Ithaca College

Three professors with the Athletic Training Education Program in the Department of Exercise & Sport Sciences just published 2 critical and provoking manuscripts in a special issue of the Athletic Training Education Journal dedicated to the profession's transition to a professional master's degree.

 Associate Professor and Program Director, Paul R. Geisler, EdD, ATC organized and edited the special issue which was designed to generate larger and more meaningful questions concerning the ongoing transition to the professional master's degree. In addition, he wrote and published an introductory, opening editorial that included several coordinating mini-editorials from established leaders in the field, and a co-authored with Drs. Patrick and Jennifer McKeon one of the centerpiece papers for the issue entitled "On the Need to Move to an Evidence-Based Athletic Training (EBAT)", a theoretical model that calls for the integrated implementation of evidence-based practice, regulation and education.

Dr. Patrick McKeon led the writing of a 2nd collaborative and anchor piece with assistance from Drs. Jennifer McKeon and Geisler, entitled "Redefining Professional Knowledge in Athletic Training: Whose Knowledge is it Anyway?", a socio-professional critique of knowledge production, boundary crossings and ontological authority.

The profession of athletic training is now moving from its traditional bachelor's degree requirement for professional certification/licensure to a mandated master's degree level, and there is strong debate as to the many advantages and disadvantages of the move, and  how it will impact the educational and clinical processes and dynamics.