Clinical Education at Winona State University

Clinical Education and Fieldwork Experiences

Students declaring Exercise and Rehabilitative Sciences: Athletic Training will enroll in HERS 191 either fall or spring semester of the first year. Students will have the opportunity to observe daily operations and the duties related to the profession of athletic training through enrollment in HERS 191. Following successful completion of HERS 191, BIO 211, and BIO 212, student will enroll in HERS 291 during the fall semester. As part of this course, students will participate in limited clinical education experiences and be assigned to an Approved Clinical Instructor. Students participating in clinical education must have (a) current First Aid and CPR certifications, (b) completed Medical Physical, (c) signed Technical Standards, and (d) Hepatitis B vaccinations or signed waiver form on file with the Program Director. All forms may be acquired from the Program Director or on-line at http://www.winona.edu/athletictraining . Students wishing to continue in the major will need to complete the formal application and interview process (see Application and Selection section).

Following successful completion of the application process, students must acquire clinical experiences over a minimum of two and a half academic years as assigned by the Program Director. These experiences will be on a rotation as described in the WSU Athletic Training Handbook and be acquired at a variety of settings that include experiences with upper extremity intensive sports, lower extremity intensive sports, equipment intensive sports, and general medical rotations. These experiences will be under the direct supervision of a variety of Approved Clinical Instructors (ACIs), as well as experiences with other types of health care providers. However, the majority of the student's clinical experiences will be at WSU in a traditional athletic training setting.

 Students obtain traditional clinical education experiences with football, hockey, gymnastics, soccer, basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, track, and wrestling. Students have many opportunities to attend team practices and events, attend NCAA Division II post-season competitions, attend orthopedic surgeries, and learn from our team physician on campus and at the clinic or hospital.

 Athletic Training majors build on the foundation courses of anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, exercise physiology, nutrition and mechanical kinesiology with specific athletic training education courses. These courses expose the student to CAAHEP competencies and proficiencies in injury prevention, recognition, evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation.

 Clinical sites include the athletic training facilities at WSU, Saint Mary's University, Winona Senior High School, Cotter High School, Cochrane Fountain City High School, and Arcadia High School. Students also gain valuable community-based medical experience at Southeast Minnesota Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Surgery Specialists; Sport & Spine Physical Therapy clinic; Rushford Medical Clinic; Winona Area Ambulance Service; and Community Memorial Hospital's Physical Therapy Department, Emergency Department, and Surgery Department.

The Athletic Training Education Program consists of an integrated academic and clinical education programs.  A schematic of this integration is available: Clinical Education Integrated Plan .

Athletic Training Students are required to follow strict skill acquisition that is based upon the skills learned and assessed in the classroom and laboratory: Proficiency Skill Progression

All Athletic Training Students are required to sign a Confidentiality Agreement before participating in any clinical education, field work, or general medical experiences: ATS Confidentiality Agreement

Students participating in Clinical Education experiences must read and sign the following:

Clinical Education Guidelines for ATS

ATS Field Experience Agreement

Students participating in General Medical Rotations must have the supervisor at each site sign the following:

Supplemental Community-Based Health Care Experiences

Observation Agreement