Biomedical subjects

Thomas G Weidner

Publications and source records attributed to Thomas G Weidner.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

Development of Standards and Criteria for the Selection, Training, and Evaluation of Athletic Training Approved Clinical Instructors.

OBJECTIVE: To develop standards and associated criteria for the selection, training, and evaluation of athletic training approved clinical instructors (ACIs). DESIGN AND SETTING: A previously developed set of 7 physical therapy clinical instructor standards/criteria and 2 additional standards/criteria developed through a review of the literature were systematically adapted, judged, and revised through a Delphi technique. SUBJECTS: Athletic training education experts currently employed as program directors for entry-level Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs-accredited athletic training educational programs and who had the following: a doctoral degree, at least 5 years of supervising athletic training students, and familiarity/experience with clinical instruction in various athletic training clinical education settings. MEASUREMENTS: We used panelists' critiques and ratings to make sequential revisions in a series of 3 Delphi rounds. Standards were rated as to whether they were clear, necessary, and appropriate. We rated criteria for the associated standard as to whether they were useful, helpful, clear, specific, and consistent. RESULTS: We developed a final set of 7 standards and 50 associated criteria to measure these standards. The accepted standards include the following: legal and ethical behavior, communication skills, interpersonal relationships, instructional skills, supervisory and administrative skills, evaluation of performance, and clinical skills and knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: The 7 standards and associated criteria developed in this research project could be used not only for selecting, training, and evaluating an ACI but also for developing an understanding of the requirements of clinical education in general. Further research should include validating these standards/criteria among athletic training ACIs representing different types of clinical settings.

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PubMed2002

Historical Perspective of Athletic Training Clinical Education.

OBJECTIVE: To present a historical perspective of the development and evolution of clinical education in the medical and allied health professions, with a special interest in athletic training; to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the depth and breadth of the structured and formal clinical education needed in athletic training, for both the present and the future. DATA SOURCES: Information was drawn from the Educational Resources Information Center (1966-2001), MEDLINE (1966-2001), SPORT Discus (1830-2002), and CINAHL (1982-2002) searches of historical literature relating to the development of medical, allied health, and athletic training clinical education. Key words searched were clinical education, clinical instruction, medical education, allied health education, history of medical education, athletic training education, and history of clerkships. We also used reference materials cited in historical textbooks on medical education. DATA SYNTHESIS: Clinical education in American medical schools evolved from a primarily didactic process to the clinical-clerkship model. In contrast, athletic training professional preparation was initially more steeped in clinical experiences and less in didactic instruction. CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS: Reviewing medical education over the past century and allied health clinical education over the past 30 years provides interesting insights about the past, present, and future of athletic training professional preparation. Athletic training clinical education is undergoing reform and development, which will subsequently enhance the profession. Athletic training has entered an exciting era in its history.

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PubMed2002

Clinical Supervision of Athletic Training Students at Colleges and Universities Needs Improvement.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the type and amount of clinical supervision athletic training students received during clinical education. DESIGN AND SETTING: An online survey was conducted with a questionnaire developed specifically for this study. SUBJECTS: Head athletic trainers from National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I (28), Division II (34), and Division III institutions (30). Thirty-four represented Commission on the Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs-accredited athletic training education programs, 20 represented athletic training programs in Joint Review Commission on Athletic Training candidacy, and 35 offered the internship route. MEASUREMENTS: Descriptive statistics were computed. Three sets of chi-square analyses were completed to assess associations among athletic training students with first-responder qualifications, program and institution characteristics, certified athletic trainer medical coverage of moderate- and increased-risk sports, and clinical supervision. A trend analysis of students' class standing and time spent in different types of clinical supervision was also completed. The alpha level was set at <.05. RESULTS: Most of the athletic training students (83.7%), particularly in accredited programs, had first-responder qualifications. More than half of the head athletic trainers (59.8%) indicated that athletic training students were authorized to provide medical care coverage without supervision. A minimal amount of medical care coverage of moderate- and increased-risk sports was unsupervised. No significant difference between the size of the education or athletic program and type and amount of clinical supervision was noted. Freshman athletic training students spent more time in direct clinical supervision and less time in unsupervised experience, but the opposite was true for senior students. CONCLUSIONS: Athletic training students are being utilized beyond appropriate clinical supervision and the scope of clinical education. Future research should employ methods using nonparticipant observation of clinical instructors' supervision of students as well as students' own perceptions of their clinical supervision.

