2013 Program Review: Sports Medicine Minor School of Allied Health

C. Articulation

No formal or regular planning processes appear to have been used in the past.

The only assessment report we were able to locate is contained in the Appendix. It was complete in 2010 and it lists the following as learning outcomes:

1. Develop a basic understanding of the anatomical components of the human body with specific application to human movement and an understanding of appropriate anatomical and physiological language.

2. Develop an ability to do movement analysis with a focus on functional anatomy.

3. Have an understanding of the importance of macro and micronutrients to human life as well as body’s metabolic process of foods.

4. Demonstrate an ability to analyze nutrient intakes and report on experiences.

6. Develop an understanding of the mechanical and physiological basis of pulmonary ventilation and the relationship the pulmonary system has to limits of human performance.

7. Develop a working knowledge of the structure and control of the cardiovascular system and the acute and chronic adaptations seen in the system in response to exercise.

8. Develop an understanding of the structure, function and control of the neuromuscular system and its adaptations with training.

9. Learn the techniques commonly used in exercise physiology to assess human performance.

10. Develop an understanding of the principles of mechanics as they pertain to the description and production of human motion.

11. Develop an understanding of the mechanical characteristics of the musculoskeletal system as it relates to the production of motion and to injury.

12. Develop an understanding of the relationship between mechanical and metabolic factors in terrestrial motion.

13. Develop a basic understanding of legal concerns and insurance issues in athletic training.

14. Develop a basic understanding of athletic training room operations & organization.

15. Demonstrate ability to use taping and bandaging to prevent and care for athletic injuries.

16. Gain an understanding of field care and emergency procedures.

17. Develop a basic understanding of blood borne pathogens.

18. Develop a basic understanding of evaluations treatment procedures and rehabilitation methods for athletic injuries.

19. Develop a basic understanding record keeping and health insurance activity.
These appear to have been taken directly from course syllabi and the only measure is whether students passed the course that the learning objective is tied to. The most common result is that “Almost 100% of students have passed the class.”
An alumni survey was prepared and administered as a component of this program review. The results are discussed in “Criterion E” below.
Criterion C: Program Resources

A. Finances

The program is supported through state and university funds. Supplemental funds are obtained through laboratory fees. Budget for maintenance of equipment is limited to department supply funds. There is no separate budget for this program.

Several of the classes in the Sports Medicine minor curriculum utilize a well equipped exercise science laboratory. The laboratory equipment includes the following:

1 Seca Physician’s scale

1 True CS8 treadmill

1 Monark cycloergometer 818E

1 Velotron Racer Mate

1 Trackmaster JAS Fintes System treadmill

2 Sit & Reach boxes

1 Parvo Medics TruOne 2400 metabolic cart

1 Dartfish system

TeamPro Suite 4

4 Precision sphygmomanometers

4 Polar FS1 hear rate monitors

1 Myotest performance measurement system

2 country technology (66801) handgrip dynamometers

1 Lange skinfold caliper

1 Slimguide skinfold caliper

1 John Bull skinfold caliper

2 Lactate Plus analyzers

1 Handycam 40 DCR-HC38 camera

3 Half skeletons (1 model / 2 real specimens)
Specific equipment relative to athletic training modalities and taping are shared with the athletic training room used by intercollegiate athletics. Instructional space for classroom lecture appear to be adequate.
C. Library
The holding in the library are limited and inadequate to support the minor. Electronic journals are limited and bound holdings are inadequate to support the minor. Specific resources in exercise science and athletic training are needed.
Criterion D: Program Productivity and Efficiency
A. Minor Headcount Enrollment

It is difficult to accurately quantify the student numbers in the Sports Medicine minor, as some students who are pursuing the minor don’t officially record the intent to complete a minor until their senior year.

Academic year	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	20010-11	20011-12	2012-13
Number of students	14	11	14	13	7	8

Academic year	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12
# of graduates	5	3	6	8	4

Not calculated as there is only one course that is unique to the Sports Medicine minor. All other courses are taken by students who may or may not have a minor in Sports Medicine.

The only class unique to the Sports Medicine minor is KINS 381, Internship in Sports Medicine. The history of enrollment in this course is listed directly below.

Other than the 2010 “Student Learning Outcomes Report” discuss in “Criterion B” above, there is no record of any assessment activities being conducted in the past. An alumni survey was mailed to this year to all twenty-six graduates from the last five years. Only three were returned as undeliverable. Graduates were given the choice of completing a paper version of the survey or an on-line version. One returned a paper version.

Two respondents indicated that major field courses were “extremely helpful”; one indicated that were “neither” and one “somewhat helpful.”

Two respondents indicated that minor field courses were “extremely helpful”; one indicated that were “very helpful” and one “somewhat helpful.”

One respondent indicated that elective courses were “extremely helpful” and three “somewhat helpful.”

