2013 Program Review: Sports Medicine Minor School of Allied Health

The Department of Allied Health offers programs in Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation Services and Kinesiology. The department prepares students for entry into the respective fields. Holistic health practices are encouraged. The Sports Medicine minor is designed to provide a foundation of study in athletic health and injury management.  

The Sports Medicine Minor was first introduced in the 1996-1997 WNMU’s catalog. At its inception, it was under the Department of Wellness and Movement Sciences. That department joined the newly created School of Health Sciences and Human Performance in 2003. The Department of Wellness and Movement Sciences was abolished in 2006 and the minor was placed with the newly created Department of Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation Services, and Kinesiology. When the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance was broken up in 2010, the minor remained with the School of Allied Health which contained the same disciplines as the Department of Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation Services, and Kinesiology.

KINS 214. Clinical 1: Orientation to Athletic Training (1)

KINS 216. Clinical 2: Taping/Bracing (2)

KINS 312. Clinical 3: Equipment Fitting (2)

KINS 322. Clinical 4: Manual Muscle Testing (3)

KINS 324. Clinical 5: Special Testing (3)

KINS 422. Clinical 6: Visitation (3) ( a field experience)

KINS 430. Clinical 7: Mock Testing (2) (preparation for Athletic Trainer Certification test)

The following recommendations were made in the 2008 program review:

“If the Sports Medicine minor continues in its current form, it should be limited to students who are not kinesiology majors. Furthermore, the curriculum may benefit from requiring additional internship or fieldwork that would provide for athletic injury management experience in both clinical and athletic settings. Finally, since the majority of Sports Medicine minors are Kinesiology students, a revision of the minor to address more popular interests such as physical therapy may be warranted.”
None of those recommendations were implemented.
D. Procedures and Participants in the Review

This program review was written by Department Chair Curtis Hayes and Dr. Miguel Narvaez, one of two Kinesiology faculty. Input was also provided by Dr. Taka Sato, Kinesiology faculty member, and Terra Strain, WNMU athletic trainer and adjunct faculty member. Data was provided by Paul Landrum, Director of Data Analysis and Research.

The goals of this minor are to:

1. 
   Provide students with the opportunity to acquire practical skills and knowledge in injury identification and management that can be used in any healthcare field.
   
2. 
   Give students additional experience that may make them more marketable for graduate and professional studies in other health care fields such as athletic training and physical therapy.
   
3. 
   Provide experience in various aspects of prevention, recognition, and treatment of the athletic injuries.
   

The minor does not qualify student to sit for the National Athletic Trainers Association’s Board of Certification Certified Athletic Trainer Examination.

The institutions mission of meeting the needs of students interested in allied health are addressed with the Sports Medicine minor in that, the students are able to acquire skills helpful in healthcare fields. Also, this relates to WNMU’s position in providing qualified personnel to regional employers such as the various health care agencies. However, standards for students in kinesiology and athletic training (sports medicine) are largely prescribed and/or influenced by professional organizations such as the American College of Sports Medicine, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, and the National Athletic Trainers Association.

Students may declare the sports medicine minor without special requirements different from general university academic admission requirements. The minor requires completion of 25 credits of coursework largely within the Kinesiology major program.

The following courses represent the requirements for the Sports Medicine Minor:

KINS/PE 213 (2) First Aid

KINS/PE 215 (3) Basic Prevention and Treatment of Athletic Injuries

KINS 220 (3) Advanced Athletic Training

KINS/PE 240/242 (4) Anatomical and Physiological Kinesiology and Lab

KINS/PE 341/342 (4) Physiology of Exercise and Lab

KINS/PE 343 (3) Biomechanics

KINS 381 (3) Internship in Sports Medicine

KINS/HLTH 300 or (3) Nutrition and Diet Therapy

HLTH 464 (3) Substance Use and Abuse

KINS/PE 213. First Aid. Development of skills and knowledge necessary in an emergency to help sustain life, reduce pain, and minimize the consequences of injury or sudden illness until more advanced medical care arrives. Successful completion of course includes American Red Cross certification. (2)