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PubMed2002

Clinical-Education-Setting Standards Are Helpful in the Professional Preparation of Employed, Entry-Level Certified Athletic Trainers.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the helpfulness of clinical-education-setting standards in the professional preparation of entry-level certified athletic trainers. DESIGN AND SETTING: We developed a 22-item questionnaire based on the 12 standards presented by Weidner and Laurent. Subjects used a Likert scale (0 = no help, 5 = very helpful) to indicate their perceptions of the helpfulness of each standard in preparing them for their roles and responsibilities as certified athletic trainers. SUBJECTS: We surveyed employed, entry-level certified athletic trainers who recently completed Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs-accredited athletic training education programs. MEASUREMENTS: Percentage means were computed for the helpfulness ratings of each standard. A percentage mean was computed for the overall contribution of clinical education to professional development. Chi-square analyses were used to assess the differences in helpfulness ratings among respondents. RESULTS: The overall mean score across all standards was 4.17. No significant differences in the helpfulness ratings of any of the respondents were noted regardless of sex, ethnicity, number of clinical-education hours, total semesters of clinical education, settings in which students gained clinical experience, or current employment (P </=.05). CONCLUSIONS: The standards for athletic training clinical-education settings are helpful and should be applied to all settings. Varying standards do not need to be imposed on our different athletic training clinical-education settings.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Importance and applicability of approved clinical instructor standards and criteria to certified athletic trainers in different clinical education settings.

CONTEXT: For optimal clinical education of athletic training students, Clinical Instructor Educators and program directors need to proactively select, train, and evaluate their Approved Clinical Instructors (ACIs). OBJECTIVE: To assess the relative importance and applicability of ACI standards to certified athletic trainers employed in different athletic training clinical education settings. DESIGN: Respondents rated and ranked the importance and applicability of the 7 standards presented by Weidner and Henning. Crucial standards to warrant dropping an ACI from the clinical education program were also listed. SETTING: Mailed questionnaire. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: A total of 55 program directors invited their ACIs, representing different types of clinical settings, to complete the questionnaire. Of the 399 ACIs who responded, 30 (8%) worked in clinics, 50 (13%) in high schools, and 319 (79%) in colleges or universities. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): We compared the mean scores of the importance and applicability ratings and rankings by employment setting. Chi-square analyses were calculated to measure associations between employment settings and whether a standard was crucial. Respondents' comments were also assessed. RESULTS: No significant differences were noted among employment settings for overall importance and applicability ratings. A difference was seen for only interpersonal relationships, with clinic and high school respondents giving this standard higher importance and applicability ratings than college/university respondents. No associations were shown between the settings and whether a standard was marked as crucial. The importance of a standard and barriers to implementing a standard (particularly ACI role strain) were the most common themes. CONCLUSIONS: The Weidner and Henning standards are considered to be important and applicable across a variety of athletic training clinical education settings. Legal and ethical behavior was considered the most crucial standard. The ACIs seemed to be encountering role strain in their dual roles as clinicians and clinical instructors, a problem warranting further investigation.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Peer-assisted learning in the athletic training clinical setting.

CONTEXT: Athletic training educators often anecdotally suggest that athletic training students enhance their learning by teaching their peers. However, peer-assisted learning (PAL) has not been examined within athletic training education in order to provide evidence for its current use or as a pedagogic tool. OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence of PAL in athletic training clinical education and to identify students' perceptions of PAL. DESIGN: Descriptive. SETTING: "The Athletic Training Student Seminar" at the National Athletic Trainers' Association 2002 Annual Meeting and Clinical Symposia. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 138 entry-level male and female athletic training students. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Students' perceptions regarding the prevalence and benefits of and preferences for PAL were measured using the Athletic Training Peer-Assisted Learning Assessment Survey. The Survey is a self-report tool with 4 items regarding the prevalence of PAL and 7 items regarding perceived benefits and preferences. RESULTS: A total of 66% of participants practiced a moderate to large amount of their clinical skills with other athletic training students. Sixty percent of students reported feeling less anxious when performing clinical skills on patients in front of other athletic training students than in front of their clinical instructors. Chi-square analysis revealed that 91% of students enrolled in Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs-accredited athletic training education programs learned a minimal to small amount of clinical skills from their peers compared with 65% of students in Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Athletic Training-candidacy schools (chi2(3) = 14.57, P < .01). Multiple analysis of variance revealed significant interactions between sex and academic level on several items regarding benefits and preferences. CONCLUSIONS: According to athletic training students, PAL is occurring in the athletic training clinical setting. Entry-level students are utilizing their peers as resources for practicing clinical skills and report benefiting from the collaboration. Educators should consider deliberately integrating PAL into athletic training education programs to enhance student learning and collaboration.

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