Athletic Training Education Program

                                      
The Program at Eastern Kentucky University has a long and proud history. Eastern's Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) first received approval by the National Athletic Trainers' Association in 1980. The ATEP received its initial accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) in 1991; followed by re-accreditation in 1996 and 2002. EKU was the first university in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with a nationally accredited ATEP, and until the fall of 2005, was the only accredited ATEP in the Commonwealth. Since July 1, 2006, EKU's ATEP has been accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). Since inception, faculty, staff and alumni of the program have received prestigious recognition such as entry into the NATA Hall of Fame, employment positions with professional athletic teams, reputable colleges and universities, and as directors of sports medicine clinics since 1971.

The program is designed for those students who want to meet the educational competencies established by the National Athletic Trainers Association Executive Committe on Education, and the standards set for credentialling as an Athletic Trainer by the  Board of Certification (BOC).  After completing the EKU - ATEP, a student is eligible to take the BOC examination. Passing the certification exam will broaden employment possibilities at the secondary school, college, university, professional, performing arts, and private/clinical settings. To obtain a more thorough understanding of the employment prospects visit www.nata.org.

Through additional course work, the ATEP can be designed to prepare students for the fields of physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant,  and medicine. Curricula are designed to provide the student with an undergraduate preparation to seek entrance into graduate school programs including advanced masters in athletic training, exercise physiology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician's assistant and medicine.

For information about our curriculum and program admission and transfer student admission policies please click on the apprropriate link in the menu on the left-hand side of the screen.

Mission of EKU-ATEP

The primary mission of the Eastern Kentucky University ATEP is to educate each student about the theoretical and clinical skills necessary to work effectively with the physiological and biomechanical aspects of injury and illness with regard to our patients. Depending on the student's personal and professional goals, the Athletic Training major can be paired with other majors or coursework at Eastern Kentucky University. Regardless of the chosen area(s) of study,  students are presented with didactic and clinical experiences that will allow them to be able to exercise sound ethical judgment, achieve satisfying careers, and make positive contributions to their communities and the athletic training profession. In addition, the ATEP guides the student on the journey to become a lifelong learner through obligatory professional continuing education.