Two respondents indicated that internships were “extremely helpful”; one “neither” and one “not at all.”

One respondent indicated that undergraduate research/independent study opportunities were “extremely helpful”; one that were “very helpful”; one that were “neither”, and one “somewhat helpful.”

Two respondents indicated that extracurricular activities were “very helpful”; one were “neither” and one “somewhat helpful.”

Q13. One respondent indicated that “upper division classes are more useful towards the field of study…”.

Three respondents identified KINS 240 as an “extremely helpful” class; one as “very helpful” and one as “does not apply”.

Three respondents identified KINS 213 as an “extremely helpful” class; and one as “somewhat helpful”. One responded “does not apply”.

Three respondents identified KINS 215 as an “extremely helpful” class; two as “very helpful”.

Three respondents identified KINS 300 as an “extremely helpful” class; two as “very helpful”.

Three respondents identified KINS 341 as an “extremely helpful” class; one as “does not apply”.

Two respondents identified KINS 343 as an “extremely helpful” class; one as “very helpful”; One as “somewhat helpful”.

Two respondents identified KINS 220 as an “extremely helpful” class; two as “very helpful” and one as “neither”.

Three respondents identified KINS 381 as an “extremely helpful” class; one as “very helpful” and one as “neither”.

Two respondents identified WELL 464 as an “extremely helpful” class; two as “somewhat helpful” and one as “does not apply”.

“…the criteria above was pretty solid in the amount of classes offered and what was learned in those classes…”

“… more classes should be offered and the minor should be expanded… focus on 1-2 sports in particular each semester”

“all the kinesiology course and Sports Med (Athletic Training) classes. Also take more biology, chemistry, psychology and physics classes”.

“Exercise prescription (sic) Biomechanics(sic) Physiology of Exercise(sic) A&(sic)P Kinesiology”

“more hands on experience, more real-world type scenarios, MUCH (sic) more internship opportunities and requirements. More lab time”.

“more hands on experience”.

Q15. A respondent indicated that he/she did not visit advisor after sophomore year, and that there was no discussion of future plans, and stressed the limited options of courses.

Three respondents “agreed” that the Kinesiology/Sports Medicine curriculum was rigorous and one “strongly agreed”. One “disagreed”.

Two respondents “strongly agreed” to encourage others to enroll in the program; two “agreed” and one was “neutral”.

Two responded “neutral’ to their qualifications upon graduation; one “agreed”, one “disagreed” and one “strongly agreed”.

Two respondents “strongly agreed” in identifying their advisors as knowledgeable on major requirements; one selected “agreed”, one selected “neutral” and one “does not apply”.

Three respondents selected “strongly agreed” on advisor’s knowledge on student’s educational and career goals; one selected “neutral” and one selected “agreed”.

Two respondents “strongly agreed” on the assistance received by advisors to match courses to career goals; two “agreed” and one was “neutral”.

Four respondents selected “strongly agreed” on advisor’s social and emotional supports; one selected “neutral”.

Two respondents “strongly agreed” on the advisors referral to support services when needed; one “agreed” and one was “neutral”. One selected “does not apply”.

Q16. The strengths of the program identified by the respondents are as follows:

There was only one professor teaching all of the classes. “He did a very good job handling the handful of classes and students”.

“On the sports medicine side of things I believe the program was very beneficial… The teacher for those classes was very knowledgeable and very helpful both with book and hands on work”.

“Working with fellow students, at athletic events, or out in the community”.

Two respondents indicated that hands on experiences were valuable for their education.

“It is growing, and it’s in development”.

“one on one time. Good broad overview”.

Q17. The weaknesses of the program identified by the respondents are as follows:

Having only one professor was cited twice by respondents.

”…we did a lot of hands on stuff, but were (sic) weren’t able to work more individually… we were taught how to tape ankles on other students, but never released to do so on athletes like an actually (sic) Athletic Training program would do”.

“Professors don’t stay long enough to really connect with students, or share their experience, or get us interested in being there”.

“There are limited connections to the sports med/orthopedic/PT/OT (sic) exercise phys (sic) organizations in the community to allow for internships”.

“I was not prepared for a rigorous Master’s program”.

“Having more equipment for the labs for both kinesiology and sports medicine would greatly increase the amount of research and lab activities…”.

“Bring back the Athletic Training program because more students are interested in the minor and the classes it provides than they are the Kinesiology (sic) program itself”.

“Improve the labs”.

“Give the professors incentives to stay with us…”.

“Develop a better connection to the sports med (sic) community locally and in places like Tucson and Las Cruces…”

“Let people work with the students on the sports teams more”.

“more athletic training courses”.

