Athletic Training Student Core Competency Professional Behavior Implementation Between Immersive and Non-immersive Clinical Experiences: A Report From the Association for Athletic Training Education (AATE) Research Network

Abstract

Context The Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education requires athletic training programs to emphasize the use of professional behaviors that are associated with 6 core competencies, 5 of which were measured in this study: patient-centered care, interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP), evidence-based practice (EBP), health information technology (HIT), and quality improvement (QI). The purpose of this study was to examine the association between clinical experience type and student implementation of behaviors associated with the core competencies. Design Multisite, panel design. Setting Twelve professional athletic training programs (7 graduate, 5 undergraduate). Patients or Other Participants A total of 338 athletic training students logged patient encounters for 1 academic year in the E*Value system. Main Outcome Measure(s) Students reported clinical experience type (immersive versus nonimmersive) and implementation of behaviors associated with core competencies. Counts of professional behaviors were calculated, and differences in behavior implementation between immersive (ICEs) and non-immersive (N-ICEs) clinical experiences were assessed using a generalized estimating-equations approach for patient-centered care, IPECP, EBP, HIT, and QI behaviors (P < .05). Results Students implemented more behaviors associated with IPECP (P = .002), EBP (P = .002), and HIT (P = .042) during ICEs than N-ICEs. Students implemented the QI behavior more often during N-ICEs than during ICEs (P = .001). Patient-centered care behavior did not differ between clinical experience types. Conclusions Immersive clinical experiences facilitate increased implementation of behaviors associated with EBP, IPECP, and HIT, while N-ICEs offered increased opportunities for QI behaviors. Program administrators should consider placement of ICEs and N-ICEs in the curriculum that align with students’ capability to perform core competency behaviors. Preceptors of both ICEs and N-ICEs should be encouraged to provide students with opportunities to implement all core competencies during their clinical experience.