Athletic Training Finds a New Home in the College of Allied Health Sciences

A new focus on a master's degree program is the main reason why the University of Cincinnati (UC) Athletic Training program has a new home. Over the 2016 summer, the program moved from the College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH) to the College of Allied Health Sciences (CAHS).

"National accreditation was the reason for the move," says Pat Graman, director of the UC Athletic Training Program. "Effective 2022, eligibility for the Board of Certification for Athletic Training national exam will require a master's degree. This means that our bachelor's degree program will need to transition to a master's degree program."

The Athletic Training Strategic Alliance, which consists of athletic trainers from across the spectrum of the profession, was charged with studying this degree transition and with providing programs across the nation with a framework to evaluate opportunities and challenges. Based on the recommendations proposed by the Athletic Training Strategic Alliance, it was determined that the UC Athletic Training program would be better situated in CAHS. CAHS is part of the UC Academic Health Center, which also includes the College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, and the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy.

"It is the perfect fit for the Athletic Training Program," says Graman, pointing to Rehabilitation Department faculty which include experts in the assessment and rehabilitation of the musculoskeletal and neuromuscular systems, exercise physiology, biomechanics and ergonomics, anatomy, neuroscience, kinesiology, pharmacology and pathophysiology. "Combined with the existing athletic training faculty, the expertise available to the current undergraduate students and the future graduate students will continue to support a rigorous and successful program."

The Athletic Training Program began the transition from CECH to CAHS in May of 2016 when the faculty moved offices and classroom facilities to French Hall East. The process of migrating current students, courses and administration will be completed by the spring semester of 2017.

"We're transitioning out of the bachelor's degree, so this is the last freshman class we're accepting in," says Graman. "We'll transition this out for the next four years."

Students interested in pursuing athletic training are encouraged to consider the health sciences undergraduate degree, which is in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences. This degree will fulfill the undergraduate requirements for the upcoming Master of Science in Athletic Training degree at UC. 

Graman has been the director of athletic training for UC since 1996, and her time in sports medicine and athletic training at the university dates back to 1980. Since then, the field has grown and changed dramatically.

"What these kids are learning now in school is unbelievable," says Graman. "Now there's so much more science behind it. There are athletic training jobs now that didn't exist 30 years ago. Back then, the majority of our employment was at the collegiate level, but now the majority of our employment is either with a sports medicine provider or hospital based."