Athletic Training Education Program
What's UNIQUE about the ATEP at Heidelberg College?
1. Heidelberg is one of few NCAA Division III schools with an ATEP to have a fully academic Program Director to oversee the academic and administrative duties necessary to keep the program in compliance with national accreditation standards.
2. Heidelberg is one of the few places in the nation that has an independent Athletic Training Department. In most colleges and universities, the ATEP is housed under a department with related majors or other programs. Heidelberg's standalone Athletic Training Department allows the Program Director to have more direct input in and influence on academic and administrative decisions that affect the ATEP program.
3. Heidelberg's faculty of Certified Athletic Trainers includes five full-time faculty members, most of whom have dual roles that involve clinical and academic services. Select the "Faculty" link to learn more.
4. Heidelberg's Athletic Training students experience clinical education that involves working directly with primary care and orthopedic physicians, NCAA Division II & Division III athletics and various medical professionals, including nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists and chiropractors.
5. Heidelberg has offered an Athletic Training/Sports Medicine Program for more than 20 years starting in 1987. We have been preparing students for careers in athletic training before many other programs came into existence.
Program Overview: "Welcome to the BERG"
Heidelberg's Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) is designed to prepare students for various careers in the athletic training profession. The ATEP curriculum is based on the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) Education Competencies.
The program has two components: didactic and clinical. The didactic component includes traditional coursework and laboratory exercises. The clinical component requires practical experiences in a supervised environment at our affiliated sites. All students in the program are required to obtain at least 800 supervised contact hours in athletic training and allied health settings.
Admission to the ATEP is competitive and selective. Completion of the application standards does not guarantee admission. Final admission rests with the decision of the ATEP Selection Committee.
The ATEP provides students with knowledge and experience in:
- Risk Management/Injury Prevention
- Pathology
- Assessment/Evaluation of Injuries and Illnesses
- Acute Care
- Pharmacology
- Therapeutic Modalities
- Therapeutic Exercise
- General Medical Conditions and Disabilities
- Nutrition
- Health Care Administration
- Professional Development
Upon successful completion of the ATEP, the student will be recommended for a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Athletic Training and will be eligible for endorsement by the Program Director to sit for the National Athletic Trainers Association Board of Certification (NATABOC) Examination.
Students who successfully pass the NATABOC examination will have the option of working in a variety of settings as a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC). Certified Athletic Trainers are commonly employed in high schools, universities, colleges, Olympic sports, physical therapy/rehabilitation clinics, physician offices, corporations and professional sports teams. As the profession of athletic training expands, ATCs are also finding positions as entrepreneurs and in NASCAR, private industry, the military and other non-traditional settings. Athletics are just the tip of the ice"BERG"!
Heidelberg's Athletic Training Education Program is nationally accredited by the:
Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE)
2201 Double Creek Drive, Suite 5006
Round Rock, Texas 78664
* Heidelberg's ATEP received full initial national accreditation from CAATE in April 2005.
* Our next site visit for re-accreditation will be during the 2009-10 academic year.