UNC’s Undergraduate Athletic Training Education program seeks to provide students with an opportunity to develop optimal skills in prevention, recognition, evaluation, immediate care, rehabilitation, and reconditioning; health care administration; professional development and responsibility. Students are provided the opportunity to develop their skills in a variety of clinical settings and with a variety of athletes. Students are placed in supervised situations that encourage common sense, rational thinking and problem solving skills. The program also exposes the student to other professionals of the athletic health care team both in the classroom and in the clinical settings.

Accreditation 

The UNC-CH Undergraduate Athletic Training Education Program is nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education. The program is officially recognized as having met the standards established by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine. 

Coursework 

In addition to the College of Arts & Sciences general education requirements, students in the Athletic Training Education Program should take the following courses if they wish to sit for the BOC Exam. 

Classes for Exercise & Sport Science 

·         EXSS 175  Human Anatomy

·         EXSS 181  Sport Psychology

·         EXSS 276  Human Physiology 

·         EXSS 376  Physiological Basis of Human Performance

·         EXSS 385  Biomechanics of Sport

·         EXSS 101  Foundations of EXSS* 

·         EXSS 273  Research in Exercise & Sport Science* 

·         EXSS 380  Neuromuscular Control and Learning* 

*Required to take only one of the three courses

Athletic Training Coursework

·         EXSS 141   Personal Health 

·         EXSS 188   Emergency Care of Injuries & Illness 

·         EXSS 265   Fundamentals of Athletic Training

·         EXSS 271   Athletic Training Clinical

·         EXSS 275L Human Anatomy Laboratory

·         EXSS 360   Sports Nutrition

·         EXSS 366   Evaluation of Athletic Injuries 

·         EXSS 367   Therapeutic Modalities 

·         EXSS 368   Therapeutic Exercise & Rehabilitation 

·         EXSS 369   Athletic Training Seminar

·         EXSS 370   General Medicine in Athletic Training 

Clinical Sites

Once admitted to the program students will gain clinical experience at different affiliated clinical sites located on- and off-campus.

Getting Involved 

Students should become involved in athletic training at the undergraduate level as early as their freshman year. During this time, students are assigned observational hours in the Fetzer Athletic Training Room where they gain exposure to injury evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation.  Students who wish to continue with athletic training as a career path should declare Exercise and Sport Science - Athletic Training as their major and apply to the program in October of their Sophomore year. 

Prerequisites for making application include the following: 

1.  A minimum of 50 observational hours in the Fetzer Athletic Training Room; 

2.  EXSS 175 (Human Anatomy); and/or EXSS 188 (Emergency Care of Injuries and Illness) with a minimum grade of B.

3.  A minimum 2.75 GPA is required prior to admission, however, a 3.0 GPA is recommended. 

Interested students are encouraged to attend an organizational meeting held on the first Tuesday of every semester at 7pm in Fetzer Gymnasium. 

Students interested in the athletic training program may also be interested in the Students Athletic Trainers' Association web page.

Admissions Policy

1. Students apply to enter the athletic training program during the fall semester of their sophomore year for entrance during the spring semester.  Prerequisites for application are listed above.  NOTE: In order to be assigned observational hours prior to applying students must have a minimum GPA of a 2.0.  Once admitted to the program students are required to be certified in both CPR for the professional rescuer and First Aid. 

2.  Applications are accepted between October 1^st and October 15^th for students who wish to begin the program during the following academic semester.  The application process is completed with a formal interview.  Athletic training faculty, staff athletic trainers, and graduate students may be asked to serve on the interview committee.  The program director and clinical site coordinator will make all final decisions.   

3.  As part of the admissions process, applicants must read and sign the “Technical Standards for Admissions” form and the “Medical Records Release Authorization” form.  The “Medical Records Release Authorization” form allows the physicians associated with our program to review your medical records and determine whether or not you are physically able to meet the technical standards set forth by the Undergraduate Athletic Training Education Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  These forms are available from the program director.

