Athletic Training Students Initiate Behaviors Less Frequently When Supervised by Novice Clinical Instructors

OBJECTIVE: To identify and compare clinical-instruction behaviors based on the experience level of the instructor. DESIGN AND SETTING: Systematic observation, employing the Clinical Instruction Analysis Tool-Athletic Training II was used to identify clinical instructors', athletic training students', and athletes' behaviors. SUBJECTS: Thirty clinical instructors (19 men, 11 women, mean age = 31.7 +/- 10.4 years) with novice, intermediate, and advanced experience volunteered to participate. MEASUREMENTS: We summarized data into contribution and target categories. Frequency data of the categories were analyzed across experiential level of the clinical instructor. RESULTS: Differences among clinical instructors' experience levels existed in the frequency of athletic training student behaviors (chi(2)(2) = 9.6, P =.008). Post hoc comparisons identified differences in the frequency of athletic training student-initiated behaviors when novice clinical instructors were compared with intermediate (F(2,27) = 5.52, P =.023) and advanced (F(2,27) = 5.52, P =.026) instructors. No significant differences were seen between the clinical instructors' experience levels and total clinical instructors' contribution, total athletes' contribution, silent observation, clinical instructors' use of questions, clinical instructors' use of skill feedback, clinical instructors' use of screening and evaluation techniques, and athletic training students' use of screening and evaluative techniques. CONCLUSIONS: Certified athletic trainers in their initial year of instructor experience appear to lack the requisite clinical-instruction knowledge, skills, and abilities to facilitate athletic training student behavior in a clinical setting. Program directors and clinical coordinators should assign instructors' responsibilities to certified athletic trainers who have more experience or demonstrate the ability to foster student interaction.