Tabor athletic training program is accredited
After nearly a decade of working toward accreditation, Tabor College's athletic training program joins eight other Kansas higher education schools with their recent Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accreditation.
Accreditation is "national approval of a program meeting all the standards and guidelines CAAHEP sets for the athletic training programs," said Jennifer Livingston, director of the athletic training education program.
The athletic training major is a part of the physical education department and provides students with a sequenced curriculum and hands-on experience to learn how to evaluate, prevent, and rehabilitate injuries.
Initially, when the program began in 1993, students learned through an internship program. In 1995, the internship program was phased out and replaced by a curriculum program.
Currently, students graduating with an athletic training major must go through an accredited program to be eligible to take the national certification exam, Livingston said.
In order for Tabor students to be eligible for the exam, the department went through three steps in the process of accreditation. First, the program went through a three-year, self-study phase in order to comply with national standards. Following that period, individuals from accredited programs visited Tabor and provided them with feedback concerning the program. Finally, during the summer of 2004, the program was recommended for accreditation.
"Thanks to the careful work of Jennifer Livingston, Karol Hunt, chair of the physical education department, and James Moore, head athletic trainer, we received a positive recommendation," said Howard Keim, vice president of academics and student development. "There has been increasing interest from student and we anticipate solid growth in the program in the coming years."
