Athletic Training Student Performance Evaluation: A Content and Frequency Analysis

Abstract

This study described the content of clinical performance evaluation forms utilized to evaluate athletic training students and the frequency in which they were utilized by preceptors. The purpose of this study was to determine what professional skills and behaviors were being evaluated by preceptors during formal evaluation sessions of athletic training students enrolled in CAATE accredited programs. A secondary purpose of this study was to describe the type of feedback and frequency in which it is given to the students during clinical rotations. Descriptive statistics were used to determine what professional behaviors and skills were being evaluated by preceptors in the clinical setting. Descriptive statistics were also used to determine the type of feedback and the frequency in which feedback was given to students during clinical rotations. The results of this study indicated that the majority of programs are utilizing preceptors to evaluate students' clinical performance at the middle and end of clinical rotations. A small number of programs are choosing to use preceptors to evaluate students on the Foundational Behaviors of Professional Practice, and the incidence of evaluation for clinical skills varies greatly between institutions. The results of this study also indicated that students are largely receiving quantitative feedback, with the incidence of qualitative feedback varying between institutions. Findings resulted in the conclusion that athletic training education program directors and clinical coordinators should consider the views of healthcare professionals regarding new graduates of athletic training programs along with the proportion of professional behaviors and skills outlined in the Competencies when deciding which evaluation methods and practices are best suited at their institutions.