ATSU Faculty Research

This professional commentary addresses the ongoing challenges athletic trainers face in effectively using electronic health records (EHRs) and electronic medical records (EMRs) in both clinical practice and education. The authors outline barriers such as limited formal training, inconsistent documentation practices, and a lack of exposure to electronic systems during clinical education. They propose the implementation of academic electronic health record (AEHR) systems as a solution to bridge these gaps. AEHRs create simulated environments where clinicians and students can practice documentation, coding, and quality improvement tasks without risk to patient data. The paper highlights the potential of AEHRs to improve informatics competency, critical thinking, and decision-making skills while advancing the profession through better data collection, patient care quality, and alignment with broader health information technology standards.

This commentary outlines a framework for incorporating diagnostic ultrasound into athletic training education to prepare future clinicians for emerging imaging practices in musculoskeletal care. The authors highlight technological advances that have made point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) portable, affordable, and increasingly essential for sports medicine professionals. The paper discusses curricular integration across anatomy, examination, diagnosis, and rehabilitation courses, using diagnostic ultrasound as both a teaching tool and a clinical skill. It also addresses common barriers—such as equipment cost, time, and faculty expertise—and offers strategies including cost sharing, online learning modules, and interprofessional “teach-the-teacher” models. Proactive integration of diagnostic ultrasound, the authors conclude, will enhance student learning, promote interprofessional collaboration, and expand athletic trainers’ capabilities within the healthcare team.

This study explored how athletic trainers define advanced clinical practice (ACP) and identified themes that inform professional development and post-professional education. Using qualitative survey analysis, the authors found that athletic trainers associate ACP with formal and informal education beyond entry-level preparation—particularly residency training, doctoral education, and specialized certifications. Participants emphasized advanced knowledge, skills, and behaviors grounded in evidence-based practice, patient-centered care, and quality improvement. The results contributed to the development of a unified definition of ACP in athletic training and underscored the role of structured educational pathways in preparing clinicians for advanced, specialized, and leadership roles.

Building on prior work defining advanced clinical practice, this study identified personal and professional characteristics associated with advanced practice athletic trainers. Through qualitative analysis, four core categories emerged: intrapersonal skills (lifelong learning, critical thinking, professional commitment), interpersonal skills (communication, leadership, mentorship), discipline-specific expertise, and experience. These attributes align with the CAATE core competencies and inform educational goals for residency and Doctor of Athletic Training (DAT) programs. The findings provide a framework for fostering advanced practice clinicians who demonstrate reflective reasoning, leadership, and excellence in patient-centered care.

This study established the content validity of the Athletic Training Milestones, a comprehensive framework for assessing competence across the continuum of athletic training practice. Using a content validity index (CVI) approach with 12 expert reviewers, the researchers found exceptionally high agreement (overall CVI = 0.99) across all general competency areas—patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning, communication, professionalism, and systems-based practice. These results confirm that the Athletic Training Milestones provide a valid and reliable structure for evaluating clinical knowledge, skill acquisition, and professional behaviors from novice to expert levels. The findings support the use of the Milestones as a profession-wide evaluation and development tool for athletic trainers in both educational and clinical settings.

This study compared two common clinical assessments of breathing—the Hi-lo test and the Lateral Rib Expansion (LRE) test—across multiple body positions to determine how breathing mechanics change with postural demand. Fifty healthy adults completed both tests in supine, seated, standing, and half-kneeling positions. Results showed that the Hi-lo test identified more dysfunctional breathing as postural stability demands increased, while the LRE test was less affected by position except in half-kneeling. The findings indicate that these tests measure distinct aspects of respiratory function and should be used together to gain a comprehensive picture of diaphragmatic performance. Clinicians are encouraged to assess breathing mechanics in multiple positions to better identify dysfunction and guide interventions targeting respiratory control and postural stability.

This study examined how core stability endurance relates to movement capacity and whether those relationships differ by sex. Fifty-three active adults completed Functional Movement Screen (FMS) testing and core stability endurance assessments for flexion, extension, and side bridging. Results revealed that relationships between core stability and movement capacity varied across tests and were stronger in women than men. Specifically, endurance in trunk extension and right side bridge explained over 40% of FMS score variance in women, compared to less than 12% in men. These findings suggest that core stability endurance contributes more to movement quality in women and that sex-specific factors should be considered when assessing or training core function and movement efficiency