Student Retention in Athletic Training Education Programs (Original Research) (Report‪)‬

Employment settings for certified athletic trainers (ATs) have expanded a great deal over the past 10 years. The expanding job market has been met with an increase in the number of Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE)-accredited athletic training programs nationwide. As of November 2007, 343 undergraduate entry-level athletic training education programs (ATEPs) accredited by CAATE were seeking quality students. (1) The increase in accredited ATEPs and growth of many health care programs has resulted in the need for education programs to seek out and retain quality students. Student retention rates in higher education have been studied for many years. (2-4) Colleges and universities strive to retain their students. The relationships among student retention and quality assurance, program development, and financial gain are important for administrators and directors of education programs. (5) In 1975, Tinto (2) developed the Student Integration Model for examining student attrition and persistence in institutions of higher learning. Persistence occurs on a personal level, meaning that students either remain in educational programs or at universities until graduation or they do not. The Tinto (2) model suggests that a student must have a commitment to his or her respective institution and the goal of completing a college degree in order to persist as a college student. Initial commitments to the institution and completion of personal goals are shaped by precollege experiences, family background, and personal attributes. (In our study, these factors were labeled anticipatory factors.) Upon matriculation at a particular institution, commitments are then shaped by levels of academic integration and social integration. Academic integration is associated with student grades, relationships with teachers, and overall performance in the classroom. Social integration is associated with peer networks, social outlets, and basic support from friends. Based on the Tinto (2) model, students are also more likely to persist when they are both academically and socially integrated. (6)