Why Choose Athletic Training at Illinois State University?

1. Excellent, caring faculty and staff

2. Carefully developed curriculum including laboratory experiences

3. Personal attention: We get to know who you are and why you want to be an athletic trainer. This leads to a better understanding of your goals and personal attention to your individual needs as a student.

4. Emphasis on critical thinking and problem solving: We cannot possibly teach you everything you need to know to be an athletic trainer. But, we can teach you exactly how to apply resources to continue learning new information and skills that keep you well informed as an athletic trainer.

5. Professionalism, ownership, and belonging: These characteristics are linked to help you feel comfortable when asking questions that you do not know as well as volunteering information that you do know. We are committed to ensuring that you get the most from your experience and that you are prepared for entry into the exciting and ever-changing profession of athletic training.

6. Excellent alumni: Our network of alumni is extensive and can help you achieve your particular goals related to internship and job placement.

7. The internship: Applying what you have learned in a controlled setting will help you develop confidence and help you achieve success that cannot be accomplished in a classroom or a laboratory.

Everything you might like to know (and more!)

The athletic training education program at Illinois State University earned continuing accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE)  in July, 2006.  Through the accreditation process and because of the efforts of those involved, this athletic training education program boasts outstanding faculty and staff, excellent facilities, thoroughly developed classroom and laboratory components, and well-developed clinical rotations and internship opportunities. 

The ATEP faculty and staff are committed to ensuring the student has the opportunity for a thorough education both in the classroom and in the laboratory that is further enriched by quality instruction and evaluation with a variety of clinical instructors.  The coursework is designed to provide the student with adequate knowledge and skills to practice in clinical settings under the direct supervision of a certified athletic trainer.  This bridges the gap between the classroom and the clinical, hands-on experience necessary to be successful as an athletic trainer.  The program is designed to qualify the student to transition to an entry level athletic training position or graduate school.

The clinical rotation and internship settings for the students include intercollegiate athletics, high schools, sports medicine and orthopedic clinics, and the opportunity for professional athletics.  This series of rotations serves to prepare the student for many of the various possibilities for employment following the undergraduate course of study.  There are 20 Approved Clinical Instructors and a number of other clinical teaching experts and allied medical personnel who assist in the practical education of our students.  The students are involved directly in the clinical setting from the time they are admitted to the program.  This serves to ensure experiential learning in which the student learns the knowledge and skills in the classroom setting, practices in the practicum setting with faculty members, and applies the information in a structured format under the supervision of the clinical instructor.  The program also emphasizes the principles of critical thinking and problem solving; further skills necessary for success as an athletic trainer.

Illinois State University is a member of the NCAA Division I-A (Missouri Valley Conference) in all sports with the exception of football which is I-AA (Gateway Conference).  The institution fields 15 sports which provide the student ample opportunity to practice with athletes from men's teams, women's teams, contact sports, non-contact sports, and individual sports.  Additional clinical instruction occurs in traditional athletic training settings including high schools, sports medicine clinics, and small colleges.  Students who are successfully admitted to the clinical portion of the academic program are assigned to an approved clinical instructor each semester who coordinates the student experience and evaluates the skills and abilities of the athletic training student.  The clinical instructor is available to assist the student in appropriate decision making, problem solving, and with mastery of the athletic training proficiencies and competencies.  Mutual feedback is regularly encouraged and formal evaluation takes place twice each semester.

Graduates from the ISU ATEP have been placed in high schools, sports medicine clinics, industrial settings, professional athletics, and graduate schools to further specialize in athletic training or earn other master's degrees.  The advantage to a program with numerous clinical opportunities is that the student is prepared for an increased number of employment prospects.

The ISU ATEP is a five semester concentration with an additional summer internship experience.  There is one semester of directed observation during which the student makes formal application to the clinical program.