Internship in Athletic Training, PESS 444
Agreement/Contract
- Students will provide a list of potential internship sites to the Coordinator of Athletic Training Education
- The internship will start when the semester starts and end when the semester ends. If there are any changes in the time schedule it must be noted prior to start of internship.
- Students enrolling for the Internship in Athletic Training can select from the following:
- 4 semester credits, 200 clock hours
- 6 semester credits, 300 clock hours
- 8 semester credits, 400 clock hours
- 10 semester credits, 500 clock hours
- 12 semester credits, 600 clock hours
- When the student has been awarded an internship at an agency, a letter from the agency must be sent to the Coordinator of Athletic Training Education for approval. The letter must state who will be your agency supervisor, what your project task(s) will be during your internship, and who will do the final evaluation of the internship experience. To count hours toward NATA certification the agency direct supervisor must be a certified athletic trainer.
- The Coordinator of Athletic Training Education will respond to the agency letting them know that they are approved sites for the internship experience.
Schedule for receipt of written work by the Coordinator of Athletic Training Education
| Written Assignments | Date Due |
| Project Outline | End of 4th Week |
| Supervisor's Mid Semester Evaluation | 7th Week |
| Rough Draft of Project | 11th Week |
| Supervisor's Final Evaluation | 15th Week or last week of SSII |
| Daily Journal | 15th Week or last week of SSII |
| Internship Exit Interview | During finals week or last week of SSII student must meet with Coordinator of Athletic Training Education to present project. |
Evaluation
Student will be graded according to work performed during the internship. The student's final grade will be based upon, but not limited to, the following.
- Evaluation reports
- Daily journal
- Project
- Evidence of growth through the appropriate use of skill on job assignments, self direction/motivation, written and verbal communications, significant progress or completion of tasks assigned, and the ability of the student to meet practical problems in the field of athletic training
Course Objectives
The student will be able to:
- Demonstrate effective communicative skills
- Organize and manage time effectively
- Show the ability to be creative and responsible
- Accept constructive suggestions to improve performance
- Gain first hand knowledge and understanding of Athletic Training Programs.
- Integrate and apply knowledge, theory, and understanding from Athletic Training classes and practical experience working in the Athletic Training Room.
- Develop techniques and skills common to the practice of athletic training.
- Discover strengths and weaknesses which may be reduced through the educational program
- Test his/her interest and aptitude for a career in Athletic Training.
- Prepare for entry level employment in a professional role in Athletic Training.
Course Requirements
- Complete an in-depth project. The idea for the project may be generated by the student or jointly with the agency supervisor; however, the work presented must be the student's own.
- The student must submit a detailed, typed outline of the proposed project to the Coordinator of Athletic Training Education.
- Purpose of project
- How it will benefit the student and agency
- What will be included in the project
- Impact of project
- The project will be presented as part of the exit interview.
- Title
- Table of content
- Project
- Appendices
- Sources of information
- Daily journal
- Describe the program and experiences as you see it at the end of each day.
- Describe how you are meeting your stated goals and objectives
- Keep a daily and weekly running total of hours worked
- Discuss what projects, activities, meetings and tasks you have been assigned
- Presentations made and to what groups
- Meeting professional in the medical field associated with the Athletic Training internship
- Reports are to be mailed, faxed, e-mailed to the Coordinator of Athletic Training Education on a weekly basis.
Responsibilities of the Agency Mentor for PESS 444, Athletic Training Internship
- To be responsible for all relationships between St. Cloud State University and the intern agency. (includes initial letter of acceptance) The mentor should not allow the student intern to function in any way that seriously impairs the quality of the agency services. The mentor should allow the student reasonable freedom to experience various levels of athletic training.
- To interpret the athletic training internship program to other members of the agency staff and help the student gain acceptance as a member of the agency staff.
- To help the student intern understand his/her job as it relates to the athletic training profession.
- To provide a safe working environment.
- To define the role of the student athletic training intern through:
- Conferences to set up goals, objectives and tasks.
- Conferences (at least one per week) to discuss situations that arise in the process of performing regular assigned duties, techniques of leadership, methods of operation and factors that aid the student to better understand duties pertaining to operations as they exist in the agency.
- Informing the student of all regulation to be observed, dress code, and protocols.
- Documenting the student intern's hours worked per day and week.
- To evaluate the internship of the student
- Schedule periodic conferences with the student
- Inform Athletic Training Education Coordinator of evaluation by fax or e-mail
- Perform a mid-internship evaluation to aid the student and to give specific indications of the student's progress.
- To present criticism in a constructive, objective, and tactful manner.
- A written appraisal of the student's activities during the internship field experience (strengths and weaknesses and other information concerning the student that the mentor believes would be pertinent in the further education of the student)
Philosophy Statement Regarding Internships
The internship experience provides the opportunity for students to place into practice the theories, knowledge, research and skills learned in the academic environment and in the St. Cloud State Athletic Training Room. Students will observe and perform a variety of duties in a real work environment. Students will interact with various staff members, physical therapists, physicians, athletic trainers and other health professionals while they assume the appropriate role of an athletic training intern. At the conclusion of the internship experience, it is St. Cloud State University's expectation that the student would have acquired advanced skills.
