September 30, 2005

LIVINGSTON, Ala.—The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) recently announced the University of West Alabama’s athletic training education program received continuing accreditation. A peer review conducted by the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Athletic Training (JRC-AT) and the commission’s Board of Directors recognized UWA’s substantial compliance with the nationally established accreditation standards.

Following a UWA self-study last year and a site visit by JRC-AT officials in the spring, the university proved up to par in all aspects of the program’s faculty, students, facilities and coursework. Dr. R.T. Floyd, Director of Athletic Training and Sports Medicine at UWA, said the school met approximately 50 standards to earn the continuing accreditation.

“Our reaccredidation is a testament to the quality of our students and of our faculty’s teaching and administration,” said Floyd. “This recognition allows our graduates the opportunity to take the athletic training certification test knowing that they have a great background from UWA.”

The athletic training program at UWA currently has a total of 50 students enrolled in the pre-professional and professional phases, a large number for a university of this size.  Following a competitive admissions process, those admitted to the professional phase of the program work directly with the institution’s 10 NCAA sports, rodeo team and cheerleaders.

“We always emphasize getting students involved in clinical experience. Hands-on training is an important part of the success of our students,” said Floyd.

UWA athletic training graduates have an above average passing rate for the three-part national certification test, thanks to the quality of instruction and to their ability to put classroom concepts into practice by assisting staff athletic trainers in a variety of settings. 

CAAHEP is the largest programmatic accreditor in the health sciences field, reviewing and accrediting more than 2000 educational programs in 19 health science occupations. The accreditation standards are established by CAAHEP and The American Academy of Family Physicians, The American Academy of Pediatrics, The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine and The National Athletic Trainers’ Association, Inc. The next comprehensive evaluation of UWA’s athletic training program will take place in 2011-2012.

UWA, founded in 1835, ranked first in categories including accessibility and quality of advising, career services programs and faculty and staff caring for each student as a person in a recent survey of alumni from Alabama’s thirteen public, four-year universities conducted by the Alabama Commission on Government Accountability. The university serves the west central Alabama region through educational opportunity, academic research and public outreach.