pass the Board of Certification examination to become a certified athletic trainer.
• Produce exceptional athletic trainers for employment in a variety of athletic training settings both traditional and non-traditional.
• Promote an atmosphere emphasizing professional and ethical conduct at all times.
• Provide the athletic training student with opportunities for knowledge and skill development consistent with current and innovative practices.
• Provide high quality instruction associated with didactic and clinical learning environments.
• Identify and promote athletic trainers as an integral part of the Sports Medicine team.
• Promote the athletic training profession through service and leadership.
• Promote athletic training student involvement and activity within the professional organizations including: Missouri Athletic Trainers’ Association (MoATA), Mid-America Athletic Trainers’ Association (MAATA), and the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA).
• Advance the practice and theory of athletic training through research and scholarship.
• Be a global leader in the field of Sports Medicine while preparing athletic training professionals.

Disclaimer: The Athletic Training Education Program at the University of Missouri is NOT accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) . Only graduates of CAATE accredited programs are eligible to sit for the Board of Certifi cation examination. The program is anticipating submission of application for accreditation and subsequent site visit for accreditation in spring 2016. Application and site visitation for accreditation does not guarantee accreditation.