An exploration of mentoring in athletic training clinical education [electronic resource] : establishing a preliminary model based on the grounded theory /

by Panseri, Michelle Lynn.

Context: The concept of mentoring is not generally discussed within athletic training literature, although the importance is recognized by educators. Most definitions of mentoring are very ambiguous and lack specific conclusions. In addition it is not known if mentoring occurs and when and how it occurs within the clinical education setting in athletic training. Objective: To understand the prevalence of mentoring within the clinical education setting, as well as approved clinical instructors (ACI) preparedness to become mentors to athletic training students (ATS). Setting: West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia Design: This is a prospective descriptive study, which is based in the grounded theory of qualitative research. Patients and Participants: Institutions were drawn from several athletic training education programs (ATEP) within the states of Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Due to a low response rate, all the institutions that responded were used in the study, and all ACI’s who were willing to participate were interviewed. There were eighteen participants with broad ranges in experience and age. Each of the institutions used in the study were CAAHEP accredited for at least five years with a mean of 17.67 years + 9.4 years. Interventions: The participants were asked to fill out a demographic questionnaire, as well as a questionnaire on mentoring, and then participate in an interview with the primary investigator. Main Outcomes Measure: That ACI’s are prepared to fill their mentoring role within the clinical education setting, and that mentoring does exist within the athletic training setting. Results: The results of this study suggested an integrated model in which, personal and environmental factors can help to foster mentoring relationships. The personal factors are traits that potential mentors should possess, in order to effectively mentor students and they include approachability, accessibility, and communication skills. The environmental factors include supporting variables, as well as barriers to mentoring. The major supporting variable is having an environment, and staff members that support mentoring and want to see it occur. The most reported barrier to mentoring was a time constraint, where they ACI simply didn’t have the capacity to mentor the amount of students, as well as care for the athletes that they were asked to within the scope of their job description. Conclusions: The conclusions of this study were found based on the purposes of this study. The first purpose of finding the prevalence of mentoring was very clear in saying that mentoring is prevalent, and exists in the clinical education setting of athletic training, and that it occurs more frequently in an informal nature than a formal nature. The second purpose of determining if the ACI training was adequate was less clear, with the sample split in half. Although it is not useful to more experienced ACI’s, the novice ACI’s felt that the training was a good base of information, and suggest adding role playing and scenario driven activities, as well as incorporating a mentoring program for novice ACI’s would help to improve the preparation of ACI’s to become mentors.