The Athletic Training Education Program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha relies on two educational components to ensure that students receive an education that will prepare them to successfully challenge the NATABOC Certification Exam and become a successful and proficient athletic trainer. The first is the curricula that is composed of the core classes in this major. The second, which is of equal importance is the clinical education that each student is required to, and should look forward to, in the athletic training room.  

Weekly clinical education requirements in this program will total an average of 20-25 hours per week in the athletic training room, team practices, and team competitions. There will be some weeks when you only complete 15 hours and some weeks when you complete 25 hours, and in general, 30 hours per week will be the maximum. The philosophy of this program is to provide each student with ample opportunities to apply classroom knowledge in real world settings in order to truly become a proficient practitioner of the Athletic Training discipline. However, we realize that as a full-time student it is important to have sufficient time for studying and other endeavors. We believe that an average of 20-25 clinical education hours per week will provide the balance needed to be successful in the classroom, the practical setting, and to effectively challenge the NATABOC examination upon graduation.

It is up to each student and their assigned Approved Clinical Instructor (ACI) to schedule and monitor these clinical education hours. You will be given sheets to record the hours experienced each day and week. The record sheets must be signed by each student and their ACI at the end of each week. Lastly, the record sheets must then be turned into the Clinical Education Coordinator.

The purpose of the clinical education is to allow you to integrate classroom knowledge into practical use in the athletic training discipline. You can only do this if you spend adequate time in the athletic training room, and in turn, make the most of that time through observation and supervised practice of skills and proficiencies.

Remember, you are not here to be given an education. Rather, you are here to obtain an education. An instructor can give you the tools to build your education, but you must decide how to use them.

During your clinical education hours you will be expected to report to the athletic training room and/or athletic team practices/competitions at assigned times and in appropriate attire. Absence and tardiness will not be tolerated!!!