Drake University issued the following announcement.
Drake University is pleased to announce that its Master of Athletic Training (MAT) program has earned accreditation from the Commission on the Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE).
The council accredited the program for five years, the maximum amount allowed for initial accreditation. The program demonstrated compliance with all accreditation standards and was recognized in the areas of experiential learning, faculty, medical directors, unique interprofessional learning opportunities, and support from being a part of a health professions college.
Drake University’s athletic training program, offered through the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, is the only accredited program in Iowa that has met the new CAATE 2020 Standards, exists within a health professions college, and has three tenure-track faculty members.
“This is a very important step along the journey of building our program,” said Nate Newman, Drake’s athletic training program director. “CAATE accreditation assures students of our program’s quality and allows them to sit for the Board of Certification Exam for Athletic Trainers. The accreditation process confirmed our program’s strengths and provides confirmation that students who graduate our program will be well-qualified athletic trainers.”
The athletic training program at Drake began enrolling students in Fall 2019. Its inaugural cohort of three students graduated in May of 2021.
Drake University’s athletic training program includes laboratories with state-of-the-art equipment to prepare students for their future careers including a patient simulation lab with mid- and high-fidelity manikins, a virtual reality anatomy and physiology lab, and a newly renovated athletic training lab with the latest equipment to prepare students for their future careers. Being in Iowa’s capital city and at a Division I institution, the program provides students many high-impact, hands-on experiential opportunities including experiences with the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union, high school state championships, the Drake Relays, and a variety of unique athletic training settings, Students are also able to individualize their curriculum through concentrations in areas such as MBTI (mild brain traumatic injury or concussions), Health and Wellness, Leadership Development, and Global and Comparative Public Health, among others. For more information on the program, visit drake.edu/at.
“The field of athletic training is growing at a faster rate than other health care professions and needs an increasing number of highly qualified professionals as a result,” said Renae Chesnut, dean of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. “Our program, which has been determined by CAATE to meet the highest standards, meets our goal of supporting the health care needs of Iowa and beyond.”
In addition to the MAT program, the University offers a pre-athletic training track for undergraduates in which they can complete a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences on either a three- or four-year track, followed by coursework in the MAT program.
Accreditation Status:
The Drake University Master of Athletic Training program is fully accredited through the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) through the 2025-2026 academic year. The program’s status is active-in good standing with the CAATE.
Original source can be found here.
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