The 12 content areas for athletic training educational competencies are risk management and injury prevention; pathology of injuries and illnesses; orthopedic clinical examination and diagnosis; medical conditions and disabilities; acute care of injuries and illnesses; therapeutic modalities; conditioning and rehabilitative exercise; pharmacology; psychosocial intervention and referral; nutritional aspects of injuries and illnesses; health care administration; and professional development and responsibility.
The foundational behaviors of professional practice for athletic training are core beliefs that coincide with every educational competency. The foundational behaviors include primacy of the patient, a teamed approach to practice, legal practice, ethical practice, advancing knowledge, cultural competence and professionalism. By infusing these behaviors into each content area of the educational competencies, athletic training educational programs uphold the ethical values expected by the National Athletic Trainers' Association.
In addition to the 12 content areas of athletic training educational competencies, there are three sub-categories of behavioral classifications. Cognitive competencies are used to categorize the behavioral aspects of knowledge and intellectual skills. Psychomotor competencies describe the manipulative and motor skills used in the 12 content areas. Both of these competencies are based on the basic principles of Bloom's Taxonomy. As students progress in their athletic training education, the National Athletic Trainers' Association expects that they will demonstrate a deeper understanding of Bloom's Taxonomy and these competencies themselves. Clinical proficiencies classify the decision-making and skill integration levels utilized while working through a content area.
As an introduction to the profession of athletic training, educational competencies set the framework for a student's education. According to the National Athletic Trainer's Association, while these guidelines are a constant reference for athletic trainers, it is a student's responsibility to work toward a higher level of knowledge and proficiency in athletic training. While these educational competencies provide introductory concepts and examples of athletic training, they should be utilized as a stepping stone into more in-depth athletic training studies.