Athletic Training Education Mission Statement

The Hardin-Simmons University Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) provides the opportunity for professional preparation and growth of athletic training students and staff members, through a combination of formal and informal education along with structured practical experiences in a Christian environment. Both the classroom and various clinical settings provide a superb environment for athletic training students to obtain the resources and experiences necessary to meet their individual needs to become credentialed athletic trainers, by keeping literature, equipment and techniques current with technological and scientific trends in the athletic training community.

Objectively, the ATEP aims to build a positive reputation among athletic training students, student-athletes, parents, administrators, physicians, community and region by maintaining a professional and ethical environment, to ensure the athletic training student is prepared to become a successful athletic training professional upon graduation. This preparation must include not only knowledge and skills, but values, ethics, and effective critical- thinking and decision-making skills.

The dedicated faculty of the HSU ATEP strive to be leaders in all domains of athletic training. These goals and philosophy will be the foundation on which the entire program is supported. The athletic training faculty will project an image of a skilled, hard-working, integrity-driven and compassionate professional while using ethics, professionalism and good judgment, centering on the well-being of the athletic training student to guide our attitudes and actions.

To ensure excellence in athletic training education, frequent evaluations will be conducted, geared to developing strengths and leadership qualities, as well as improving individual weaknesses, in all students and ATEP faculty members. These evaluations, as well as credentialing examination results and first-year graduate and employer surveys, will directly enhance the ATEP. This commitment to the constant evaluation of program strengths and weaknesses will allow necessary improvements to be made to strengthen the ATEP.

Program Goals and Objectives

1. To provide students desiring to attend a small, Christian university with an opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree in athletic training which will prepare them to provide the broadest range of athletic training services, including injury prevention, recognition, evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation, through both classroom and clinical experiences.
2. To provide athletic training students with the knowledge, skills, values and abilities to successfully complete all requirements for state licensure and BOC certification.
3. To effectively prepare students to enter the athletic training profession in their chosen setting, so they may enhance the provision of health care through prevention, diagnosis and intervention with emergency, acute and chronic medical conditions.
4. To promote athletic training as an allied health profession, and to positively impact public perception of athletic training and its role in the global health care community.