Terra Strain is the head athletic trainer for WNMU. She has a BS in Movement Sciences K-12 from WNMU and an MS in Athletic Training from Montana State University.  She is a certified athletic trainer by the National Athletic Trainers Association Board of Certification Licensure (NATABOC) and a licensed athletic trainer in New Mexico.

We did not discover any research activity by prior faculty focused on Sports Medicine. The two new Kinesiology faculty are engaged in research in that area.

There do not appear to have been any community service activities conducted in the past focused on Sports Medicine. The two current Kinesiology faculty have created a Get Fit Senior Exercise Program in collaboration with Western Institute of Lifelong Learning (WILL) and Campus Recreation. They also have been establishing relations with community organizations such as the Grant County Community Health Council, not-for-profit organizations, and local sports leagues.

As this minor does not have any competitive entrance standards, student demand is probably best measured by the number of students that choose to pursue this minor. That data is contained in “Criterion D” above.

The U.S. Department of Labor predicts faster than average growth in demand for athletic trainers.

In 2010 there were about 30 workers in this occupation in New Mexico. The Department of Workforce Solutions estimates that by 2020 this number will increase by about 31 percent and an estimated 40 will be employed in this occupation. Compared to other occupations, employment growth in this occupation is growing faster than the average. Job opportunities indicate few and keen competition, as there should be about 1 openings each year for workers in this occupation.

New Mexico Local Needs for Athletic Trainers
Area	Estimated Employment 2010	Projected Employment 2020	Annual Percent Change	Total Annual Average Openings
New Mexico	30	40	2.76%	1
+ Metro Areas
+ Regions

And the number of licenses issued on New Mexico clearly exceeds the job demand:

License Title	Contact	Year	Number issued
Trainer	New Mexico Athletic Commission 2550 Cerrillos Road, Second Floor , Santa Fe, NM 87505 (505) 547-4622 http://www.rld.state.nm.us/boards/Athletic_Commission.aspx	2012	77

The previous program review stated that, “With the increasing obesity epidemic and the increase in adults over 65 years of age, the need for individuals with training provided by the Sports Medicine minor appears to be in great demand. In addition, the demands for allied health professions and those qualified in preventative medicine are expanding.” However, the program as currently constituted does not provide an adequate depth or breadth to meet those societal needs.

The program is able to utilize the lab, equipment, and faculty of the Kinesiology program as well as the expertise of a licensed athletic trainer. Therefore, it is a low cost program.

The following was expressed in the concerns section of the last program review and the comments remain valid today:

It appears that a majority of students choosing the Sports Medicine minor are Kinesiology majors. This allows the student to complete a minor curriculum with only 6 credits outside of major curriculum requirements. Furthermore, the term “Sports Medicine” may elicit a belief of thorough preparation in athletic injury management. However, the minor, as it exists, does not prepare students for certification as an athletic trainer as defined by the National Athletic Trainers Association. Therefore, the minor may assist students in pursuing employment or graduate studies in some fields (e.g. physical therapy or exercise science) but will not adequately prepare them to be employed as an athletic trainer. This would require the completion of a major curriculum in athletic training education.

Additional concerns not noted in the last program review include the lack of job opportunities for athletic trainers in New Mexico and the lack of adequate library materials. The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions predicts only one job opening annually. Even if that number is significantly lower than the actual number of job openings, it should be noted that seventy-seven athletic trainer licenses were issued last year which should be more than adequate to cover the number of job openings. So developing a complete athletic training program does not appear to be a good use of limited university resources.

The recommendation of the School of Allied Health is that this program be terminated. The two discrete courses for this program, KINS 220 –Advanced Athletic Training, and KINS 381 –Internship in Sports Medicine, can remain in the catalog and be taken by Kinesiology majors (or others) as electives. The courses that were approved last year that are outlined on page 1 above should be reviewed by department faculty for possible deletion from the catalog. Most, if not all of them would not be useful additions to the Kinesiology program course rotation.

1. 
   State the Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for Graduates of this Major or Minor. Use one block for each SLO. You can add new lines by placing your cursor outside the last line and striking enter.
   
2. 
   State the Assessments used to determine the extent to which graduates meet these SLOs.
   
3. 
   If these are assessments with a track record, give the semester you started tracking this assessment.
   
4. 
   If these are assessments with a track record, give the results of the assessment with an interpretation of the data.
   
5. 
   If these are assessments with a track record, state changes you have made in the program based on this assessment.
   

Western New Mexico University College of Health and Human Services Kinesiology Program Sports Medicine Minor Program Review Survey

The purpose of this survey is to collect information regarding the program’s strengths and limitations, thus assist faculty to implement changes toward the improvement of all our programs. Your feedback is important to us hence we request your assistance by answering the following questions in reference to the Sports Medicine minor. If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact us. For your convenience we also have created an online version, you can complete this survey by visiting this link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/56J8XX8

Thank you for you time and assistance!