Development of measurability and importance scales for the NATA athletic training educational competencies

A recent mandate issued by the National Athletic Trainers' Association Board of Certification (NATABOC) stated that beginning in 2004 a student must graduate from an accredited Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) in order to qualify for the NATABOC exam. The content of this exam is based on the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) Athletic Training Educational Competencies. These 542 competencies in 12 different domains were developed through role delineation studies with the most recent edition published in 1999. Therefore, these competencies must be included in each athletic training curriculum program across the country in order to prepare their students for certification and to achieve program accreditation. Concern over the large number of competencies to be attained within the educational time frame created the need to develop an instrument to examine this issue. In response, instruments were developed to examine one domain of the NATA Educational Competencies. Specifically, the General Medical Conditions and Disabilities competencies were assessed for their perceived importance and measurability by certified athletic trainers and sports medicine physicians. This article reports the results of a validation study of an instrument designed to measure the perceived measurability and importance of the NATA Athletic Training Educational Competencies. Generally, the results are encouraging. The data supports six constructs, and each of these constructs exhibits high reliabilities. Relative competency calibrations within and between scales were consistent with theory. And, ratings assigned by different groups of trainers were comparable.