Date of Award

Spring 5-1-2004

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Athletic Training

First Advisor

Catherine Stemmans

Second Advisor

Timothy Demchak

Third Advisor

Mitchell Cordova

Abstract

Context: Indicators such as grade point average (GPA) and Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores have been used to predict academic achievement at the graduate level. However, academic success measured, in part by these variables have not been used to predict clinical job placement. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if academic predictors exist for classifying students in employment settings following completion of a Masters degree from an accredited Graduate Athletic Training Education Program. Design: The criterion variables were initial and current job placement after completion of Indiana State University's accredited Graduate Athletic Training Education Program. The predictor variables were: graduate GPA, ORE-total score, ORE-analytical score, and professional experience. Professional experience represents clinical work the subjects completed during their graduate program at ISU (i.e. high school or university setting). Subjects: Sixty-seven (37males and 30 females, 29.0 ± 2.1 years) alumni who graduated between the years of 1995 and 2000 from the Indiana State University Accredited Graduate Athletic Training Education Program: volunteered to participate in this study. Procedures: Each subject was mailed an informed consent form and a survey. The survey requested demographic information and initial and current job placement. Additionally, subjects granted permission to use the following academic information from institutional records: Graduate GP A, ORE-total scores, GREanalytical scores, and professional experience. These data were collected and stored on a spreadsheet. Results: None of the predictor variables were able to significantly classify clinical job placement. Specifically, Graduate GPA (f ~_ 54= 1.384; P=0.257 ), ORE-total score (F3_54=1.347; P=0.269), GRE-analytical score (F_,_5_.=0.254; P=0.858) and professional experience (F3_54=1.583; P=0.204) did not predict initial job placement. Furthermore, Graduate GPA (F3_54=0.415; P=0.743), GRE-total score (F_,_54=0.304: P=0.822), GRE-analytical score (F3_54=1.613; P=0.197) and professional experience (F3.54=1.993; P=0.126) did not predict current job placement either. Conclusion: Athletic trainer employers hire athletic trainers for reasons beyond academic variables.

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