The technical standards set forth by the Undergraduate Athletic Training Education Program establish the essential qualities considered necessary for students admitted to this program to achieve the knowledge, skills, and competencies of an entry-level athletic trainer, as well as meet the expectations of the program's accrediting agency (Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education [CAATE]). In addition to classroom academic requirements, all students admitted to the program must possess the ability to perform on-field clinical skills that require significant physical dexterity. Ability to meet the program's technical standards does not guarantee a student's eligibility for the BOC exam.

Candidates for selection to the Undergraduate Athletic Training Education Program must demonstrate the following:

1)   the mental capacity to assimilate, analyze, synthesize, integrate concepts and problem solve to formulate assessment and therapeutic judgments and to be able to distinguish deviations from the norm;

2)   sufficient postural and neuromuscular control, sensory function, and coordination to perform appropriate physical examinations using accepted techniques; and accurately, safely and efficiently use equipment and materials during the assessment and treatment of patients;

3)   the ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients and colleagues, including individuals from different cultural and social backgrounds; this includes, but is not limited to, the ability to establish rapport with patients and communicate judgments and treatment information effectively. Students must be able to understand and speak the English language at a level consistent with competent professional practice;

4)   the ability to record the physical examination results and a treatment plan clearly and accurately;

5)   the capacity to maintain composure and continue to function well during periods of high stress;

6)   the perseverance, diligence and commitment to complete the athletic training education program as outlined and sequenced;

7)   flexibility and the ability to adjust to changing situations and uncertainty in clinical situations;

8)   affective skills and appropriate demeanor and rapport that relate to professional education and quality patient care.  

4.  Students are notified of their status just prior to registration so they can schedule the appropriate courses for the semester.  Students who are granted a position in the program are notified of their clinical affiliation site for the spring semester around November 10th. 

5.  The number of students accepted into the program each year is based upon the availability of staff and clinical experience opportunities.  On average, the number of students accepted per year will range between 12 and 15. 

6.  Once admitted to the program, students must commit themselves to a minimum of five semesters for the completion of coursework and clinical experience.  The clinical experience of 1000 hours (minimum 200 hours per semester) must be completed in no less than five semesters. 

7.  Students must have been or plan to be vaccinated for Hepatitis B Virus or sign a waiver indicating they decline to receive a vaccine and assume the risks involved.

Transfer Students 

Transfer students that have met the aforementioned admissions requirements are eligible to apply for admittance to the program. Courses (credits) are transferable however, students will be required to take the human anatomy course (EXSS 175) from UNC-Chapel Hill as well as the core Athletic Training Classes (EXSS 265, 366-369). Students must also complete the 50 hours of observation in the UNC FETZER athletic training room (i.e., hours obtained from another institution are not transferable).

Transfer from an accredited athletic training program:

A student may transfer into the UNC athletic training education program if the following conditions are met;

1.  They must have applied and been admitted to that program.

2.  They must have completed the prerequisite coursework (Equivalent to EXSS 188 and EXSS 175) with a grade of at least B.

3. They can only transfer in the equivalent to EXSS2 65 as per review of the course and competencies taught in that course by the program director and instructor of EXSS 265.

4. They must have one clinical rotation completed with a satisfactory rating. 

If these requirements are met they will be admitted to the UNC Athletic Training Education program on a provisional basis for the first semester.  They will begin by registering in the fall for EXSS 366 and 271.  At the mid semester of these classes the student’s performance will be evaluated and must be satisfactory to be formally admitted to the program.  If these requirements are not met the student can still transfer, but will transfer in with the status of any other student. 

Student Athletes 

Student athletes are eligible to apply for admittance into the Undergraduate Athletic Training Program, however, it will not be possible to complete the program requirements without full cooperation from the athlete’s coaching staff. No exceptions will be made to the course sequencing if admitted to the program, nor will exceptions be made for meeting the required 1000 clinical hours within the minimum of five semesters. Clinical hours during the athlete’s in-season may be deferred to a later semester. During the athlete’s off-season he/she will not be permitted to participate in his/her respective sport if it conflicts with the clinical site assigned.

Joe Myers, PhD, ATC

123 Fetzer Gym, CB# 8700

University of North Carolina

Chapel Hill NC 27599-8700

(919) 962-7543

joemyers@email.unc.edu